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The title of my post, today, may seem to be surprising and perhaps misleading to my Readers. It has been proved and established, geographically and astronomically, that the earth is round; but, here it is said ‘square’. I won’t keep you any long in hankering state, but clarify straightway that I am going to talk about the jails, their cells – The Square World.
This Article, being somewhat lengthy, will be published in parts conveniently. To make my Article universal, I have ignored some specifications. My purpose and attempt behind this blog post is only to awake the feelings of my Readers to condemn such acts against humanity and maintain the mind to think over universal brotherhood.
All these chapters narrate the variety of harassments and tortures to the detainees by the cruel jail authorities. These jails are from a dictatorial rule of Government and one cannot hope even in a dream that any one or moreguidelines or rules of human rightsfor prisoners may beobserved or honored by them which have been internationally approved by Human Rights Commissions. Peter Beneson says, “Torture is banned; but in two-thirds of the world’s countries, it is still being committed in secret. Too many Governments still allow wrongful imprisonment, murderunder the title of encounter or ‘disappearance” to be carried out by their officials with impunity”. The most of democratic countries, no doubt, observe these norms, but they cannot upgrade the jails as some western countries do.
The inmates of prisons canbe categorized as convicts, under-trial and detainees. They may be in any category, but we should not forget that, after all, they are human beings. They have some basic rights such as enough space for lying and sleeping, proper sanitation, standard and sufficient food, purified water, seasonal clothing, medical facilities, reasonable wages of their work for their families at home etc..
Now, I’ll quote you some examples which I have collected from various sources to describe such hells on earth that will shake you from the inner of your heart and you will immediately pray to the God, if you are a Believer, that He may save anybody to be the guest (!) of such miserable places. No doubt, everybody has to face the Day of Judgment as per most of the religions; but there will be punished only those confirmed sinners who might have committed unforgivable sins which may also be out of the God’s discretion for the sake of His promises for reward for good deeds and warning of punishment for evil deeds though He is Kind and Merciful.
Generally, in any dictatorial or monarchyrule of government; the detainees are kept in such secret places or unknown jails that their relatives cannot know their whereabouts. These types of rulers do not honor internationally approved code of conduct to be dealt with the detainees and under-trial prisoners as they are conditioned minded people and they always are worried for their existence and safety of their kingdom or rule. Therefore, they always keep their subject under the pressure of terror. It is the basicprinciple of judiciary that any accused should not be considered as guilty until one’s guilt is proved. But to such “Jungle rule” type of authorities have no concern with such ideology of natural justice.
Now, I come to the point and join you with me to raise your feeble cry as we are helpless except we can burn our hearts and utter the words “shame … shame !” towards such cruelty against humanity. Please go on and bewitness of those miserable prisoners who may prefer death if they are allowed rather than to live in such a hell.
The directive of Human Rights for prisoners clearly mentions that any detainee should not be interrogated at night; but here what we see, go ahead:
Inside this square world, you can see Blindfolds, Shackles. Handcuffs and Whips as the weapons of the torturers to be used against the helpless prisoners for their true or false confessions of their so called crimes. You can see blood on the bare backs of these poor fellows. Here, at past midnight also, the detainees are summoned. They may be half asleep due to their anxiety and fear, but the cruel authorities have no concern with the odd time and they can summon anybody at any time for investigation or interrogation as per their mood and willingness. There is no end of such inquiries. They are being beaten cruelly till they are bled and tortured till their nerves are wrecked. The heavy metal door creaks with a squeak harsh enough to send their blood tingling. Every time, the guard turns the keys in the hole, the door unlocks in stages with a sharp metal voice. The inmates sleeping in various positions due to lack of enough space sit erect, with all alertness, like a flock of frightened sheep, expecting the slaughterer to enter the pen and make his pick.
Now, my Readers, hold on your heart and read further. But before that, I clarify that the characters coming before you in turn will be named in single Alphabet beginning with “A” and so on further. “What is in name?’ as in a Shakespeare’s play, we have no concern with names.
A young man of 20, Mr. A, stark naked except a brief loin cloth is pushed in the cell. His head and eyebrows are totally shaved and moustache half-shaven. Blood streams from his chest, back, arms, thighs and legs. He is chastised with lashes which have turned his skin violet. To his ghost-like appearance, nobody in the cell dares to glance at him. His helplessness and distress move all the prisoners of the cellfrom the deepest of their hearts. Then follows a dangerous officer with a cunning smile on his thick lips.
He shouts addressing to that poor creature, “Tell them of your sins why we have treated you thus.” And the young ghost mutters, “I had been here few months ago and after some formal inquiries, I was released. As I went home, I informed some of my relatives and family friends about the whereabouts of their missing members. I told them that they have been detained and that I have met them. Now, once again, I am arrested with the charge of having disclosed the secret of the state.”
The butcher-like officer once again shouts loudly and says, “Did you hear him?” All the rest answer in a chorus, “Yes, we did hear.” The message is conveyed. The young man hardly able to walk is then pushed out of the door, taken away to where nobody knows.
– Valibhai Musa
Dtd.: 13th December, 2007
[ Continues on Part – II ]
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