SADDAM'S HANGING!!

The scenario, which the Muslim world is facing right now, is the worst of all times. When we look a few years back, we recollect the big bang that hit the world with all its force at the dawn of 11th September, 2001. Apparently, the 9/11 provided the United States with the much awaited opportunity for waging a war against the entire Muslim world, in the pretense of “THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM.” It started from Afghanistan and is not yet finished at Iraq. The sharp, cunning eyes of the United States are now focused on Iran.

At the present moment, however, the point towards which I want to bring your attention is the recent hanging of the former President of Iraq-Saddam Hussein, its worldwide broadcast and its long lasting affects. Was the hanging without even completing the so-called trial and going over all Saddam’s crimes justifiable or not, is a question that is to remain unanswered. There is no doubt that it is still debatable if Saddam died as a martyr, a victim or a dictator and criminal who massacred thousands of innocent people. To make the situation even worse, there comes the grainy video of his execution, telecasted at every news channel of the world, with the audible sounds of Saddam being mocked at the gallows by the witnesses present. Now this is entirely insane and unfair. Mocking a dying man, no matter whatever he has done in his life, is immoral and a complete nonsense. And to add oil to the fire, it is done on the Eid day. Whatever he was- according to Mr. Bush or the rest of the world, he was a hero in the eyes of many people. If Hitler was hanged publicly for all the brutality he committed, in front of the whole world, how would the Germans feel? No doubt they will be outrageous! Because, despite all his cruelties an injustices to the humanity, he was their leader and hero. Similar is the case with Saddam- he was a courageous leader of a Muslim country and mocking him in front of the whole world should cause the ears of other Muslim countries wringing for what is in store for them at the hands of United States.
Historian Garry Wills once wrote “Only the winners decide what war crimes were.”
The fact that this video has increased the lurking danger of Iraq’s division into three countries- the Shiastan, Sunistan and Kurdistan, is undeniable. But the people who suffered the most from it are those who already have mental disorders and depression problems. Watching the video forces us to ponder upon the following questions:-
Why do we kill each other so deliberately? Why do we kill each other so casually, as in war? Why do we kill anything?
We allow death its way every day, across the world, in places sucked dry by poverty and famine, simply by sitting by.
It makes us feel that life is a joke. Although death is efficient at finding victims of its own, we scramble to give it a hand, rationalizing our help as moral and just. The media is already filled with gruesome images of death, violence and terrorism, making it impossible for us to live a normal life. We live in a constant terror of becoming a victim of suicide bombing. In these circumstances, the grainy video has its effects, as it makes us believe killing a man is no big a deal. On the other hand it also leads to the feeling of helplessness in the people who loved the man. Thinking they are unable to do anything, and seeing the corpse of their hero with a broken neck swinging sideways at the end of a thick rope.
And then this video costs the life of many children. From Yemen to United States, several boys and adolescents ranging from age nine to thirteen hung themselves after watching graphic footage of Saddam Hussein’s execution. Hisham Ramy, an associate professor of psychiatry at Ain Shams University in Cairo, said graphic videos can have a severe effect on children who don’t yet know the consequences of death and violence. Innocent as they were- they saw how its done with the assistance of the telecasted video, but don’t think its horrific, and they are more likely to imitate it.
Child psychologist Jasem Hajela in Kuwait city placed all blame on video images.

Considering all what has happened in this short time after the hanging, there also is the fear of Taliban carrying more attacks killing civilians for seeking revenge. After all the gory scenes we had already witnessed during the war against terrorism and the losses the Muslim world had to endure, it is hard to imagine what will happen next. We simply cannot tolerate a divided Iraq, increased terrorism and violence and most of all our children hanging themselves just because they had watched five sublime minutes at the hanging rope and in their innocence had mimicked it. The broadcast of the video was a huge mistake. It caused fear, terror and initiated anger among the Muslims. Such a mistake should never be committed again. As movements against the death penalty are being carried by many organizations, we should also try to limit ourselves for what can be shown on the screen and what should be not. The increased on-screen violence is dangerous for us and our future. Lets hope that we can at least lessen the violence all around by not showing it in such a manner on televisions and other sources of the media and hence lead ourselves to a better, peaceful and serene world.