Ethnic Cleansing

"[E]thnic cleansing [...] defies easy definition. At one end it is virtually indistinguishable from forced emigration and population exchange while at the other it merges with deportation and genocide. At the most general level, however, ethnic cleansing can be understood as the expulsion of a population from a given territory" - definition by Andrew Bell-Fialkoff


The term "Ethnic cleansing" was created in order to make what was wrong, to be right. Ethnic cleansing is just another word or term for mass murder. Din told me of a quote by a Nazi that he doesn't remember the name where he said "When you kill 1 it is murder, but when you kill a million, it becomes a statistic." Some of you might already realize that this post is another serious post. Something I believe Malaysians do realize is happening, yet we turn the other cheek.


On January 30th a USA envoy declared that Nairobi, Kenya was facing ethnic cleansing. Let me rephrase that. On January 30th, a USA envoy declared that Nairobi, Kenya was facing mass murder of its people. More than 800 people have been killed so far and the newly appointed Kenyan government has yet issued a statement regarding their actions on the on going matter. I read the news excerpt on Yahoo.com carefully and as i read it I realized this...... This people in Kenya, are killing Kenyans because they come from a different tribe. A tribe they are convinced does not belong in their place.


Some of you might be thinking, disputes and wars happen. But i say that this particular war (if you can call it that) is actually ridiculous. Let me explain why i see it as being ridiculous. In Malaysia you have Malays, but as Usman Awang said in his poem entitled "Melayu" he said -


Melayu di Tanah Semenanjung luas maknanya:
Jawa itu Melayu, Bugis itu Melayu
Banjar juga disebut Melayu,
Minangkabau memang Melayu,
Keturunan Acheh adalah Melayu,
Jakun dan Sakai asli Melayu,
Arab dan Pakistani, semua Melayu
Mamak dan Malbari serap ke Melayu
Malah mua'alaf bertakrif Melayu
(Setelah disunat anunya itu)


Meaning to say instead of focusing on our differences, we have succeeded in focusing on the things we have in common, and we make each other no stranger. These tribal war in Kenya, is between a tribe named Luo and Kikuyu and as i scroll looking for pictures of the fight. I realize that their differences are as clear as my differences compared to my friends. Its like i would kill a Jawa who is also a Malay just because he was not fully Malay. It was as if i would kill Din.


There are times in life when we must look at the stars and wish that their guide would stream over to everyone, so that all would understand that compromise brings with it not only peace, but also comfort. They should realize that no blood is worth shedding just because we know that they are different. The question of whether or not they deserve something or not should not be a question left out to human beings, as a matter a fact, is a question that should be left up to God himself.


My friend once said to me this sentence "Is this the part where you tell us that we should all count our blessings that we live in a peaceful society?" this is my answer to him and to everyone.


No, we should not be counting our blessings yet, as a matter a fact, judging from the current state of our country, we are likely to be offended or offend others in this closest time. We should count our blessings but at the same time, be afraid and aware, because if we are not careful, one of us, one day might just cause a racial war.


God give us strength and courage to face what You may one day might throw at us, God give us the ability to Compromise....