Protesting the violence
The US government ran $70,000 worth of subtitled advertisement in Pakistan distancing itself from the offensive YouTube clip that has caused uproar in the Muslim world. Its top leadership condemned it with Hillary Clinton remarking that “we found the video that’s at the core of this series of events offensive, disgusting, reprehensible.”
But to no avail.
More than 20 people are dead and over 200 injured after the PPP-led government made the unfortunate decision of declaring a national holiday to protest a two-bit piece of trash on YouTube. Following the bloody day of protesting, Railway Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour still felt it was appropriate to offer $100,000 to anyone who killed the film-maker, an offer the federal government has, thankfully, distanced itself from.
The sad truth is that the violence in Pakistan was not particularly surprising. Very few, if any, expected Friday to go peacefully; the question was not if it would get ugly, but how ugly?
This day of protest has once again proven how completely we are being held hostage by certain elements within the religious right. They have the licence to come out on to the streets and plunder and burn with impunity, while the majority of the nation locks itself in its homes waiting for their anger to abate. Having a theological discussion about this issue is futile. The pacifists are agreed that our Holy Prophet (pbuh) is one of the most shining examples of tolerance and forgiveness and doing this in his name is quite contrary to his teaching. But it was not the pacifists’ argument that raged across the country on September 21, burning reason and logic in its wake. The fact of the matter is that the violence on the streets was not even entirely about religion. It was about a system that has failed a large part of its people and disenfranchised them for far too many years.
The violent protests are part of a phenomenon much bigger than one awful video. They are about economic injustice, a failed education system, a broken law and order situation, a back-breaking rate of inflation and its victims. Their simmering frustration is flamed by clerics who give them a sense of purpose by convincing them that they are the victims of a blasphemous world and reacting with violence is their divine duty.
The US needs to understand that it cannot view these events in isolation. It is too simplistic to assume that this reaction is merely based on religious outrage over a single YouTube clip. The extent of the reaction is part of an escalating anti-US sentiment resulting from a foreign policy that has ripped through the Muslim world leaving long-lasting scars. For years we slumbered and looked the other way as the perfect storm brewed. Now, we have no choice but to move out of its way or be destroyed by it.
The peaceful majority of this country is angry, too. Angry at being forced inside their homes to cower in fear, concerned at having to close shop and pray that their property sustains minimum damage, livid to be labelled violent and irrational by the rest of the world.
So when will they get a day to protest?
According to some news accounts, the business shutdown cost the national economy close to Rs76 billion, a number that does not include the cost of the property damage. Will the government declare a national holiday so the peaceful citizens of Pakistan can come out to protest this loss?
I think not.
On September 23, students and citizens in several major cities took to the streets in an attempt to clean up the havoc left behind by the Friday protests as part of “Project Clean-up for Peace”. Even though their noble gesture was a little like bringing a pocket knife to a sword duel, it is heartening to know that they are at least holding a weapon in this fight.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2012.
COMMENTS (9)
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Good article!
Write must be aware that people like her are in smaller minority which is shrinking everyday!
Hitler used mob violence, intimidation and religion to grab power. I am afraid of another mightly mullah (or militaryman) doing same to Pakistan one day.
How about Bilour donating the $ 100,000 bounty to the Railways which can certainly ensure running of the Railways and livehood to the thousands of its employees.
The writer has raised many valid and sane points indeed. But here the question is not even how ugly it went? The question is about our psychological failure to cope up with a hard situation. This nation is indeed psychologically paralyzed. Even majority of all those "calm people" avoid having a rational argument to deal with difficult situations maturely. This is not just about puking over on all those crazies and lunatics. In reality it is our collective character as a nation. One can see this in day to day life here. From the childhood we are taught the great examples of tolerance and forgiveness. But when we grow up and become adults, we act so harsh and revengeful, and forget all those lessons in a moment. And in the end we put all the blame on those religious lunatics or on simply economic injustice. Yes, economic factors matter a lot. But simply avoiding a sane thought in difficult times is beyond comprehension. And hence shows psychological inability and a high level of immaturity. Yes, there are a very few people who tend to hold up with sanity and rationality in these tough times. And when they raise their voice to stay sane and act maturely, they are brutally labeled as LIBERAL FASCISTS, not even by crazies and lunatics but also by the very same "calm people". And then all the lava of such madness and intolerance is poured over them. There is absolutely no justification that people give up all their sense of sanity and rationality in the face of evil, when in normal days they just keep on talking about all those great examples all the time. But when difficult situations arise, religious lunacy, intolerance and economic factors are blamed entirely. Hard times do come on all nations, but how a nation deals with such situations tells a lot about their collective character.
Very beautifully written...
"The violent protests are part of a phenomenon much bigger than one awful video. They are about economic injustice, a failed education system, a broken law and order situation, a back-breaking rate of inflation and its victims. Their simmering frustration is flamed by clerics who give them a sense of purpose by convincing them that they are the victims of a blasphemous world and reacting with violence is their divine duty."
Can't agree more!!!
Let me quote a bad example after 9/11: "Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists". That was bad, as if there were only two types of people/countries on this planet.
@Author to quote you: "This day of protest has once again proven how completely we are being held hostage by certain elements within the religious right." So sad,right and unfortunate.
The situation has come to a point: - Either we with the mullahs (Crude but true) - or we are against the Prophet(pbuh)
This is equally bad or worse. First one came from a man under duress. Unfortunately the next one comes from a whole society and nations. ..pc
A very good article. By remaining on same page i just want to ask. A very simple question to those who set Pakistan on fire on 21st Sept. 2012 Can one express love through hate? In my point of view that is not just only about the economic loss..... Islam being the official religion of Pakistan got hurt the most.
good article.
The article is quite interesting. In Saudi Arabia Pakistanis compared to other muslims are known to have excessive religious fever. Even local Saudis would acknowledge it.I do not agree that it is some elements in Pakistan who hijack the situations like the current one. I think whole country is infested with this fever. Look at plight of other minorities in that country. Why this fever!!!