For the last few months a recurring question has been haunting me--what is the definition of genocide or massacre? The question popped up in my mind in the backdrop of the US attack on Iraq, which I can neither dispel from my mind nor can I reach a decision. We, along with the world, know that the US government has been on a human shooting spree in Iraq since last year. The number of homicides committed by the US forces crossed one lakh (one hundred thousand) a few months back. It seems from their activities that they are practising target or enjoying shooting of game birds though killing of so many birds indiscriminately often incurs world-wide criticism nowadays by the so called civilised quarters who are surprisingly not moved by the killing of countless human beings. The whole world is now tight-lipped like the typical Bengali shy bride sans delivering some stereotyped statements. The proud and brazen faced US government is killing people without showing any respect to the world in the name of killing insurgents or terrorists. If creating panic and killing people indiscriminately and forcibly is terrorism, then the US is the greatest terrorist in the present world.But I am greatly surprised at the role of The Daily Star, a highly esteemed daily claiming to be committed to the people's right to know as it has never dubbed it as genocide or massacre, though it has already been more than genocide or massacre. Why doesn't The Daily Star then dub it genocide or massacre? I'm waiting for the moment when The Daily Star will write, "STOP GENOCIDE IN IRAQ."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.