Wednesday 30 April 2014

Mother


Today I decided to share a poem with you which I wrote about an issue which deserves attention. We as humans need to realize the importance of our actions, and more so the consequences of our actions, on nature.



Mother

As she lies there crouched upon a flaming desert,
No end doth her eyes assert.
A battered soul and a crumpled heart for company;
A tormented being and a shattered life for comradry.
Her eyes speak a thousand words,
Pouring forth eons of reserve.
Pain encompasses her at every turn,
Everyone screaming for her to burn.
The soft silk of the Earth - upturned.
The soothing shimmer of the ocean - burned.
The crisp current of the air - tainted.
The ferocious fire of humanity - depleted.
Can you hear her lamenting?
Mother Nature is grieving.
Grieving for her Earth, grieving for her children.
Grieving because of their birth, grieving because of their insolence.
Maalika Kazia

Thursday 24 April 2014

The new face of terror

Hey guys
Today I decided to talk about an incident which occurred yesterday night in Nairobi. A saloon car exploded at the Pangani Police Station, leading to the death of 4 people - two of whom were police officers. Another explosive device found inside the car was safely removed and dismantled before it exploded.

Now, after the Westgate Mall Attack there has been a lot of unrest in the country. Every other day I come across articles about Churches being blown up, clerics being murdered in Mombasa, among other similar stories. The government is on a very vigilant path as they are scanning people, especially those of Somali origin who are living in the country. It is a risk to leave your home without carrying your original ID or passport, because if the police ask for these documents and you cant produce them, they take you down to the station.

All of these attacks have created a sheath of insecurity around the citizens of Kenya. Some people are choosing to passively ignore the situation, while others are being extremely precautious. According to me, the solution doesn't lie in pretending nothings wrong or acting like everything is.
I keep coming across articles on how youth radicalization is to blame for young people being drawn into terror groups and actually becoming brainwashed enough to commit heinous crimes in the name of faith. Due to lack of employment and a dire need for money, youth are being recruited into fanatical organizations with the hope of earning money. Can you really blame them? What they fail to see however, is that this wealth is not going to get them anywhere, because they are helping people destroy their country - their home. For that little amount of money, they are destroying the lives of countless people and eventually, their own.

As for the measures being taken by the police - I cannot say I love it, but I cannot say it is futile either. They are doing what they can. This new face of terrorism is not using a frontal approach whereby the enemy is clearly defined. The new face of terrorism involves using our own people against our own nation.

What do you say?