Humanitarians aren�t we?

Maya Roze | Tuesday June 3, 2014 08:56

 

The walk has been postponed twice now and many other things have stood in his way such as lack of sponsorship, but his sincerity and perseverance remains as he pushes on. It is not about making money from this, it is about the human spirit and its power to influence change, from negativity into positivity.

It is very noble of him to take this project on and state that if other countries are standing up to relay the immorality behind the kidnapping by radical fundamentalist group Boko Haram. Very gutsy in fact, seeing as we live in a world where everyone and anyone can be disposed of.

The conversation we had when he roped me into the project was a very weird but straightforward one: “We want you to get involved because we wanted artists that are not really up there.” It is a fair description seeing as I am not up there, I will be and am already there in some ways but I took no offence. How many times do you see unknowns being offered a chance to take part in representing Botswana in something this monumental? I say it is monumental because I am conscious of the gravity of the matter and how damaging it must be to those mothers. I have two girls and I would tear the world apart if anything happened to them. I am not saying those mothers are not doing anything about it, I am saying that it is a pity that the way the world is designed, no one is as free as we are led to believe and most importantly, they need our help bafwethu.

Supporting this condemning of Boko Haram’s action is personal for me as well due to how scary the reality of human trafficking, terrorism and religious warfare is. Just because we live in a peaceful nation, a notion that is most often taken for granted and proudly ignored, does not mean that it is okay for us to just look the other way while the world weeps from the pain and torture seen.

Frankly speaking, my horror is sourced from varsity learning as well as movies such as Taken – both the first and second one. The human trafficking trade is a twisted industry of yukky greasy power-mongering wealthy men, of human-less sex and perverted lust, of inhumane acts done to the world’s most vulnerable human beings – girls and women.

Do not get me wrong, I am not a feminist and do not aspire to be one. I am, however, a woman and am aware of how many are used as tools. Everyone thinks that people like Princess Diana – who walked through landmine field, Angelina Jolie – who chopped off her breasts and Stella McCartney – cancer survivor; are hype chasers, those seeking attention and all that. Truth is the world is blessed to have people like that to remind us of the importance of remaining human, feeling for other humans because they bleed the same blood and cry the same watery tears.

If you are annoyed about the whole #Bringbackourgirls movement, then  you should be ashamed about your lack of compassion and give more reason for kidnappings such as these to take place – might as well buy a plane ticket and kaftan, fly to Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia and Egypt, pick up a machete, rifle or Rambo knife and kill someone . Be annoyed by traffic, or the bad service in Chicken Licken or BPC, but do not be annoyed when someone tries to show love to others. I praise Thabang for his efforts and I feel that all artists should do their part in the world of politicized humanitarianism.

Imagine if it was you, your sister, daughter or mother – what then??? Why should it matter only when it happens to you and not see the overall significance. What has happened to the world and why is it that we have become mechanized into non-empathy and open cynicism.

Let them not be a statistic or ignored or forgotten:

            When do my pleads become senseless

            Mine light in life the price for your restlessness

            Now I contest with you nonsensical human-less

            When there will be no rest unless the blessed are no longer suppressed

            They are harmless

            Your actions will never make sense

            How man has preyed on them

And then in us we bleed for them

And yet they were mere victims of circumstance

Unbeheld and un-strengthened beneath their teary veils

Unveiled and sent off of trails

Blind eyed to pin the bullet on the donkey’s tail

We must take heed and make amends

I pray that you do well and do tell

The feather that fell from the tree with plans

Are now chained, locked and bound in cells….

THE ART IS THERE TO CHANGE THE WORLD – A WORD AT A TIME!