I can't help but feel a little bit hurt.
Ahmed (for more details log on to www.freeahmed.blogspot.com) has been held in custody since May 2004 and no one lifted his little finger to question the authorities as to why he is being held without access to a fair and just trial for so long.
No one sat back and wondered: Oh the poor silly boy...with cockroaches and lizards and third-grade mercenaries humiliating and harrassing him for the past 10 months...for smoking hash..a crime with carries a maximum six month suspended sentence for a first time offence or freedom for someone from the right ethnic and social background.
Ali...I realise now this is a different case...has been in his cell for a few days... and he knew what he was doing and he knew that this is a system which doesn't allow any voices of dissent..and yet he chose to speak his mind and write his thoughts and embrace and host a podium of free speech. He knew fully well that freedom has a price. That people pay their blood for it. That it isn't an easy struggle. That cockroaches don't hurt. That creepy crawlies who count themselves as humans are the ones who break the spirit and make one think: It is really worth it to live with dignity when you know that your humanity may be stripped without notice?
To all who are worried about Ali and cockroaches...I am sure there is a lot to learn from the cockroaches...Apparently, they are the only creatures thought to be able to survive extreme conditions. No wonder they are present in abundance in prisons here.
12 comments:
In Sha Allah...
Problem is that when you mention Allah to those people, they think you are trying to defy them for they really belief that they are the almighty.
They control people's fate, faith, thought. They break people's spirits and will.
They dehumanize human beings and strip them of their dignity.
it's a question of degrees isn't it? yes, both cases are unjust and the laws in both instances should be overhauled. but Ali's case touches more of a nerve due to the nature of the press laws, freedoms of speech etc, while Ahmed's is more difficult, for although people appreciate that one should not be detained indefinitely without trial - if at all, Ahmed's offence of using light drugs might have worked against him.
you're right of course that both instances of injustice should be amply highlighted.
Ironically, Ali is being held without trial pending investigation which presumes his guilt, rather than be left out at his own recognisance until he is proved guilty.
The problem here is that people are guilty until proven innocent in a charade which constitutes the court of law.
I am tired of all this. I really have had it with a hypocratic system where people aren't treated equally and where you really don't know where you stand at any given point.
Not that my convictions can be wavered at all.. I have stood my ground and will continue to be planted like a thorn in their throats.
It is just that at times like this one really wonders: is it worth it?
I know. This is slowly killing off a country which as small as this with the kind of population we have can relatively easily turn into a true pearl.
Sadly, conflicting interests has us, the majority, put between a rock and a hard place.
I too sometimes think that is it worth exerting all that effort in living? When there are more countries in this world which would welcome us with open arms?
Yet, we stay, because we're naturally optimistic. Bahrainis must be the most optimistic people on Earth.
I really am honoured to have not one but two Sayed's commenting on my blog today.
Being a fellow Sayed - a woman - I have nothing more to add.
Al Yousif: We will not be supplanted from our land. Like palm trees, we will continue to live here with our heads high up.
Al A'ali: Yes. They are judge and jury. May God release all our prisoners. Amen.
I don't know, sis. With the current atmosphere in both the U.K. and the U.S. it seems we're all going backwards. After watching reading about the prisoner abuses in both, it only seems there's a difference on the surface.
What bothers me is that despite the fact that in the U.S. there are channels to go through to avoid certain human rights injustices, it still happens. Corruption is universal and so it seems, cockroaches are as well. If someone doesn't step up and speak out, we all lose our dignity and humanity anyway. But that's just my own silly opinion. ;)
In reply to Alaali, Sayed Mahmood regarding channels of information & newspapers:
Just wanted to inform you and others that due to the nature of censorship in this country, the entent to which editors and reporters at newspapers are denied the freedom to print the actual facts, the grey areas in the law system in the country as well - has all resulted in an annonymous university students & environmental group in the country to start prublishing facts, figures and opinions in a pretty much transparent manner:
A group of current/former students from educational & professional bodies in Bahrain, speaking on the condition of annonymity have said that they will be initiating and releasing a new concept in news publishing soon.
Reading news articles & reports, listening to voice and viewing video coverage - all via bluetooth. That is mobile news reporting and publishing. Whats interesting is that this way of publishing news will be instant, efficient and effective while featuring a multi-language option.
They've estimated that atleast 1 person in 3 own a cell phone that supports bluetooth. Most of the population here owns Nokia phones and these phones - the majority of them support the technology. They did not comment when asked - what spots in the country news would be released from and by who and when. All they said was "it will soon be a new country that promotes freedom of intellectual speech". Moreover the reports' sources would be untraceable - anyone who has used bluetooth will know what that means and MTC-Vodafone mobile lines would be used due to their solid privacy agreements.
Readership is predicted at over 1,000 people per press release spot within 5 seconds. When i get more info i will post it on my blog.
I'm not going to mention the pros i see here with this type of publishing - i'll leave you all to figure that out - however the downside i've been looking at - is how fast rumours could spread thereby, undermining actual, honest & reliable reporting. I've been told that the group would publish under a name to be released soon - all files will bear the name however, the nickname that will be used to transmit and publish news would change every 5 seconds within the release of a publication issue.
I guess they should do more research on how they could prevent misleading newsreports from being published using the technology or under their group name - i'm yet to hear about that so maybe there's this possibility that they have already covered that ground and aren't going to make it public - but we shall see & know - all in good time.
Sume.. Love the silly hint *** and the cockaroach reference ;)
A'ali.. Strav comes to the rescue and gives me an idea: my next article would be about bluetooth.
Don't tell hubby... but I had it on the other day in a coffee shop under my nickname Princess and guys kept sending me pix of roses!
Silly silly boys! What do I do with pictures of roses? If you were one bit serious: send me a real bunch of them.
That goes for hubby too: the ones you got me for Valentine's are long dead.
When is my bunch of fresh ones being delievered?
oooooooops.. too many typos. better close shop and hit the sack.
Long long day.
Oh, I know Sayyed Mahmood and I don't disagree. It's like I've said before, I don't pretend to understand how things work. I just see what I think is wrong and have a small idea of how things should be.
SBG, why flowers? Chocolate! At least you can eat chocolate. Don't sell yourself short. lol
Sume....flowers.
Preferably roses.
Chocolates too? Why not? The glut in me could never say 'NO' to chocolate, sweets, candy and Baklawa.
My poor scales. I feel so sorry for them.
Chocolate-covered ants or ant-covered chocolates... spare me please.
As to the roaches... I found one in my lunch in a five-star restaurant a few days ago!
Separate entries with a close up photograph on that later ;) -- probably over the weekend!
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