Aylan Kurdi’s death should be a wakeup call for disaster lying ahead
By Ankita Karkar
There are many places in world which are burning in fire. Here values like humanity, peace, rights have turned to ashes long ago. Wake up before the fire spreads and destroys our nation, our government, and our houses like they did in Syria and Iraq.
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) or Daesh or Islamic State (IS), is extremist militant group, led by and composed of Sunni Arabs from Iraq and Syria. The group is indulged in mass killings, beheadings, destroying world heritage sites.
The militant group originated as Jamaat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (The Organisation of Monotheism and Jihad) in 1999. Sometime back in 2004, it pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda, which was short lived. The group is headed by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared Islamic State in Iraq during Iraq War on 13 October 2006. ISIS has participated in Iraqi insurgency, invasion of Iraq in 2003, Syrian civil war in 2011.
In the year 2014, Islamic State proclaimed itself to be world caliphate, follows extremist interpretation of Islam, and promotes religious violence. One can say, with this ideology you cannot sustain in today’s world! Saddest part is, the group has sustained and is spreading its roots all over the world.
As of March 2015, it has control over territory occupied by 10 million people in Iraq and Syria as well as in Libya and Nigeria due to alliance with extremist group named Boko Haram present in Libya and Nigeria. It has sympathizers in several parts of the world including Afghanistan, Pakistan and some parts of India. Many youths have been caught taking part in violence on behalf of ISIS.
Due to its ideology ISIS has received severe criticism from other Muslims, especially religious scholar and theologians. Acts of IS are no less barbaric for which they are being criticised by United Nations Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and from countries all over the world.
United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has published its own report about abuses and killings reported in Iraq and Syria and termed them as unimaginable and committing crimes against humanity. On backdrop of this report, High Commissioner of UNHRC has urged world leaders to step in to protect women and children suffering at the hands of ISIS. Further he added there is need to concentrate our efforts on ending conflict in grief stricken areas.
Adding to war crimes, the group has damaged many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, along with ancient roman architecture, temples and tombs. The recent were blowing up of tombs at Palmyra. One of the most barbaric acts up till now of Islamic State group was beheading of antiquities scholar Khaled al-Assad, he was beheaded for refusing to reveal where valuable artefacts had been moved for safekeeping. After the beheading, the militants hung his mutilated body on a column in a main square of the historic site.
Recently I read news of Indians getting attracted towards ISIS activities and willing to join ISIS. India has experience of colonialism, we Indians have suffered under rule of foreign country. We cannot forget the struggle waged for Independence by freedom fighters and lives led down to make Bharat Mata free from Britishers. And after 68 years of Independence, we cannot let anyone control us once again, not even ISIS.
So it is collective duty of ours to curb the growth of such factional, militant groups. Make aware our brothers and sisters getting attracted towards such ideologies about the grave consequences the world would face, due to their one wrong step. There are thousands of people dying to protect and ensure safety to people in war struck areas. Even in India, the defence forces soldiers are sacrificing their lives to fight such terrorist groups. We Indians should together respect and try to support their efforts.
Indians have experienced mass killings at Jalianwala Bagh, we will not accept such killings in any part of world and stand against it always and every time.
After reading about all barbaric activities reported in news time and again under heading of ISIS, REFUGEE CRISIS has made me think, where is the world heading. It has not even been a century, when cold war ended and cooperation was established and cherished by people all over the world. Have we forgotten the consequences of World War II, sufferings of millions of people?
Tens of thousands of men, women and children are trying to escape civil war, brutal killings in search of safety to life, security of employment and hope of good life. Thousands of refugees trying to escape civil war, tired of atrocities of ISIS make attempt to cross Mediterranean Sea and enter Europe in search of safe place to live with family. In this attempt of crossing unpredictable sea, using boats unfit for sea use people have died due to capsizing of boats in the sea. Thus, the refugee crisis is rising and Europe soon needs to take some concrete steps to rehabilitate refugees and give them respect and safety which every human being deserves.
Aylan Kurdi, a 3-year-old boy died due to capsizing of boat, his dead body was found lying along coast of Bodrum in Turkey, after a failed attempt to crossover to Kos Island, Greece. Let us hope death of this child brings seriousness of crisis in focus and soon solution is found. RIP Aylan.
These are also humans like you and me; they also have the right to lead a prosperous life and happy life with their family.
United States of America (USA) is leading a group of countries to tackle and put an end to ISIS by use of arms. The group is named as ‘Counter ISIL-Coalition ‘. The group has committed to work together and defeat IS.
We Indians can contribute in our way to control spreading of bases of ISIS in India and in world.
“Voice of Peace must rise over the voice of hatred and violence in the World “- H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Let us all hope for well-being of these people and pray for them.
(Ankita Karkar is preparing for the civil services exams in Pune)
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