Reflections on Occupiers, Oppressed, and Our Inner Biases
For the past few weeks, the entire world has been frenzy about a single topic so contetious that even the whole world seems polarized. Beyond the concepts of occupier versus occupied, when you carefully observe the countries supporting an occupier, a striking pattern emerges. Those backing the occupier staunchly often have their own history of colonization — seizing parts of the world through brutality, coercion, or deceit. It’s a recurring tale since civilizations expanded and migration became prevalent.
What sets these colonizers apart is their deep-seated belief in their superiority and a simultaneous disdain for others. Call it imperialism, casteism, religionism, racism — pick your “-ism.” When asked plainly if you would support oppression, the resounding answer is often “No.” But alter the context, and the responses waver. Consider a story.
Imagine you want to build a house for your family in the midst of a forest near a river, as you need water to grow food, drink, and construct. But this place is already a habitat for other species like animals, birds, reptiles and insects. After chasing them away, you were able to build the house and start your life with your cute little family. However, problems begin slowly cropping up, like monkeys stealing your food, birds destroying your crops, insects invading your house, and snakes and foxes trying to harm your cute little child. Just pause for a moment and think: what will be your supposed reaction?
1) Move to a different place
2) Fight, kill and displace these vile creatures who intend to harm your cute little family.
Suppose you were to choose the second choice. In that case, you will still justify why you have an absolute right to defend yourself while denying the same right to the original inhabitants.
Let’s now continue the story. Your family has grown, and more travellers have joined your small community so much that you have carved out a fourth of the jungle. You now set your eyes on the nearest mountain as you need iron, coal and other stuff to manage your growing family. But a tribal group protects it, just as you once defended your home. Diplomatic talks did not work with these people. Now, what will you do?
1) Respect their stance and continue living as you are
2) Cause division between them, bribe a few to your side, especially the leaders. As a leader, you might be surprised that a section of your own people might not support you, so you want their support as a leader. So you come with a false flag through deliberate provocation or your zealots. You got a few cute kids, women and the elderly killed, causing so much drama and agony that even your non-sympathizers bless you to go against these infidels.
Once again, if the latter is chosen, justifications cascade, rationalizing actions against ‘primitive’ humans and unmasking a ruthless quest for dominance. It’s all justified even if you kill 100 of them, but if they were to kill just one amongst you, you rain hell upon them.
The human race today is entangled in these narratives. As a nation, we claim development while ravaging nature, considering ourselves advanced compared to other nations. Why talk about the nation where most of us have no part in decision-making.
Let us look at our actions within our own home or workplace. Just take a moment for my last and final story.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where a prized possession suddenly goes missing after someone’s visit? It’s a sinking feeling, isn’t it? Now, imagine that among the visitors were two adolescents —
1) one the child of a dear friend
2) the other child of your household caretaker.
The precious gift you treasured vanished, and suspicions arose around these two young individuals. Reflecting on this scenario, it’s natural to ask oneself: would you mete out the same judgment for both adolescents if they were found guilty of the theft? In the impartial pursuit of justice, the initial instinct might suggest an equal response to both incidents. Also add the influence from your family and friends over your judge, met. However, many of us may hesitate or feel differently about delivering the same consequences.
You can continue with many similar examples, like an employer favouring a particular employee against another, the bureaucracy favouring the rich compared to the poor and so on. Criticizing oppressors is easy, but if given an upper hand, would you choose a different path?
Unfortunately, in the current context, the occupier, despite having their own tragic history of being brutally massacred and displaced, chooses to tread the same path when they have the upper hand now. Again, it is your birthright to defend yourself from harm, but at what cost? The moment we dehumanize others due to a sense of superiority, our actions somehow seem justified.
Change begins within ourselves. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but altering the future starts with us. Those rare few who exhibit fairness even to adversaries become heroes.
So, let’s strive to be those heroes. Let’s challenge our biases, question our entitlements, and treat others with the dignity and fairness they deserve. It’s a daunting task, but it’s the only way to shape a more just and equitable world.
“Peace flourishes where justice stands tall, yet justice only prevails when all are treated on equal ground.”
