That is the headline of the Herald Sun. In what comes across as an attack on the world of Sports, media from all over the world are coming out with gory details of another terror attack.
My hands were shaking as I was trying to turn the T.V on after receiving the news of the attack. Watching videos of the Lankan team being airlifted from the center of a Cricket stadium was quite surreal. As I heard the names of the players being hit, chills went down my spine when I realised that it could have been an attack on the Indian team instead. It now comes across as a super wise decision of not following up on the planned tour prior to 26/11.
Watching the news and the constant updates, one thing kept crossing my mind over ‘n over again. Here now begins the blame game. It will now be said that India is trying to avenge attacks on its soil. And guess what? That’s exactly what happened. India was blamed for the attacks on the Sri Lankan team. Totally illogical blame. But nothing better expected from the accusers.
Thankfully, the Sri Lankan players are now all back to their homeland. All safe and sound physically with minor injuries, but understandably mentally very shaken.
Apart from the attack on Israeli atheletes, I do not remember a sport being the target of such insanity.
We live in a world where there are no guarantees. An everyday person seems to have no say in the issues affecting his or her self directly. A veil of helplessness appears on the face of each person who is suffering from the craziness that is terror.
This is not just a local problem. It is a global problem. The violence needs to stop.
When will this madness end?
I am sick and tired of hearing things like ‘war on terror’, ‘fight violence’. I see no results. I am beginning to believe that there has to be another way to deal with this.
Today, Cricket in the Indian subcontinent is in the grip of fear. What does tomorrow hold?
Weird how certain things happen. Today’s fortune on my orkut profile says :
Choose to experience peace rather than conflict.
I am trying my best…Believe me…I am…
We challenge the culture of violence when we ourselves act in the certainty that violence is no longer acceptable, that it’s tired and outdated no matter how many cling to it in the stubborn belief that it still works and that it’s still valid. ~Gerard Vanderhaar
Shama Mehta 