*Who are they? They are human, so why are humans killing humans*
Pamelia Riviere
Day after day,
The world bears witness to the harrowing deaths of countless Palestinians,
brutally taken at the hands of Israeli forces.
The cries for justice rise!
Yet look closely —
How many innocent Lebanese lives are being extinguished as well?
The pain is palpable,
Yet often ignored!
As we reflect on the past,
We can't overlook,
The tragic toll of violence in Gaza,
That spans across continents and conflicts!
Countless Vietnamese, Afghans, and Yemenis
Have fallen victim
To the turmoil instigated by American military actions
The numbers climb higher with each passing day!
As millions of Iraqis, Libyans, and Iranians suffer similarly,
While in Syria, the brutal spectre of death looms large
Over the population
Yet here we are!
Watching in chilling silence,
Who are the perpetrators of this violence?
Who is behind the relentless cycle of killing?
The answers are known!
Yet many remain hushed,
Stifled by a fear that grips their hearts,
Since the dawn of humanity,
Man has turned against man!
Unleashing a torrent of anger
That often feels inexplicable,
This rage festers,
Leading to violence for reasons that evade comprehension!
The sectarian strife continues as we ask,
How many Sunnis have been killed by the Shite?
And how many Shite have suffered at the hands of Sunnis?
The tragedy extends further: countless Kurds have been obliterated!
Both Shite and Sunni alike,
What truly differentiates the human race,
When such division fosters violence?
In the shadows lurk the remnants of terror factions!
ISIS has fought against Al-Qaeda,
Only to find themselves at odds,
With the Taliban as well
Why the incessant bloodshed among them?
What drives these factions to turn on one another
In a seemingly never-ending cycle of revenge?
Everyone seems quick to cast blame,
Branding their adversaries as less than human!
Labelling them as terrorists
The narrative continues,
As America engages in military actions
That claims the lives of Muslims across the globe,
While Israel was caught in the conflict!
It contributes to the staggering toll of Muslim deaths,
Russian forces and Ukrainian fighters,
Share their own tragic story of loss and hatred,
Perpetuating an atmosphere of violence!
The question looms:
Why does such bloodlust resonate within humankind?
Consider the gut-wrenching memories of the past —
The indiscriminate massacres of Bosniak and Serbian men!
The Bosniak women were victimized, raped with unimaginable brutality,
We cannot forget the horrifying events in Bangladesh,
Where Pakistani forces are reported to have slaughtered 3 million individuals,
Alongside the systematic rape of a quarter of a million women!
The echoes of history ring loud and clear,
We find ourselves tangled in webs of identity:
"They are Shias," "They are Sunnis,"
"They are Kurds," "They are heathens!"
"They are Muslims,"
"They are Jews,"
"They are Christians,"
They are Hindus and so forth!
Each group fights under banners of faith and ethnicity,
Yet they are all part of the great tapestry of humanity,
The irony is staggering:
Muslims killing countless fellow Muslims!
Driven by a toxic blend of ideology and animosity.
The history of violence extends across all divides,
How many Jews have fallen victim to Christian hands?
The statistics of grief are countless!
How many Muslims have faced deadly reprisals from Christians,
And vice versa?
The horrific tally of bloodshed,
Between these groups is immeasurable!
Even among Hindus and Muslims,
The scales of violence tip alarmingly —
The cycle of vengeance,
Spinning ever more rapidly!
Furthermore, Indigenous peoples around the world
Have faced untold violence and destruction
Why does stubbornness drown out humanity's call for peace?
We must demand an end to the genocidal waves that sweep across nations!
They are not just figures on paper;
They are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters —
Human beings with hopes and dreams
Yet, unknowingly, they participate in or suffer from a cycle of slaughter!
Slaughtering each other seems never-ending
The truth is, nobody truly understands
The motivations behind such cruelty,
Today, humanity is grappling with a dire situation!
Genocide across the world that threatens our very essence
I yearn for a world where life prevails over death,
Yet, unfortunately,
Found only despair and suffering!
The faces of the oppressed children, women and men —
So often dirty and weathered —
Tell a story of deep-rooted anguish and abandonment!
A collective of lost souls races toward an uncertain future!
Desperately seeking someone to spare,
Someone to protect,
In this madness,
I stand confused:
Who deserves to be saved,
And who must perish?
The relentless lust for power obscures the truth,
Inciting chaos and conflict everywhere I look!
It is time to call for peace
They are people, but I wonder if they are truly human.
If so, why then does humanity persist
In such violent divisions and senseless killings?
The echoes of our violence reverberate through time —
We must strive for understanding
And empathy among all people,
To end this cycle once and for all!
