For example. The thais have been exchanging their PMs like nobody's business. The opposition efforts have paid off, Wongsawat stepped down and Abhisit has taken over the reins. Now thaksin-loyalists are using the PAD's very own methods in seeking yet another regime change! I wonder when will this stop? Don't they realise the damages they've done to their country? The millions lost in the airport saga? The taxpayers money lost when the police are unnecessarily deployed and pulled from their rightful posts of preventing real crime?
Is the fight for so-called "democracy" really that important? So much so that it outweighs the general welfare of public as a whole? I mean who really gives a damn about legitimacy of a government if it proves to be good for the people. You only protest if this illegitimate government abuses its power. Sure you can argue about setting the wrong precedents but would you rather live in peace, regardless the leader, or under a chaotic democracy?
Another would be Israeli bombings on Gaza. For one thing, I try not to side with either parties. It is through you-versus-me mentality that such conflagrations arise. I must really marvel at both sides. Their fight has persisted all the way from biblical times!
From how I see it, both sides have their justifiable reasons for war, and many more reasons for peace. Palestinians are sick and tired of the Israelis infringing on their sovereign rights (if you can put it that way). Their pain and suffering is immense and cannot be calculated in mere arbitrary terms. Theirs is a heavily-populated, malnourished city constantly fraught with unthinkable dangers. Militants firing on one side of the road, Israeli tanks bull-dozing in from the other side and the deep drone of war planes looming above.
Woe is the innocent child who craddles in hopeful safety of his father's bossom...
On the other hand, the Israelis are also stretched to their limits with Hama's rockets. In their mind, Hamas is akin to a thorn in the flesh of a lion. Imagine having irritating rockets slamming into border defenceless towns all day, would any government stand this? They have tried peaceful options, but the rockets still persist. They are paying Hamas back in their own medicine, albeit a more bitter one.
Sometimes, I really feel for them. Theirs is a nation scorned on all sides, their neighbours sing to their early deaths and you can really sense the wall slowly closing in. To the north is Lebonon and the Hizbollah. To their south, Hamas, to their east, Syria and a could be nuclear armed Iran. All want her death. Internally, there are 1.3 million Arab-Israelis out of 5.5 million and many are slowly sympathising with radicals! They feel threaten on all sides and can turn to no one to broker peace. The world condemns their actions, yet do little to stop Hamas rockets.
During the ceasefires, there have been occasional rocket attacks and Israel has responded by opening up humanitarian lines for its enemy. If there is no other peaceful option, can you really fault them for behaving as such? Global citizens, Koreans, Americans, Europeans all deride Israel for "genocide" and call for them to stop bombing civilians, but do the militants want to come out of residential districts and fight? No. How can you kill the enemy firing from the midst of innocent civilians without expecting other casualties. It's unrealistic.
I say that instead of protesting, the world should ramp up efforts to mediate. If not it will be the same old pattern. Israel bombs, militants fight back, civilians overwhelmed and another temporary truce is formed.
Still, they are not without sin. Torture and rampant espionage, indiscriminate bombings and hidden nukes? Some even say this recent outbreak is another form of PR for the upcoming elections. But in any war, there is no sinless party. You fight fire with fire.
Both have their difficulties and have responded in similar manners - bloodshed. Alas peace cannot be obtained through senseless violence. Hate is festered in little ones and the battle scene is set for the next generation. As the old bard laments, "Violence ultimately begets violence.."
I fear this dispute can never be settled till Israel's neighbours accept and tolerate her as she is. Till then, we can only pray for the innocent that they hold fast..
I read an interesting article. The future of global health. Millions of Africans lie sick and dying today, they cannot even find morphine in hospitals to ease their pain. Old, once thought eradicated diseases like polio are resurfacing quickly and to desire proper water sanitation is like believing in Santa. Pure fantasy.
Children bathe in polluted waste water in Jakarta slums and Chinese babies are still suffering from the effects of the Sanlu milk scandal. Obesity is on the rise and clinical depression is becoming more rampant.
In our globalised world, our geographical lines are blurred. 2 billion people travel about by air yearly and new diseases are sprouting at an unprecedented 1 a year. The SARS outbreak shows only ominously how a plague outbreak could happen in such an era. I shudder to think of such an event occurring in the little bubble of ours - Singapore.
The food we eat have traveled hundreds of miles made with ingredients from all over the world. The Sanlu milk scare displayed this clearly with so many products being pulled from the shelves. Food is genetically modified, its effects are too early to tell but one thing we can learn from recent history is this - don't fool around with mother nature.
Who can save us? Ironically ourselves, but do we want to? Heck life is just too good here, why should we care about the events in Africa or China? Because we must as a fellow human being. It is morally and ethically right to do so, it is our god-given duty to do so. God did not bless us with our bounty just to sit back and enjoy its fruits. Ability to choose to show compassion and act on it separates us from animals and to fight for human rights - the right to life, liberty, education, healthcare - all these are the very foundations of what it means to live as Man. Our human rights are derived from natural law - how would a rational human being seeking to survive and prosper act - and thus we should not ignore the cries of others for we are all the same.
What can I do as a simple student? I can start by being thankful for what I have. Awareness of our fruits and consciousness of the needs of others is the first step to greater action. And awareness only comes from wanting to read and learn about this very fascinating world =)
