President Yasser Arafat...
I'm late in saying these words..
Nevertheless, for a man like him i guess...
I should say out my last respects..
President Arafat: Revered as the Father of the Palestinian Nation, his untimely passing is indeed a great loss to the Palestinian People. In his lifetime President Arafat carried the hopes of the Palestinian people with him in his struggles and endeavours. He was their inspiration and symbol of courage as he sought to acquire freedom, despite the daunting historic tasks he set himself. The attainment of peace is not an easy task... nevertheless the few brave, have had their name enshrined in the books of history in pursuing such goals. Regardless of what his enemies have said, with intentions to disparage the man, Arafat will be among those few brave men...
Some have called him a monster, some have called him a terrorist. People injured and killed, women and children... from both sides. But yet, in a situation marked by deep mistrust and hatred, President Arafat offered an outstretched hand of great courage in search of peace. Many thought the vicious circle of hatred and violence would end with the signing of the Oslo Accord. The patriarch was a man of Peace, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize along with Simon Peres and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. It was not President Arafat who abandoned the peace process.... If Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin were to be still alive, and not assasinated... I would assume the realisation of two states at peace, side-by-side would be a reality... But the lost of Yitzhak Rabin, only caused the decay of the very foundations of the Oslo Accord. The administration that took over.. ignored the former Prime Ministers commitment... mistrust and hatred continued…
Years have passed in the struggle for peace. President Arafat staked his life, withstanding challenges, pressures as well as attempts on his life in service to the Palestinian people. His leadership, dedication, resoluteness, steadfastness to the cause, embodies the plight, the dream, the conviction. President Arafat is a man of extra-ordinary political talent in which a few men in history have ever persevered and prevailed in fighting a just cause. He has come to symbolize the steadfastness of the whole Palestinian people. The pursuit and quest for a Promised Land and country for the Palestinians, was to his last breathe. Palestine is poorer with out him. Peace in the Middle East itself is poorer...
To those who claim that they are the Champions of Peace, Freedom and Justice... let it be known, that peace does not start or is not acheived by the absence of conflict... but it starts with the fulfillment of justice... many of you are blind... Blood.. no matter whose blood.. Muslims or Jews in the Middle East, their blood lost, is sacred blood... Arafat did not failed.. he tried and tried... YOU FAILED!!! Worse... WE too failed.... Why?... WE failed.. because we CARED LESS or CARED NOT... Because the conflict is not ours... WE failed because it was not in our own backyard.. Its said that the cheapest commodity in the Palestinian Territories is that of human lives... women and children.... because some of us read their deaths like the daily weather, or football league statistics in the newspaper... because some of us read without guilt, sadness or sympathy... we made their lives cheap....
Maybe we can give excuses to ourselves and those around us..
I wonder what would be our excuse to God....
Lastly, dwell into this sentence. I quote from Edmund Burke:
"The necessary thing for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing"
Dedicated to a brave man,
to the brave people of Palestine,
and the Peacemakers from both sides...
Most importantly as a criticism to the idiotic people who voted for an idiotic president....
the so called champions of peace, freedom and justice...
-diplomatz-
da diplomats journey
11:07 AM
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Friend; friends, friendship....
I have yet to consult the Oxford English dictionary to read, understand and convey to you the literal correct definition. But somehow I know, no matter what the dictionary has to say, it would not be holistic as to my understanding of the subject, that after 27 years of life.
A few days ago, I met an old friend. It had been a long time since we last met. So as much as time allowed, we exchanged greetings, thoughts, stories and expressions. Squeezing as much information out of one another to catch back the time that had been lost. And as brief as we met, we said our goodbye’s and went on our own paths. As the person left, there was this great impact, a feeling felt deep inside. To put it simply in words it was a feeling of appreciation of a friend and the overwhelming thought that even though time had passed, friendship persevered. The feeling remain, not only for that person but all those close at heart… friends no matter where they were, a special bond still encircles part of our lives.
Thus, after being in a situation like that, there is this sense of regret, there is this small wish, that is, that if I could have the time, the space, the moment… to tell these friends of mine, that as friends they have been; understanding, caring and always with a smile. A collection of small meaningful words that I see and feel in many of the friends I have today. It would be then up to them to grasp and believe it, or not… that as friends they have been indeed special.
