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Gibson Nyikadzino
Correspondent
In decolonising the mind of political constructs, people also need to decolonise psychologically.
A worrying precedence has been set by global media in former colonised countries because of colonial virtues many want to continue hanging on to.
These negative psychological constructs are expressed in the western white race’s belief in the doctrine of messiahship. In the western world, when whites come under an unfortunate tragedy, the world’s attention is shifted towards that.
A framed hierarchy of grief places white as the dominant race that has to be given prominence unlike the black, Asian or Middle-Eastern races.
Grief for other races in the face of atrocities is temporary for the western world. It is just rhetoric.
When the 9/11 attacks happened in the United States two decades ago, over 3 000 people were reported to have died.
Of the total number of deaths, 2 657 casualties were American.
The world sympathised with the US government in what its then leader, George W. Bush labelled a “an unpardonable terror attack on US soil.”
The US government upped its “war on terror” rhetoric to revenge and avenge the blood of Americans that had being killed in the attacks.
Twenty years later, each time the US commemorates the anniversary of the attack, it feels like yesterday.
Images of the attacks and victims are replayed often to invoke memories and stir the anger of the American people, in mostly evident ways to promote Islamophobia and restlessness towards the Muslim world by its citizens.
A similar development occurred during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings killing three people and injuring more than 260 people, the US categorised it as a domestic terror attack.
Victims of both the 9/11 and Boston Marathon attacks have been hailed for their “bravery and love for the country which drew hatred from their attackers.”
Psychologically, the images of the world grieving and mourning US’ victim of violence remain etched in the mind more than victims of the 1998 African victims of the terror attack at the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Memories of the 2015 terror attacks at the Garissa University College in Kenya that killed 148 students are today dissipating.
Breaches to international law are what make states feel for this race or that in the face of an unfortunate eventuality.
On the contrary in 1999, for 78 days, the US under the Bill Clinton administration led a NATO attack that destroyed villages, schools, the ecology, separating people from limbs and traumatising children in Yugoslavia.
Thousands died. The spectacle of wanton cruelty by the US in Yugoslavia has been replicated by its forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and in its support for the Israeli government against Palestinians.
The same happened during the Gulf War. Some scholars conclude that activities by the US in foreign countries are “acts of terror” and that the USA is a rogue state because of its disrespect of international law.
Wanton destruction by the USA in these countries proves to be scandalous in contemporary international law whose breach qualifies to war crimes.
Little is done to avert the situation because the victims of American wars have no trace of American blood and they become collateral.
Sponsored breaches in international law by the US continue to be done against the people of Palestine as a result of the former’s military support of Israel. Under adverse and cruel circumstances sponsored by the USA are Palestinians who live through Israeli apartheid.
To live in Palestine today under Israeli occupation is a remarkable show of tenacity and courage.
In 2021, the Israeli government is believed to have carried out over 1 600 administrative detentions against Palestinians. In these detentions, Palestinians are randomly taken in custody without official charge.
A 141-days hunger strike by one detainee, Hisha Abu Hawash, has necessitated his release from custody.
This, however, is not a victory the world should consider major because Palestinians are always considered Stateless in breach of international law.
Breaches to international law regards the rights of Palestinians, their statehood, sovereignty and ability to enter into diplomatic and multilateral relations are being necessitated by the US.
It is regrettable to note that for Palestinians, it seems the world has been benumbed and no longer cares to grieve and struggle for Palestinian independence against apartheid.
A collective effort is needed to address the Palestinian crisis in the Middle-East. The crisis is what will lead to a solution.
The US did not become independent until there was a crisis and also slavery was not abolished until there was a crisis. There has to be avoidance of the original sin in the approach to the Israeli-Palestine case. There should be no attempt to impose peace unilaterally and no attempt to exclude the international community from the search for a solution for that problem.
International law has been breached in a bid to victimise Palestinians and war has been raging there for many years, causing so much bloodshed.
Peace is needed without turning a blind eye to the rights of any country. Palestinians have been deprived of their homeland.
Palestinians have been victims of pogroms and massacres initiated by the US and deprivation of a homeland has led many to be dispersed and scattered in anticipation of getting help from the world on their way home.
Despite the colossal obstacles, the progressive world that identifies with the oppressed people of Palestine should never abandon the idea of continuing with their struggle for liberation.
Even in the hierarchy of grief, it is key to associate our de-colonial knowledge and ideas for the independence of Palestine.
This hurts no one, but benefits all.
For both political and psychological decoloniality, the world needs Ubuntu warriors who are willing to defend the oppressed and intervene for the essence of giving people their rights and upholding international law.
Online Reporter