Kidnapping of South Koreans - An Opportunity to Spill Venom
Arati Singh
July 25, 2007
Now that the 23 South Koreans are kidnapped in Afghanistan, many hate-mongers have found a perfect opportunity to express their anger, hatred and socio-political agendas. Many politicians, citizen reports and bloggers have found means to use and exploit the tragedy to fit their talking points, whether it is racism, missionary, Islam, US imperialism or biased media coverage.
The comments on this incident, as on similar incident of this kind, prove world has never been so racist and extremist as it is now. I hear many foreign students in Korea, saying anyone will get kidnapped if they go to Muslim country to preach Christianity. I don’t want to reveal the political standing and religious outlook of these people as I believe I should not. But I can say these are the people who are devoid of the feeling of humanity and ethics.
We all know South Koreans were in Afghanistan to provide medical services. Even if their real intentions had been to preach on Christianity, did they deserve to be kidnapped and threaten to be killed? United Nations Declaration on Human Rights identifies forceful religion conversion as a crime against humanity. Therefore even if they are to be criticized there are many decent ways to do so.
Debating on the South Koreans motivations is one thing but these people are keener in justifying Taliban’s act of kidnapping, which reveals violent hate people bear within themselves against each other.
On a number of sites I have seen people taking this event as an opportunity to show their aggressions against Christians. People have used the anonymity that the internet gives to allow themselves express the hateful and sickening comments. These comments come from radicals, pro-war supporters and anti-Americans. Despite the difference in backgrounds they have some thing in common: their failure to understand South Korea and lack of common sense.
Every year many South Koreans, who are church members go to developing Asian and African countries for some days and provide free health service, education and some vocational trainings. Young students volunteer generally during this time in their summer vacation. And whatever little basic services like, food, medicine, health check etc that country like Afghanistan is getting now are from those who risk their lives to go there- be it UN volunteers, South Korean non combatant soldiers and foreigners working in 189 different International Non Government Organizations.
In the last five years, number of foreign students from Muslim countries is steadily growing up in South Korea. Korean Universities having many Muslim students have provided them a separate prayer room. South Korea itself is neutral country with more than 40% of its population identifying themselves as atheist. South Koreans became the victims of Taliban’s interests. Nothing can be truer than this.
The comments in popular website Youtube have tied this event with war in Iraq, US imperialism, Jews and Orientalism. It is so disheartening to see people making all the possible kind of connections to denounce what they don’t like and justify any barbaric act to support their doctrine.
Even the comments against Islam and entire Muslims are so demoralizing I felt ashamed to read them. In one video in Youtube the comments were so racist against Islam that now Youtube has prohibited adding comments. I wonder how Afghani students in Korea must be feeling right at this moment.
As the hostage Koreans has no relation with US imperialism and Iraq, similarly Islam has nothing to do with their kidnapping. Taliban have killed more Muslims than any other religion followers. Had Taliban kidnapped the Koreans for religious reasons they would not have “bargained” like they are doing now with Korean government.
In such a tragedy when people all over the world are required to pray for each others safety they are busy advocating their own opinions and socio-political dogmas. Does kidnapping of Koreans in Afghanistan means we should no more travel to any Muslim country? Is it justifiable for Taliban to hold Koreans as hostage because they are members of church?
It is very unfortunate that event like this has become a mean for the people to express their hatred, racisms and venomous remarks. It is also very unfortunate that people has forgot to value human lives and rights. What a discouraging reality?
The comments on this incident, as on similar incident of this kind, prove world has never been so racist and extremist as it is now. I hear many foreign students in Korea, saying anyone will get kidnapped if they go to Muslim country to preach Christianity. I don’t want to reveal the political standing and religious outlook of these people as I believe I should not. But I can say these are the people who are devoid of the feeling of humanity and ethics.
We all know South Koreans were in Afghanistan to provide medical services. Even if their real intentions had been to preach on Christianity, did they deserve to be kidnapped and threaten to be killed? United Nations Declaration on Human Rights identifies forceful religion conversion as a crime against humanity. Therefore even if they are to be criticized there are many decent ways to do so.
Debating on the South Koreans motivations is one thing but these people are keener in justifying Taliban’s act of kidnapping, which reveals violent hate people bear within themselves against each other.
On a number of sites I have seen people taking this event as an opportunity to show their aggressions against Christians. People have used the anonymity that the internet gives to allow themselves express the hateful and sickening comments. These comments come from radicals, pro-war supporters and anti-Americans. Despite the difference in backgrounds they have some thing in common: their failure to understand South Korea and lack of common sense.
Every year many South Koreans, who are church members go to developing Asian and African countries for some days and provide free health service, education and some vocational trainings. Young students volunteer generally during this time in their summer vacation. And whatever little basic services like, food, medicine, health check etc that country like Afghanistan is getting now are from those who risk their lives to go there- be it UN volunteers, South Korean non combatant soldiers and foreigners working in 189 different International Non Government Organizations.
In the last five years, number of foreign students from Muslim countries is steadily growing up in South Korea. Korean Universities having many Muslim students have provided them a separate prayer room. South Korea itself is neutral country with more than 40% of its population identifying themselves as atheist. South Koreans became the victims of Taliban’s interests. Nothing can be truer than this.
The comments in popular website Youtube have tied this event with war in Iraq, US imperialism, Jews and Orientalism. It is so disheartening to see people making all the possible kind of connections to denounce what they don’t like and justify any barbaric act to support their doctrine.
Even the comments against Islam and entire Muslims are so demoralizing I felt ashamed to read them. In one video in Youtube the comments were so racist against Islam that now Youtube has prohibited adding comments. I wonder how Afghani students in Korea must be feeling right at this moment.
As the hostage Koreans has no relation with US imperialism and Iraq, similarly Islam has nothing to do with their kidnapping. Taliban have killed more Muslims than any other religion followers. Had Taliban kidnapped the Koreans for religious reasons they would not have “bargained” like they are doing now with Korean government.
In such a tragedy when people all over the world are required to pray for each others safety they are busy advocating their own opinions and socio-political dogmas. Does kidnapping of Koreans in Afghanistan means we should no more travel to any Muslim country? Is it justifiable for Taliban to hold Koreans as hostage because they are members of church?
It is very unfortunate that event like this has become a mean for the people to express their hatred, racisms and venomous remarks. It is also very unfortunate that people has forgot to value human lives and rights. What a discouraging reality?
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