Inkinga Yokuhlupheka Kwabantu

“KUNGANI NKULUNKULU KUNGANI?” Lawo magama amakhulu ayesekhasini lokuqala lephephandaba elisakazwa kabanzi ngemva kokuzamazama komhlaba okwadala umonakalo e-Asia Minor. Esithombeni esihambisana nawo kwakunobaba olusizi ephethe indodakazi yakhe elimele eyikhipha endlini yabo ebhidlikile.

Izimpi, indlala, izibhicongo zezifo nezinhlekelele zemvelo ziye zabangela ubuhlungu obungenakulinganiswa, izinyembezi eziningi nokufa kwabaningi. Ngaphezu kwalokhu, kunokuhlupheka kwabadlwenguliwe, izingane ezixhashazwayo nobunye ubugebengu. Cabanga ngamanani aphakeme abantu abalimalayo nabafayo ezingozini. Bese kuba nosizi oluzwiwa yizinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu ngenxa yokugula, ukuguga nokushonelwa umuntu abamthandayo.

Ikhulu lama-20 laba nokuhlupheka okukhulu kunanini. Kusukela ngo-1914 kuya ku-1918, eMpini Yezwe I kwafa amasosha acela ezigidini eziyishumi. Ezinye izazi-mlando zithi nezakhamuzi ezafa ziyilelo nani. EMpini Yezwe II, kwafa amasosha nezakhamuzi ezingaba yizigidi ezingu-50, kuhlanganise nezigidi zabesifazane, izingane namakhehla, bonke ababengenakuzivikela. Kulo lonke ikhulu leminyaka elidlule, izigidi ezengeziwe zaba yizisulu zokuqothulwa kohlanga, ukuvukelwa kwemibuso, udlame lobuhlanga, indlala nobumpofu. I-Historical Atlas of the Twentieth Century ilinganisela ukuthi kwafa abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-180 ngenxa yalokho “kuhlupheka koquqaba.”

Umkhuhlane waseSpain wango-1918 kuya ku-1919 wabulala abantu abayizigidi ezingu-20. Emashumini amabili eminyaka adlule, abantu abangaba yizigidi ezingu-19 babulawa yingculaza, kanti abayizigidi ezingaba ngu-35 manje banegciwane eliyibangelayo. Izigidi zezingane azinabazali—bábulawa yingculaza. Izingane ezingenakubalwa zibulawa yingculaza ezayithola zisesezibelethweni.

Kunokuhlupheka okwengeziwe izingane ezikuthola ngezinye izindlela. Lapho icaphuna ukwaziswa okwanikezwa yi-United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), ngasekupheleni kuka-1995, i-Manchester Guardian Weekly yaseNgilandi yathi: “Ezimpini zeshumi leminyaka elidlule, kufe izingane eziyizigidi ezimbili, eziyizigidi ezingu-4 kuya ku-5 zagogeka, eziyizigidi ezingu-12 zasala zingenamakhaya, ezingaphezu kwesigidi zaba yizintandane noma zahlukana nabazali bazo kwathi eziyizigidi eziyishumi zaphazamiseka engqondweni.” Kuleli nani unganezela izigidi ezingu-40 kuya ku-50 zezingane ezibulawa  ngokukhipha isisu emhlabeni wonke—unyaka ngamunye!

Liphetheni Ikusasa?

Abaningi babheka ikusasa ngokwesaba. Iqembu elithile lososayensi lathi: “Izinto ezenziwa abantu . . . zingase ziwushintshe umhlaba kangangokuthi ungabe usakwazi ukusekela ukuphila ngendlela esiyaziyo.” Lanezela: “Ngisho nanjengamanje, umuntu oyedwa kwabahlanu udla imbuya ngothi, kanti oyedwa kwabathathu akondlekile neze kahle.” Labo sosayensi básebenzisa lelo thuba “baxwayisa sonke isintu ngalokho okuzayo” bethi: “Kudingeka ushintsho olukhulu endleleni esiwuphatha ngayo umhlaba nokuphila okukuwo, ukuze kugwenywe usizi olukhulu lwesintu futhi ikhaya lethu elikule planethi linganukubezeki ngezinga elingenakulungiseka.”

Kungani uNkulunkulu eye wavumela ukuhlupheka nobubi obungaka? Uzimisele ukusilungisa kanjani lesi simo? Nini?

[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 3]

Top, wheelchair: UN/DPI Photo 186410C by P.S. Sudhakaran; middle, starving children: WHO/OXFAM; bottom, emaciated man: FAO photo/B. Imevbore