While I felt shocked at the barbarity of a
section of people of Myanmar against Rohingya Muslims, what benumbs me more is
the naked communalism and gruesome hate of several non-Myanmaris against
Muslims. When we admonish these haters we aren’t saying anything new: it is
merely the assertion of the good old conviction of fair play, justice, compassion,
truth... almost about the same as what their scriptures urge them respectively
to follow. This is merely inviting their good conscience, and urging them to be
them - or what they thought they were. Yes, part of such hate against Muslims
is understandable. Because, unarguably, some Muslims did indulge in terrorism
in the name of jihad globally. And, yes, they created a perception of a violent
community. But do remember that not all Muslim violence was born in the name of
Islam. Some of it was born in the womb of American and European imperialism and
colonialism. For instance, the Taliban were empowered by the US against the
then USSR. Similarly the ISIS was no less a child of the rape of Iraq. Consider
the unpardonable brutality being suffered by the Rohingyas. Do these Muslims
deserve this? Do you deserve this? Would you accept similar justification if
you were to suffer this fate, instead? In the 2020's we may hear of a new brand
of Muslim militants / jihadists, killing innocent Myanmaris or Budhists. Many
of us will not remember, then, that these 'terrorists' were born right now in
2017. Right here. In our indifference, if not hate.
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