Prof Parvez Jamil
IS it conspiracy of silence or ignorance holing the same very boat in which we all are sailing!? Die-hard ego, rampant corruption, deadly leg-pulling, malicious mud-slinging and mockery of justice tantamount to holing the same boat in which we all are sailing. In a society where justice is purposely denied to a just cause or case through man-made laws, the law of nature comes into action. Penalties occur so silently or latently for the custodians turn breakers of law that it is not even realized as to when, where, when and how the wrath has fallen! Corruption is delay in or decay of the decision-making process in which a decision-maker consents for illegal gratification. Countless men and women, young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, elite and the commoner are quietly guilty of violating some code of ethics but apparently look so busy in the normal business of life in what seems to be a conspiracy of silence to an inquisitive mind. For example, cheating to pass an exam, bribing to get a job done, misappropriating to earn an extra income, lying to win moral or material favors, blackmailing to make money or for fame, bluffing to bring home petty gains, intriguing to satisfy ego or for worldly ambitions or as a mere habit, plagiarizing to aim for an advanced level degree in higher education and research etc.
The law of the poor morality is shattered amid artificial values of the routine family, educational, corporate, social, economic and political business of life and the very legality of life is overshadowed by nefarious designs or ulterior motives through ready smiles, sweet talks, fancy dresses, lavish parties, gorgeous gifts or sugar-coated pleasantries. This is a civilized way of ripping a law ranging from a so-called minor traffic violation to a major drug trafficking act, from a little bribe or gratification for daughter’s marriage to an opportunistic embezzlement bonanza, from a casual sarcasm of an adversary to a sensational political assassination, so concealed yet so exposed. Neurotic ambitions, robberies, dacoits, kidnappings, rapes and murders know no bounds. The “hit and run” psychology of the criminals steals the show. But the law is watching and it continues to watch. While justice may be done endeavored, mostly it is delayed. Justice delayed is justice denied. It is where justice denied is democracy denied. Many people lose confidence in law and leadership and join the mainstream of small and big crimes. That means crimes either in a conspiracy of silence or in open grab, loot and kill.
Had toughest laws eradicated sins and crimes from society, there would not have been any dreads about criminals and sinners. It is more a question of obliterating negative thinking or criminal mind mentality from society. How can law-enforcing agencies create a law-abiding citizenship when society remains plunged in poverty, hunger, disease, malnutrition, illiteracy and ignorance? How can justice be dispensed with when trend-setters themselves lead in nepotism, corruption, exploitation, hypocrisy, glamour and false prestige? Justice is delayed when media and education are unable to inculcate positive thinking and produce good citizens towards the betterment of self and society. Justice is denied because of the inability of the elite or men at the helm of affairs to practise ethics, tolerance and fair play in normal business of life. Justice is conditional in as much as it requires awareness in moral, social, economic and political culture through exemplary leadership, media projection and education policy according to our objective conditions. It is unwise and unjust of blindly beating an innocent child for stealing food, cursing a tradition-stricken father of bribe for her daughter’s dowry, penalizing a landlord or a tenant on rent fight, punishing misguided youth for shop-lifting or girl-teasing, imposing fines or breach of traffic laws.
Accountability and awareness must go side by side. The state machinery, from the head of the state through the judges or judiciary or the courts of law to the police must be accountable indeed. Those responsible for law-making, amending and enforcing are more responsible and accountable for their duties or deeds than ordinary people who violate laws and are rightly punished for their crimes. We must get rid of obsolete law procedures inherited from the colonial times and adopt a more objective approach in contemporary legal practice according to our traditions. The crying need of the times is nurturing and promoting mass awareness in human values, law and legal aspects of life. There could be no better way of doing it than through introducing concerned curricula in our schools, colleges and universities and launching special programs through radio, television, newspapers, books and magazines. There is no dearth of vision and expertise at our educational institutions and mass communication, and above all, with the concerned intelligentsia and the policy-makers. If there is a will, it is only a question of deviating to a more specific and informative approach to law according to public psychology.
Imagine the heart, feelings and emotions of an innocent victim of blind justice. Think of a poor soul, with a just cause or case, so helpless, restless and merciless before the dead conscience of sheer power. Visualize men at the highest authority turning a deaf ear or offering mere lip-service to a rightful appeal. The unfair propositions justice delayed is justice denied and innocent victims of blind justice are rampant where ego, money, prejudice and pride are orders of the day. Such lawlessness has afflicted routine life in a variety of ways. For example, sadly disheartening and disgracing a sport celebrity, badly sealing meritorious cases for educational and professional opportunities, negatively influencing decision-makers in dangerously misusing public time, money and property. At its worst it could be anything like victimizing poor and weak at the corridors of law where might is right. What else are terrible sleepless nights and restless days resulting in deadly nervous breakdowns, hypertensions and cardiac arrests! Is it not natural humiliation for a sleeping conscience to be disgraced and discredited as permanent beggars of alms and charity in the name of grants and loans in the comity of nations. However, man in the street, men of letters and men at the helm of affairs are unaware of holing the same boat in which we are sailing with wiser ones endeavour in vain for sanity whatsoever #
—The writer, a senior faculty in media management and corporate communication, frequently contributes to media on national and international affairs.
