"I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me . . . All I ask is that you respect me as a human being." Jackie Robinson.
Its been a while since I last updated the blog. There is something that keeps disturbing me. So thought to share with you all.
Maldives is famous throughout the world as a destination of peace and stability. A heaven on earth. A paradise of white sand. We all, as Maldivians feel happy and proud of it.
However, today I feel that there is something that we kept aside which we should not have.
Bangalhun, the labours, the workers, the garbage takers, the drivers, the plumbers, the wielders etc etc...
I have a question. You want to do something and you couldn't do it. I did it for you. Will you be thankful or will you be harming me?
The very reality is that this is what those Bangalhees are doing. What you could not do!!! Cleaning the junction that you cannot clean, doing the works you'd otherwise hesitate to do. In simple terms, making the impossible in your life to possible. However, its sad to see that our society accepts them as nothing more than animals. Yes, this is the truth. If not all, this is the large percentage.
Forget about the small pay they get compare to the hard work. How many of them are given proper food? How Many of them lives in a single cage? (I said cage not because I forgot the word room, but because that is the proper word). 20? 30? 40? Take a glance at our roads, if we see them, we look at them as though dirty. The harms given to them on roads is clear but always ignored.
Such an interesting part will be seen in our Jumhuree Maidhaan, how we treat them and how we treat the "dhon" tourists. Keep aside the story of Muslim Bangalhees and often non Muslim tourists. We cannot treat them well though they are Muslims. OK. Cant we treat them well because they are humans at least?
As every weekend they sit under the shade of our huge national flag, enjoying its protection, did we once even think that our proud nation gives them nothing more than humiliation even when they are giving us such valuable services.
Please ask one question to yourself. " Did you do your part in dealing them with respect as they are also humans just like you? DID YOU?"
Photo: flickr.com/photos/