All lives matter

Humanity: a word that defines the quality of behaviour associated with humans. Benevolence is believed to be its synonym, thus implying kindness to be a characteristic human trait. Yet in present times, English dictionaries might have to revise the word’s meaning as “a quality associated with expected human behaviour”, since humans keep defying the claimed notion every now and then.

Where was humanity when a 46-year-old man was openly targeted on the streets of Minneapolis on presenting a suspected counterfeit $20 bill in exchange of cigarettes? No, it was not just about the $20-bill. Had it been just about it, officer Derek Chauvin would have lifted his knee from Floyd’s neck on his repeated plea of not being able to breathe.

But he was murdered, as witnessed by hundreds of passers-by. He was not given any chance, and we all know why. People are now raising slogans and the global protests have now metamorphosed into a movement that screams in its truest essence that “#BlackLivesMatter”. This maxim is being chanted and iterated since the tying up of black skin with slavery and inferiority. But humans have been unable to destring colour with social status.

What premise of humane behaviour justifies killing of an eight-year-old child maid on accidentally letting a pet bird escape? The word ‘mistake’ was coined back in the 14^th century but has been unable to make room in our lives to date. There could have been a thousand possible reasons to forgive little Zohra Shah; her tender age, smallness of her hands, hope in her eyes, and innocence on her face, to state a few. But there was only one reason behind beating her to death — cruelty.

Her body bore several bruises and scars, fresh as well as healing, but a kick in her lower abdomen was the one that proved fatal. Imagine being kicked under the ribs for mistakenly freeing one of the four pet Macao parrots. This blow was certainly not a mistake, just as subjecting Tayyaba to violence was not back in 2016. Yet the guilty had their sentences slashed from three to one year, again not by mistake. Thus, it would not be a surprise if these culprits also walk free using the legal system in their favour; but this surely would be a grave mistake. Another round of hashtags with Zohra’s name will circulate on social media for some time but will be buried just like her body until another such incident surfaces.

Mankind’s inhumane behaviour once again shamed the meaning of humanity when an animal was victimised owing to human greed and callousness. A pregnant elephant wandering a village near Silent Valley Forest, Kerala, ate a fruit filled with powerful crackers which exploded in her mouth as she chomped on it. This technique is widely used in the region to snare wild pigs and elephants and this is exactly where the two aforementioned factors appear as culprits: greed for monetising ivory, skin and meat blindfolds sensibility leading to insensitivity.

With severe injuries in her mouth, she wandered through the area for two weeks, unable to eat or drink. Investigation reveals that suspects who had planted the crackers knew about her condition but let her endure the pain. She finally gave in and reached the Velliyar River, thoroughly exhausted, and died two days later while standing, trying to ease the infliction caused to her. The matter will be probed into and culprits will be caught. But will the practice of harming animals in this manner stop? We all know the answer. Again, #JusticeForVinayaki is trending on social media, but this temporary spirit of seeking justice for the wronged is exactly what is revealed through these hashtags: both are short-lived.

The occurrence of the three incidents within a week is what has compelled us to revisit our ethics and ethos. The killing of three beings because of their colour, status and species reveals our true mentality and approach towards eyeing other beings as mere commodities. Separate hashtags have failed to serve justice. So, let’s combine all the hashtags and rejuvenate the essence of humanity: #AllLivesMatter.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2020.

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