"On The Other Side of The World."

By Sukanya Roy Choudhury

[In Russian] : “I have made the decision to carry out a special military operation.”

While we are celebrating festivals, going to school and eating food, on the other side of the world, there are neither festivals , nor food and not even the guarantee of survival. Pollution, political unrests, poverty, quality healthcare and education are some of the major problems facing the world today. All rights and rules are being violated and nobody has been able to control this. 

Does this world know what happened in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir while the Prime Minister was taking oath for the third consecutive term? A toddler was killed and pilgrims on a bus lost their lives just before the moment when they would have been praying for their good health. After the news of the heinous incident that took place in Kolkata, many protests took place but again every call for justice was suppressed. Does this world know the number of people who had to flee their homes in Ukraine back in 2022? No, this is not the “ Staying out of one's home following a pest control service.” Neither does this world know what the people in Israel, Palestine and Afghanistan had to suffer from when there was no food, shelter or proper clothing and sanitation. 

Talking about Russia and Ukraine, people had to seek shelter in metro stations or  basements after Russian troops crossed Luhansk and Donetsk. This war is one of Europe’s largest wars since World War II. Thousands of casualties were reported and over half a million Ukrainians had to flee their homes; Although Ukraine was retaliating, the government was not able to do much for their people. The Ukrainian army was managing on one side and fighting in the battlefield on the other side, knowing that they need to continue to fight no matter if they lose a family member of their own. In Israel, Palestine and Afghanistan, the situation was no different. There was no mental stability, no food and no other resources and no guarantee of returning to one's homeland. 

I still remember. In the evenings during those days when there used to be a curfew because of the pandemic from 7 pm, my family would be watching the news. The footages showed disturbing content from Afghanistan where Talibanis were killing people in broad daylight. In one of the footages was an infant carried by a soldier carelessly and then handed over to another soldier who was sent by another country’s forces. Another footage showed visuals of a toddler asking for food when he was in a refugee camp with so many strangers. My parents would then tell me “ Look, there they are not getting food and here you are still fortunate enough to attend online classes, have a home-cooked meal and sleep peacefully. So thank God.” Many people like me were thinking of a solution to these crises but could not do anything. 

“In today’s information age, battlefields are not actually fields anymore. They are here in the mind. There is a battle of ideas, we are sitting on the side-lines.”- Journalist Palki Sharma said in a report. I believe many people around the world have thoughts, ideas and opinions regarding these but are afraid of humanity in today’s world. Because it is becoming inhumane  and insane day by day and we don’t know what to do. 

I have written this article presenting my thoughts sitting on the other side of the world; or should I say the better side of the world praying for the ‘other' side to become even better or maybe the best, no matter how long it takes.

By Sukanya Roy Choudhury