Humanity in exile: Time for a new world

Monira Nazmi Jahan:

Novel Corona virus is one of the most devastating epidemics in the world right now. This one is spreading from one end to the other in the world. From older people to the younger one, from rich to the poor, no one can be saved from this virus. The human race never imagined that such fear and terror would prevail in their daily lives. This Corona virus has twisted all the words like arrogance, pride, power, etc. Humankind has entered a war where the enemy is invisible. Even he does not know from where or when the enemy will come and attack him. How helpless the humankind is today! How advanced the science and the technology, where all stands are today? A virus has ruined all the achievements of humanity. In such a helpless moment, humanity needs to fight against all those invisible enemies; it also requires the compassion towards people. Besides all, the question remains, how much sympathy the human society has shown in this type of transition?

To determine the answer to this question, we need to know how it looked like the previous world before Corona. Even before Corona virus, the world was a grazing ground full of violent hatred and public detestation. We have also seen the outcome of destruction due to war.  All the powerful countries have attacked the weak nations to fulfill their interests, regardless of the rules and regulations of international law. They have established their imperialism in those countries under various pretexts. Democracy has been deprived in the name of defending democracy. In fact, many world-leading societies were helpless in front of the big powers. The UN has played the role of a silent viewer. The world has witnessed the horrific plight of migrants in war-torn areas of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Iraq. The tragic death of Aylan Kurdi, an innocent child, has shaken the world.  Humanity has been ruthlessly floated on the shores of the sea. Everyone saw the frozen body of Aylan Kurdi with a broken heart. Who knows how many children have been lost in the stormy winds of war in the land of no return? Even in such a tragic death of humanity, the hearts of the so-called world leaders did not shake. Conscientious people were stunned by such a cruel incident, but the so-called world conscience was not awakened. The world has seen Syrian women have to take relief in exchange for their bodies. The UN Population Fund assesses gender-based violence in Syria. It said assistance was being provided in exchange for sex. The report, titled ‘Voices from Syria 2018’, said officials were briefly marrying women in exchange for food.  Many women have to spend the night with those officials to get aid.

Before the Corona outbreak, the world has seen the spread of terrorism in the world by misinterpreting religion. Al-Qaeda, sometimes the Taliban or sometimes ISIS, has changed its name at different times, and the poison of terrorism has spread all over the world. The world has seen Malala Yousafzai as a terrible victim of militancy. On October 9, 2012, at the age of 13, Taliban militants shot Malala in the head. Malala’s only crime is that she went to school as a woman.  After that, she fought for her life for 49 days in a hospital in Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Malala returned to the rhythm of life after severe fighting against death. Perhaps the world knew that there were many more Malala’s whose atrocities were lost in the darkness. Confused by the misinterpretation of the religion, the world has seen the Christchurch mosque attack, the Sri Lankan bombing, or the terrorist attack on the Holey Artisan in Bangladesh.

Pre-Corona situation was a paradise for women and child abusers. In Syria, we have seen women being sexually abused in the name of sex slaves. A UN report says thousands of women and children have been raped in Syria’s civil war. Rape has been used as a weapon in the country. Apart from rape, killing children was a common phenomenon. Just before the death of a three-year-old Syrian war-wounded child, he said, “I will tell God, you have wronged me.” According to the United Nations, Syria is now facing the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis after six years of war.

Without any doubt, it can be said that the earth turned into a hell before Corona. There were not any such evil deeds man did not do or no such worst situation which did not arise. After the arrival of Corona, humans began to witness of darkness in their naked eyes. The procession of corpses continued to rise.  People surrender to Corona virus like a vulnerable object.  In such a weak state, when he was supposed to be the most humane, he shows his darkness more evidently. What does the human race been done when the opportunity arose to turn the earth from hell to heaven through cooperation and compassion?  It is a matter of great regret that humans have shown the highest level of failure, even at that time. Even during the Corona period, we have seen the powerhouses of the world poisoning on each other, spreading hatred worldwide. Concentrating on Corona, communal hatred reached in a terrible level. Due to expanding Corona, one religion blames another; one tribe blames another one. The advantage of the situation has been taken by the terrorist group al-Qaeda. They have issued a six-page directive and statement on Covid-19.  It says, ‘Corona put it’s dark and painful shadow over the whole world, but the reason the virus has entered the Muslim world is because of the sin, obscenity and moral decay have increased in those Muslim countries. They said, “The crisis of Corona must be used as an opportunity to spread the true faith on religion, invite the people for jihad in the way of Allah, and revolt against the oppressors. The misery of women and children has not stopped during the Corona period.”  A 9-year-old child, a disabled girl, housewife, and even a 60-year-old woman could not escape from the rapist’s clutches. Domestic violence has increased, focusing on Corona outside the house and inside the room.  Reports from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Avenor Health, Johns Hopkins University, and Victoria University in Australia found that domestic violence has risen by 20 percent in the last three months in 193 UN member states.  People have shown the highest inhumanity with the corona patient. When people need compassion the most,at that time, people showed the most cruelty.  Due to Corona virus’s effect, the society evicted many people, the child has left his parents in the jungle, and the parents have left his child. If anyone of Corona virus’s victim has found, people have grown up in an ugly communal filth despite being risen the helping hand.

Even the crisis of human existence could not awaken a sense of humanity in their conscious mind. When the spirit of humankind goes into exile in a society, civilization also becomes endangered.  That is how the community turned into an uninhabitable barbaric society.

Civilization has been brought to the world by primitive and uncivilized humans!  However, today’s so-called sophisticated people have brought war, hatred, and violence! The question still remains at the conclusion, if civilization’s outcome were so dreadful as it is now, would those primitive people want to be urbane at all?

Monira Nazmi Jahan: Senior  Lecturer; Department of Law, East West University, Bangladesh. Writer can be contacted at moniranazmijahan@yahoo.com