Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Stand with Ukraine and Zimbabwe!
The world has been left devastated by the decision from President Putin to invade Ukraine. This inhumane act has left dozens of civilians killed in the streets and thousands of brave soldiers deceased trying to defend the country. It is encouraging to see world leaders stand against this act of terror and implement sanctions on Russia. This is a clear message to the world that these human rights abuses and acts of terror will not be tolerated or excused.
Power should be exercised with fairness and grace, it should not be abused to further a a peculiar agenda at the detriment of innocent civilians. It would be encouraging if the world could also hold Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party accountable for their countless human rights abuses: some include: unlawful or arbitrary killings of civilians by security forces; torture and arbitrary detention by security forces; cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The world needs to stand with Zimbabwe the same way it has stood with Ukraine. These vile acts have no place in modern day society.
The world should condemn and ask President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his regime to stop violence against opposition members and activists. South Africa has an estimated 6 million Zimbabwean migrants who fled Zimbabwe as if there is civil war in Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa should create an environment which is conducive for every Zimbabwean scattered across the globe to come back home; or resign.
MICHAEL TINARWO
Warrington
Oscar ceremony
Will Smith slaps Chris Rock right upon the stage of the Oscar presentation ceremony. Smith holds every right to get offended upon Rock for cracking a joke revolving around the former’s wife. He could have verbally expressed his outrage in a civilised tone, Smith could have even sued Rock in court. But Smith doesn’t hold any right to physically abuse Rock. Yet he did commit the unpardonable act. But did it truly shock the world at large! Probably not. Rather a few moments later, Smith received a standing ovation from the audience on receiving the “Best Actor” Award !
Smith might be a quality actor genuinely deserving the Award, but all excellence of him stands cancelled when contrasted to this ugly behaviour. However, exceptions do exist like Janai Nelson — the President of the NAACP Legal Defence and Education Fund — who has worried aloud in a tweet that “the way casual violence was normalized tonight by a collective national audience will have consequences that we can’t even fathom in the moment “. No wonder why violent brute individuals to leaders are gaining top popularity in every sector of the society !
As far as the people enjoying the sight of pain inflicted upon others are concerned, Pastor Martin Niemoller have a few sane words for them — “First they came for the Communists, And I did not speak out, Because I was not a Communist/Then they came for the Socialists, And I did not speak out, Because I was not a Socialist/ Then they came for the trade unionists, And I did not speak out, Because I was not a trade unionist/Then they came for the Jews, And I did not speak out, Because I was not a Jew/Then they came for me, And there was no one left to speak out for me” !
KAJAL CHATTERJEE
Kolkata, India
Toxic parenting tool
A few parents are so much toxic which often levy very exorbitant stress upon their children—at very tender age—leading them towards sickness and disordered; both mentality and emotionally. Toxic parents are often ego-centric, manipulative, inattentive being gowned up with them can be a knotty experience, and it takes time to heal.
Mushrooming expectations of parents, mingled with academic pressure, leave children vulnerable to a range of of problems. Educational superiority must not be parent’s sole interest. Children undergoing parental pressure to excel in educational institution are often unwilling to attempt anything until and unless they are motivated, encouraged and convinced that they will be the best at it. They experience abysmal apprehension of being perceived as imperfect by their toxic parents.
Children reeling under parent’s immense duress may also be victim of being mental maladies, sleeping apnea, anorexia, distraught with poignant anxiety and defensive attitudes. In addition, certain fatal pressure diminishes children’s interest and hobbies in having any activities as well as keep them aloof from their relatives, friends and family. Afraid of obtaining failure may also get them addicted to squalid acts, like drugs, cigarettes, liquor and many more which deter children from communicating with their parents.
What is more agonizing note is that myriad of parents—teeming with toxic mentality— want to live their lost dreams via children and tend to start planning their children’s future— rather then living children’s desired dreams— when the child is rather young and immature. Parents must relinquish their self-centred and toxic outlook against their vulnerable children; furthermore, encourage and motivate them about what they actually want to do in their life as well as allow them to pursue their own desired dreams and opt their professional career instead of imposing enormous pressure and restrictions upon their children.
USAMA MUGHAL
Kandhkot, Sindh