Izinhlekelele Ezingokwemvelo—Isibonakaliso Sezikhathi?

“ISIZWE siyakuvukela isizwe, nombuso uvukele umbuso, kube-khona indlala nokuzamazama komhlaba izindawo ngezindawo. Kepha konke lokho kungukuqala kwemihelo.” Ngalamazwi uJesu Kristu wachazela abafundi bakhe emakhulwini angu-19 eminyaka adlule ukuthi izenzakalo ezinjalo eziyinhlekelele, kanye nokwanda kokungabi namthetho nokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke, kwakuyoba isibonakaliso esihlanganisa izici eziningi esasiyophawula ‘ukuphela kwezwe.’—Mathewu 24:3-14.

Ngenxa yalokho, kumelwe sibuze, Ingabe sibona izinhlekelele zokuzamazama komhlaba, iziphepho, izikhukhula, isomiso, nendlala ezingaphezu kwalezo ezabonwa izizukulwane ezidlule? Futhi naphezu kwentuthuko kwezesayensi nakwezobuchwepheshe, ingabe uma kulinganiswa naleyontuthuko kunabantu abengeziwe abahluphekayo ngenxa yayo?

Kwabaningi, impendulo inguyebo. Ngokwesibonelo, umagazini i-New Scientist uxwayisa ngokuthi “izwe lingalindela izinhlekelele ezengeziwe ngawo-1990 ukudlula amashumi eminyaka adlule.” Ngokufanayo, kuyi-UN Chronicle ka-June 1991, umqondisi we-World Meteorological Organization wathi: “Isimo siqondakala kahle. Kusukela ngawo-1960 kuya ko-1980 . . . , kuye kwaba nokwanda okuphindwe kahlanu ezikhathini izinhlekelele ezinkulu ezingokwemvelo ezenzeka ngazo, nokwanda okuphindwe kathathu engqikithini yokulahlekelwa kwezomnotho.” Ikhanyisa lendaba kakhudlwana, i-World Health, umagazini we-UN World Health Organization, yaphawula: “Izibonelo zezinhlekelele ezingokwemvelo nemiphumela yazo ebhubhisayo kungalandelelwa kuwo wonke umlando. Nokho, njengoba ikhulu lama-21 lisondela, sibhekene nezimo ezishintshayo eziyinhlanganisela zamanani abantu, isayensi yezinto eziphilayo nendawo yazo ezungezile nezobuchwepheshe okwenza amanani amakhulu abantu angavikeleki ethonyeni lakho kokubili izinhlekelele ezingokwemvelo nezenziwe umuntu.”

 Noma ubani oqaphela izenzakalo zamuva akamangazwa izinkulumo ezinjalo. Imithombo yezindaba ayizisweli izindaba ezishukumisa imizwa yabantu, kungaba ukuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo ePhilippines, ukuzamazama komhlaba eCalifornia, isikhukhula eBangladesh, indlala eSomalia, isiphepho eHawaii, noma igagasi elinamandla eNicaragua. Inyanga ayipheli kungabikwanga ngenhlekelele engxenyeni ethile yezwe.

Abantu abathile bazithela ngabandayo uma bebona lokhu. Baphikisa ngokuthi lokho okubonakala kuwukwanda okuphawulekayo kwezinhlekelele esikhathini sethu kumane nje kubangelwa izindlela ezingcono zokuthumela imibiko noma zokugcina imininingwane. Babuye baphikise ngokuthi abantu abengeziwe babhekana nezinhlekelele ngenxa nje yokuthi kunabantu abengeziwe namuhla. Ingabe lokhu kuphikisa yikhona kodwa okuhilelekile?

Phawula lokho okushiwo esihlokweni se-New Scientist esicashunwe ngenhla. “Kwabikwa izinhlekelele ezingu-523 ngawo-1960 nezingu-767 ngawo-1970. Ngawo-1980, inani lase lifinyelele ku-1387.” Lesisihloko siyaqhubeka sichaze ukuthi “ingxenye yalokhu okubonakala kuwukwanda phakathi neminyaka eyishumi edlule kungabangelwa ukungagwegwesi okukhulu ekubikeni izinhlekelele eChina, naseSoviet Union.” Khona-ke iyanezela: “Nakuba kunjalo, inani lezinhlekelele liyanda.” Ukwanda kwamanani ezinhlekelele akunakuthalaliswa ngezaba zokuthi kunezindlela ezingcono zokuthumela imibiko noma zokugcinwa kwamarekhodi kuphela.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-UN Chronicle ka-March 1992 iyabika: “Phakathi neminyaka engamashumi amabili edlule, kuye kwafa abantu abacishe babe izigidi ezintathu kwathi abayizigidi ezingu-800 abengeziwe bathintwa ‘umonakalo, ubunzima nokuhlupheka’ okubangelwa izinhlekelele ezingokwemvelo.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi umuntu oyedwa kwabangu-7 emhlabeni uye wathintwa uhlobo oluthile lwenhlekelele. Lokho kushaqisa ngempela futhi kukwenza kungangabazeki ukuthi inkathi yethu eyesiyaluyalu nesiphithiphithi.

Njengoba iBhayibheli libikezela ngesikhathi esinjalo senhlekelele enkulu, ingabe kusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu unecala ngezinhlekelele nokuhlupheka ezikubangelayo? Abantu abaningi bacabanga kanjalo. Kodwa amaqiniso abonisani? Futhi okubaluleke kakhulu, iBhayibheli libonisani?

 [Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 2]

Cover: w. Faidley/Weatherstock

[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 3]

Middle photo: Mark Peters/Sipa Press

WHO/League of Red Cross