Opinion Editorials, October 2006, To see today's opinion articles, click here: www.aljazeerah.info
Human Price of the Israeli Occupation of Palestine
Israeli daily aggression on the Palestinian people
Mission and meaning of Al-Jazeerah
Cities, localities, and tourist attractions
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Eid Greetings
By Mirza A. Beg
Al-Jazeerah, October 22, 2006
The festive season is upon us,
Eid, Divali, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Days of rejoicing and celebrations,
of gifts, given and received, with anticipation.
Opening neatly wrapped packages.
Feasts of gastronomical delights,
Warmth of hearth, home, friendships
and blissful sleep cushioned in comfort
The garbage is brimming with
discarded wraps, uneaten food.
Not all is waste, just refuse from plenty,
recycled to the poor scavengers,
populating the fringes of teeming cities.
Thrown plastics, metals and clothing
Reclaimed by the dispossessed.
Partly eaten food fills a hungry stomach.
Awareness of hunger evokes pity,
but being hungry brings empathy
for the crowded shantytowns,
living in the indignity of poverty.
Receiving the gift of charity,
of food or perhaps some money;
they in turn give a greater gift.
The precious gift of an eased conscience
The meek shall inherit the earth, but not today.
Wants trumped by dire daily needs,
vacant expressionless eyes
stare from behind an invisible fence.
They get charity, the immediate need
What they need is economic justice,
to overcome the endemic poverty.
A crime against humanity
Best wishes to all - those celebrating Eid based on Astronomical calculations and those adhering to the traditional way of moon sighting. God knows our intentions and we don’t doubt each-others sincerity. We may differ, but we try to learn, with appreciation. I wrote this poem last year, to think about the less fortunate, irrespective of religion. A little care could alleviate some one’s suffering.
Mirza A. Beg may be reached at
mab64@yahoo.com
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| Earth, a planet hungry for peace |
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| The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04). | ||
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03). |