As the friend left and my thought drifted on to many others, a sorrow, profound and lingering feeling is the residue in me which remains within me. This burden somehow becomes lighter by the passing of each hour and each day. It becomes lighter maybe because I know, that this person knows… That I always think of the person and many others among my special friends – understanding, caring and always with a smile. Friends, true friends are diamonds… They are rare, scarce and most precious. Friends – general friends are like leaves of autumn… many, colourful and almost everywhere. But when the wind blows… they float away.
There has been many lessons learnt and many experiences that I, and I know many of you have gained during the course of our lives. Among many, recently, mine would be that of friendship. Simply said, I must say that I am different. And being different, I see that negative perceptions and stigmas within society still lives; that is the manner of “judging a book by its cover”. But life being as it is… I feel I’ve gained more than others for those who stepped up front to sincerely get to know me… became eventually my diamond friends. As such I have many friends who are diamonds and a number of leaves… Diamonds; people who truly know me for who I am, what I aspire to be and what I hope for in the future.
A dear friend of mine reflected a programme which had been conducted through out a course. A programme called the “Secret Buddy” programme. As much as it was intriguing, he personally felt great to the idea that his secret buddy never knew who he was. So in their exchange of letters, writing to the unknown… stigma’s and perceptions did not rule thoughts. He felt like being behind a wall or mask… and better still the learning of one another was based on writings, thoughts, feelings and sincere connotations. There was never a time where negative assumptions nor conclusions were ever made. In any case, he could have fitted any part of a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle… no matter how different or odd he was.
I guess there are many lessons and reflections that each and every one of us can derive from life… My friend derived the true meanings of friendship from that programme… I was reminded of it from a short meeting of a friend. I guess the world being the harsh reality it is, everyone has the right, liberty and freedom to perceive or talk about anyone else… but then again, perceptions do not necessarily means that you have known, defined or understood a person… by heart and soul. Its just basically reveals that you generally know him or her.
As such in this world of friendship, coloured by truth, sincerity, openness, caring, understanding and smiles… there will always be the other dark side where perceptions rules the light of day…. Well! Nobody is perfect anyway! But whatever it is, I am lucky… and so are you… who has taken time to read this short rantings of mine. For both you and I have diamond friends; and without a doubt they are… understanding, caring and always with a smile. =P
This is a tribute to all those who took time to know, understand, care and be a friend. For many of you are diamonds among the leaves.
- diplomatz -
da diplomats journey
10:44 AM
Tuesday, November 09, 2004You might say its that day in the morning... Or its everyday...
That odd feeling when you wake up.. Alive once again..
I love the sun, it has this magical effect. Every morning without fail, as I walk out the door.... I'll take that one step, into bliss, into the morning light. The warm rays of the sun, in its exquisite burst... conquers every inch it touches... It just feels like a new found form of energy racing through my veins... and then, with a deep breath, I inhale... the fresh, sweet morning fragranced air... which makes you think and feel... This is it... This is LIFE.
Try it out..
Stand in the sun in the morning,
Stretch your arms as if to embrace...
Close your eyes..and feel it..
Its a "new day", its a new beginning... High spirits and all as we take each step forward... One tends to wonder, to what magnitude can we achieve in life. Hmmm.... Have you ever seen Meet Joe Black? ... If you have, remember William Parrish? Well, one could imagine such a life, of a billionaire.. stature and all... but most of all,the fact he built an empire on his own. No inheritance, no favours, no luck... pure blood, sweat and tears... To the end, he was happy. He was accomplished. It may be a movie, but life has shown us such examples in real life... we all can achieve great heights... we can all achieve such magnitude...
Coming back to the movie, in facing death.. the irony of it all... His few final words.. after blowing the candle William Parrish said, I quote:
" And I'm going to break precedent, and tell you my one-candle wish, that you would have a life as lucky as mine, where you can wake up one morning and say "I don't want anything more".
In time my friends.. in time...
Our struggles and deeds will grow.
Bringing life to heights unimaginable...
To a day where we ourselves would say...
"I don't want anything more... and I wish you had a life like mine".
With an everlasting smile...
-diplomatz-
da diplomats journey
10:40 AM
