Annelies Marie Frank better known as “Anne Frank” was born on 12th June 1929 in Germany. In 1933 when Nazis took control of Germany, like many other Jews Anne Frank’s family migrated to Netherlands to find shelter from Nazis. But the nightmare kept chasing them, in 1942 Netherlands was occupied by Nazis. And a new chapter of the prosecution of Jews begun, Anne Frank was sent to Bergen-Belsen Concentration camp where she died in 1945 almost at the age of 16. Her father, Otto Frank, was the only survivor of the family and when the war ended he came back to Amsterdam where he found Anne’s diary. This diary contained records of Anne’s life from June 1942 until August 1944. Her diary made her one of the most discussed holocaust victim. The diary was published in English in 1952 under the name of “The Diary of a Young Girl” and later on several plays and films were made based on it.
Nazi Germany, Holocaust, and World War all is part of history, but the cruelty and the savageness is not bound to any time and name. It can be seen in any time, at any place, and in any form, with common features like rigid ideas and intolerance. No matter if it is of 40s and Nazi Germany is brand ambassador of unkindness, or it is 21st century there will always be Anne Frank as a voice telling us what seeds this brutality is sowing. Just like cruelty can have many names this voice can also have different names in different times. It can be “diary of a Young Girl” of Anne Frank or it can be “Gul Makai” of Malala Yusufzai.
Malala Yusufzai, fourteen years old activist, who started her struggle when Switzerland of Pakistan, Swat, was under the control of Taliban and many new examples of brutality were being set. She started to keep records of that time in her diary that she shared with BBC Urdu.
Yesterday Malala Yusufzai faced what almost every brave person has to face at least once in life. A gunman shot Malala twice in attempt to assassinate her; later on TTP (Thereek e Taliban Pakistan) claimed responsibility of the attack and said it was answer to the propaganda Malala was spreading. Ironically we are part of the era where the concepts like, “seek knowledge”, and “educate others out of your knowledge” is considered the negative propaganda. And height of ludicrousness is that a 14 years old girl is being targeted because she refused to be scared of the “pseudo saviours”. She was attacked because she wanted to be educated and become a political leader. She was attacked because she dreamt to lead Pakistan away from troubles. This reminds poetic words of famous Urdu Poet Habib Jalib;
ڈرتے ھیں بندوق والے نیہتی لڑکی سے
پھیلے ہیں ہمت کے اجالے ایک نیہتی لڑکی سے
آزادی کی بات نا کر، لوگوں سے نہ مل”، یہ کہتے یہں“
بے حس، ظالم، دل کے کالے، ایک نیہتی لڑکی سے۔
(gunmen are scared of one disarmed girl,
because that girl is spreading light of courage,
these cruel, black hearted, and insensitive people are scared enough that
they ask her, not to talk about freedom, and do not meet other)
Malala played the part that is beyond one can expect from a 14 year old child. It indeed requires immense courage for a 11 years old girl to start her struggle in a trouble hit area. Whereas, being a girl in our society is not an easy job even if you are in a rather “peaceful” urban area.
Now the question is that what we have done for her, apart from showing concern and praying for her speedy recovery after she was attacked? Why always a devastating news is required to wake up? We don’t even stop there we treat that disaster just like an alarm sound is treated, we press the snooze button and go to sleep again and wait for the next alarm.
Those in power and asking nation to pray for Malala’s health but here is a question that who is/was responsible for the security of Malala and every member of the nation? It is very easy to come on media make a condemning statement and ask nation to pray, in fact we all are praying for her, but what is the use of power and position they are enjoying? Or we are waiting for the time when each and every one of us face what Malala Yusufzai faced yesterday. Honestly and sadly speaking that is our real face today, insensitive, and ignorant.
Having said that I would like to ask everyone to give a standing ovation to all the political parties. I mean who could miss the opportunity to polish politics over the opportunity that Malala gave them after being shot.
We the civil society are indeed marvellous people there is a kid who is fighting for her life but we are discussing who shall be condemned and who not. Because we religiously follow such debates as it is far important to us than finding the solution of the problem at hand. We are all indulge in the spice and glamour of political talk shows but the real state of security is that a 14 years old girl is facing enmity and intolerance.
While “enjoying” the political point scoring and the aimless debates, I am praying for Malala Yusufzai may she get well soonest. Her bravery made some cowards attack her. But I am sure this will not damage her struggle and vision.
