Roots
No animal, but the devil
By Marifi Jara
QUELIMANE, Mozambique—On an early morning safari at the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia last year, we came across parts of the remains of a buffalo in a bush area. It was fresh from the kill of a lion pack the night before. A bigger part of the carcass was down on one side of the Luangwa River bank, where vultures were feasting on the leftovers.
Those scenes were creepy indeed, but at the same time quite amusing because we can understand that it is a normal episode in the wild where the primary law is survival.
Lions, one of the most feared predators and romantically dubbed “king” of the jungle, hunt and slay for food, a basic need. Other forms of aggression in the animal kingdom are prompted by perceived or real threats. Killing is not on a whim. In fact, on the game drive the night before, we were able to come as close as about two meters from one of the female lions who was crouched in hunting mode on the edge of a cliff overlooking the river. The beautiful creature did not even as much as give us a glimpse — it was not one bit interested in us or threatened by the presence of our open vehicle (we, including the two well-behaved children of a Malawi-based German doctor and his Zambian wife, were of course faithfully following the rules set by the park management and our guides). The buffalos we came across traveling in big herds the day before actually looked more scary with several of them giving us the meanest of looks, their nostrils throbbing, as we stopped to take their photos.
It was a thrill to be a close spectator to the cycle of life in the wild. And it was an experience that teaches about respect for nature, a re-assessment of our role as humans in this whole chain, and most importantly, the depth of our humanity that allows us to live beyond our most basic instincts.
So when Commission on Human Rights Chair Leila de Lima asked “What kind of animals are these killers?” as she vented her anger following the Maguidanao massacre, I thought, the answer must be: no, they are not even animals, not worthy to be placed among other living creatures. Those who carried out the carnage (about 100 of them, which is almost double the number of confirmed victims so far!) and those who ordered the killing are plain evil — evil of the most evil kind.
When I first read about the incident, which was initially reported for the abductions, I felt a chill. Then as the story unfolded, my feelings went from shock, to disbelief, to a very sick feeling in my stomach, then to deep sadness. I cried reading about how many community journalists were killed, what they did to the women, and the civilians who just happened to be there. I feel for the family and friends of these victims.
Such brutality stemming from utmost greed for power and feeling of impunity could not be found anywhere near the savannahs nor jungles nor the bushes among what we call the lower forms of life. Animals we can respect, and love even. The perpetrators of this crime must be the devils incarnate. Here I add my small voice in the world’s call for justice.
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