KONY 2012 - Is it a blasphemous cause?

"Do you want to smile or remain sad?

Child says he wants to smile; his mouth is cut off (You shall never smile)

Another child says he wants to remain sad; his mouth is pierced with a padlock (Remain sad and never smile)"

Joseph Kony, a name that has gone viral all around the world in just 3 days due to a completely Hollywood slicked video posted by filmmaker Jason Russell, though he and his terror remains in Uganda, Central Africa, for over 20 years now. Since then he, the leader of LRA (Lord's Rebellion Army), had been abducting children, both boys and girls, to make them either child soldiers or sex slaves. Moreover, he left no choice for the kids as he killed their parents. 

My friends from Uganda opine that Kony is a merciless, heartless, demon-possessed, selfish sadist and serial killer. The reason behind him going about as a terror around just 3 or 4 villages in North Uganda is all because he wants to get into the political power enjoyed by the President. He believes whatever he does is right and in the name of the Lord. According to him, he is just following the Ten Commandments said by the Almighty and brainwashes the child soldiers and the villagers in a way saying that "Sacrifices need to be made for the greater good". He could never be caught as he would vanish into the bushes or even cross the LOC into the neighbouring countries of Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, etc., though his real hideouts are still unknown. But whatever he does, he is just trying to gain the attention of the masses and show them that it's doing nothing to stop him.

When asked of what they felt about the recent half-an-hour long video posted on the Internet, my Ugandan friends replied that it was a completely "unnecessary attention seeker". The terror spread by Kony has been minimized to quite an extent through recent governmental and UN peace talks. The video has gained widespread criticism based on its charity funding, completely Hollywood styled approach and the actual process used by the Invisible Children Inc. in trapping down Kony is still unknown to the large audience. Plus the biggest question in every mind is "Where were these concerned people of the world for over 20 years? Had they not ever thought about the people in Africa before?" The video says that they have set up radio communication to keep in touch with each other within the region as well as with the world, but that entire region (even LRA) uses radio communication. How is it then not possible for them to know of the tactics used by the US advisers and the Ugandan Soldiers? 

As to what has happened in the Middle East, China and other nations already, everyone believes that the video has gone viral right after the discovery of oil wells in the same region of LRA in Uganda. Is this another trick played by the US? If not, then why re-kindle the fire that was almost setting off? True that Kony is an insane person, a barbarian but a persistent rebellion. If the Invisible Children Inc. has taken up the cause of stopping him then why only with the help of the Hollywood celebrities and the US policy makers? Since when have the US  started making policies for Uganda? Even if the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants on October 6, 2005 against Kony, why has he been hiding out still? Who all have been supporting him (his own people, the links to his human trafficking and the outside world)? Why aren't these questions being answered by the organization? 

Let's stand up for the cause of stopping Kony and many others right next to us first but let's not encourage some hidden and unknown outrageous and illegal activities in the name of something else. "Anyone harming women and children loses his dignity of calling himself a man" - doesn't this statement imply to all? Wake up to the world still unknown to you rather than get messed up with things totally out of your reach. If you still want to do good and think it's our responsibility as being the citizens of the world to reach out to another in distress then adopt a "REAL" strategy. Now it's your call - You buy the Kony 2012 Action kit or you actually stand up against every Kony next door. 

UP Elections - SURRRRPRISEEEEE

The latest in the Indian Territory has been the wild elections in the North. The craziest and the most unexpected scenario that came about after the elections is the victory to Samajwadi Party (SP) led by the senior supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, the mother land of politics in India. The reason for their victory has become a debatable issue for the big parties like Congress and BJP as well as the already governing BSP in the state. This question will remain in their books for a long, long time to come. Perhaps, the Indian Politicians need to learn the principles of Marketing so as to enhance the image of their parties throughout the nation as the generation today is no more dumb and confused over what to do. The same may be the reason why the big parties like Congress and BJP which kept fighting among each other by getting into crazy controversies and also diverting its focus from the target audience. BSP led by Mayawati became too reckless and careless when it came to focusing its energies towards the public as it believed victory would be theirs solely. Now, what made SP win may probably be the human touch brought about by its young politician Akhilesh Yadav who went around the entire state riding on a cycle (which happens to be the party logo too) as well as the again very humane election manifesto that contained their promises of improving the state’s literacy, medical, electricity, irrigation and other societal issues. The party’s youth TVC also rocked the television sets at the peak time of 8-9pm as well as 12-1pm, some even comparing between the speed of an elephant and a cycle. Much ado, Akhilesh Yadav also stated the day before the elections that if SP wins the government would still be led by Mulayam Singh Yadav only(again revealing that he’s still not considering himself worth it as the maker creator or you can say the only soul responsible for the party’s existence is Mulayam Singh Yadav). Though Akhilesh has brought in a lot of humane feelings that completely transforms the party’s image from being that of mobsters to that of for the people before the elections, but the question is will the party remain the same once it commences its rule? What do the SP politicians have to say about the attack on the journalists in Jhansi? Was their promise of not associating with the goons going to only remain in the pre-election promises or will these promises be really kept? Other than this, a lot has to be said and done for the increased head-aches to the big party leaders especially that of Congress who lost in its birth place Raibareily. The cycle has made its way out of the race, but what remains now is to find out if the cycle riders who chucked the goons out will get back to their goonish lives or are they going to retain their sacrificial and humane nature as in their manifesto for the next 5 years? If everything (even Politics) is a game of business like Monopoly then the young politicians need to play it well.