Social evolution has taught man the principles of peaceful co-existence, the very reason for the transformation from man, to human. The recognition of fundamental human rights and unanimous efforts towards the establishment of societal stability in the world are great achievements of the previous century, as history proves itself time and time again to be the catalyst for change and humanity’s growth and success.
The idea of ensuring basic human rights stems from the desire to provide the minimal basic needs to everyone in the world for a respectable life, but, the problem gains heat when these basic needs are not met. The competition for life, instead of growth and a struggle for survival, instead of progress awakens in man a very basic instinct to fight back harder, tracing back to the social ‘animal’ he was, trying to be the ‘king of the jungle’ in what we proudly call the civilized world. These feelings of distrust and vengeance are the nurturing grounds for crime.
Social deprivation hits the youth the hardest. They are the most vulnerable prey to the ever spreading networks of crime that exploit the feelings of resentment against society. Lack of opportunity for financial growth, joblessness, discriminatory policies and violation of merit generate hostility towards the state. In this age of consumerism social deprivation is a very strong impetus for adopting whatever means possible to acquire a coveted lifestyle. Then again, when these glamorous lifestyles are projected with every step these children take, the lust for wealth is what leads to juvenile delinquency and therefore, crime. What begins as vandalism, leads to conditions such as mobile and auto-mobile theft being rampant. Slowly the moral compass turns more towards the south, as the value of life behind a gun becomes worth the pocket change a man carries to work.
When people are still judged on the basis of their religion and their differences are highlighted, events like that of Hazara are what come into notice. When landlords and the ‘wadera’ system forces the poor to stay unskilled and uneducated, they gun down their children who they cannot provide for. When society labels individuals as ‘untouchables’ the sense of anomie destroys the very belief in the existence of that perfect god, which could possibly promote social backlash. We’ve had enough discussion of equality, now it’s time to walk the talk. What we need is to halt the ebb and flow of human misery, which leads to more, duplicating and multiplying, cyclical chains promoting crime and disjunction in society. We want a change, and to bring a change, we need to be the change.
MUHAMMAD AHMED TAJAMMUL
Lahore
brother well said.
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