Can we bring Peace back to our communities? A story of small valley in the Mountainous region of Pakistan
When I opened my facebook account in the morning on 13th August 2011, I was surprised to go through my home page. Most of the friends in the contact list have updated the same status i.e.
(I served the Pakistan Army my entire life with loyalty and when I retired, the police force killed me and my son mercilessly because we were peacefully protesting for our rights!!”
Sher Ullah Baig,50, from Ayeen Abad, Gojal Hunza was killed along with his 22 year old son, Sher Afzal, when police opened fire on a peaceful demonstration in Aliabad, Hunza).
On aug 11, 2011 Local people of Hunza valley (northern Areas of Pakistan) were demonstrating peacefully against terrorism in the region and local police killed a man of 50 years and his son of 22 years. In Hunza this is the first time happen in the history. Local people were shocked to see the situation and merciless nature of police. People of Hunza are very peaceful and kind in nature. Hunza Valley is known the world over for its peacefulness and it is being hoped that no more violence will take place in the region, because the centuries old reputation of the residents of Hunza Valley is at stake (pamirtimes). They were asking for their rights, they want peace in the society. They demand from the government for the peace and control terrorism in the result they only received bullets but not peace.
The men and his Son who died in the incident were basically Internal displaced people (IDPs). In January 2010 because of massive land sliding in Hunza, the river of Hunza was blocked and water level starts increasing day by day which result a birth of an artificial dam. Major part of the upper Hunza valley is now under the water, this family is the one those who lost their houses and land. Now they lost their lives. They were hoping of some help from the local government but they got nothing, only they lost their lives. This happens in one of the peaceful communities on the earth. There are similar stories out there who are facing same kind of issues in our country e.g. in Karachi.
I am telling the above story as an example that how our peaceful communities are transferring into conflict areas day by day, by the result of injustice laws and policies of our government departments. If this behavior of government department (police) continues for years then One day all these peaceful communities converted into the conflict zones, there will be no peace on this earth. We need to stop these cruel beings and their acts that spread terrorism and take our peace away.
There is a hope that people who are aware about their rights especially young people who played a vital role to condemn the incident and organized peaceful demonstrations in the capital may bring a positive change. This is the time to think about these kinds of issues in our communities. Here I want to pose a question for the young generation of Pakistan and the World, can we stop violence against communities and change injustice laws to make our world better and peaceful place to live???
Think about it!!!
Seemi Bano, FD blogger from Pakistan
