Ten muslims are shot and killed aboard a flotilla bound for Gaza and the world erupts in righteous moral indignation. Elsewhere, more than 100 Ahmadi muslims are slaughtered while they pray peaceably in two separate mosques in the city of Lahore in Pakistan, a country which refuses even to recognise them as equal citizens and sanctions state-sponsored violence against them, and there is near total silence.
Here is an excerpt from an article which compares the unequal responses by political groups, the media and various human rights organisations in Pakistan to the Flotilla atrocity with the mosque massacre of Ahmadis in Lahore. It highlights the skewed moral relativities and the morality bypass which turns some into vocal critics of violence perpetrated against muslims when committed by non-muslim actors (particularly when they are Americans or jews), but maintain a studied silence when muslims savagely oppress their own people.
Just a few days ago to be precise 5 days ago in our own heartland Lahore 100 Ahmedis were slaughtered by the barbaric Taliban. They were not there on any political gathering or any political point scoring. They were not going to war zone. They were just offering their ‘Jumma Prayer’ to their Lord which they think is as farz (obligatory) on them as on any other Muslim. They were in their mosque, peacefully standing in straight lines bowing in front of the same lord as of the Muslims, Jews and Christians. There is no different version of this story. The enemy didn’t say that they (Taliban) acted in ’self defence’. Their enemy clearly mentioned their intention that they came to kill them indiscriminately irrespective they were men, women, children, young and old. Its pointless to mention that the barbaric didnt regretted the loss of human life because that’s what they wanted and came for. They took pleasure from the blood of the Ahmedis. In a short time span of few minutes they killed 100 Ahmedis.
Now when i compare the response of this bigger, more ruthless, more blood thirsty attack on totally peacefully non political non partisan people with a regrettable event of Israeli attack on the Gaza Flotilla, I see a drastic and huge difference. I see not a single protest for Ahmedis, not a single burning of flag or slogans against the Taliban culprits [who proudly owned the responsibility].
I also noted that the whole Pakistani media with very very few exceptions, media and journalists were calling their mosques as ‘place of worship’ , their martyrs as ‘halak’, their ‘Jumma Namaz’ as ‘religious gathering’ and their city Rabwah as ‘Chanab Nagr’.
I didn’t see any human rights organization protesting for them on roads. I must however acknowledge and appreciate bold remarks by Salman Taseer, Rehman Malik, Asma Jahangir and few other people – not to mention this very blog LUBP which is a leader in human rights and minority rights in Pakistan.
The so-called civil society was sleeping in the lap of Taliban and to my utmost astonishment few labelled the Ahmadi massacre as a handiwork of Mossad, Raw and CIA. Leaders of the rightist parties used very ‘careful’ language when condemning the attacks. Within 2-3 days, this grave incident was systemically wiped out from the media’s ‘Islam friendly’ eyes.
I think this whole episode shows a great bias which lives in the hearts and minds of most of us [if not all]. Because the people dying in Lahore were Ahmedis and as most of us hate them (deep in our heart) so if they got killed by our ‘brothers in faith’ its ok.
19 Comments
Pakistan is a fascist state.
Seriously though Faisal you’re a very good writer. Just saying.
… and on the lubp website is embedded a video of the Islamist superstar Zakir Naik, exposing himself to ridicule with his absurd reasoning.
Also available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHpd2T7mi5c&feature=player_embedded#!
As a Sunni Muslim I find these acts absolutely disgusting, deplorable, and in no way shape or form acceptable.
The punishment of those who kill indiscriminately will be unimaginable.
Allah bless the soul of the innocent killed!
Thanks Katy N.
Since you support the cession of `Bangladesh`from Pakistan to create a seperate state what business is it of yours what happens in the country you have consciously rejected being part of ?
I can say anything about any country I like.
And since Pakistanis like you are not going to criticise your brethren when they slaughter Ahmadis as they pray in their mosques, someone has to do it.
If you don’t like criticism of Pakistanis slaughtering muslims, get yourself off to some other blog. There’s always muslimmatters.org for folk like you.
“And since Pakistanis like you are not going to criticise your brethren when they slaughter Ahmadis as they pray in their mosques, someone has to do it.“
Im not Pakistani and these attacks are deplorable
“If you don’t like criticism of Pakistanis slaughtering muslims, get yourself off to some other blog. There’s always muslimmatters.org for folk like you.“
A minor point but Qadianis arent Muslim.
But its a fact as a Bengali nationalist you have an anti-Pakistan agenda
I see that you insist on calling them “Qadianis”, which is a derogatory term used by Pakistanis for Ahmadis.
“But its a fact as a Bengali nationalist you have an anti-Pakistan agenda”
You’re on record on this site for writing incredibly hateful comments against Bangladeshis, particularly Bangaldeshi women. So, I take it you have a anti-Bangladeshi agenda.
But leaving that aside for now,
“A minor point but Qadianis arent Muslim.”
That’s what all Jamaat-e-Islami say.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/18198/dear-israel%e2%80%a6-thank-you/
Video from inside mosque during attack;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe0YsjTdrtg
Video after carnage;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smUAD9X2lBU
En France, on appelle ça “deux poids, deux mesures”. C’est valable dans beaucoup de domaines mais celui dont il est question ici conduit à des implications dramatiques, aussi bien pour les musulmans que pour les juifs, que pour les Israéliens – que pour le monde entier ; mais le monde est aveugle…
Pouvez-vous répéter qu’en anglais, ainsi nous peut tout comprendre?
Heu… En anglais ??? In english you mean ? All right but don’t laught at me please as I do m’y best.
It is ont really possible to translater thé expression, it péans tao weights, tao mesures, in english, it won’t mean any thing.
Then I said : it is true in many ways but about the one we are talking about it is leading to dramatic implications, as well as for muslims, jews, Israelis and for the entire world, but the world is blind.
I did what I Could, I am so sorry about that – lucky me, you didn’t ask for hebrew or arabic !
Heu… En anglais ??? In english you mean ? All right but don’t laught at me please as I will do m’y best.
It is ont really possible to translate the expression, it means two weights, two mesures, in english, it won’t mean any thing.
Then I said : it is true in many ways but about the one we are talking about it is leading to dramatic implications, as well as for muslims, jews, Israelis and for the entire world, but the world is blind.
I did what I Could, I am so sorry about that – lucky me, you didn’t ask for hebrew or arabic !
And I’m going into troubles with my automatic corrector witch knows french but nothing else…
Another translation:
Et bien voilà ! Merci à Abu Faris ! Je lis l’anglais assez bien, quant à l’écrire, c’est une autre affaire.
madeleine,
pas de lézards. écrivez ce que vous voulez.
b’shalom
bananabrain