Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The other face of Pakistan

I have already talked about the warmth and generosity of the people I have met here in Karachi. But the news is currently full of a story that has shown the very brutal side of Pakistan that has shocked people here and plunged them into sadness...as if they do not have enough to cope with.

Two teenage brothers, 15 and 17 years old, were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were tied up, brutally attacked and tortured to death by a crowd of people. The most shocking part of this story is that the police stood by and even aided the crowd to carry out this atrocity...this has come to light because videos were made of the killings. The police have been identified and currently are being held for trial.

I was horrified by this story but have no right to comment when I think of the horrifying things that happen in New Zealand...like the torture and killing of the Kahui twins...an act that still goes unpunished by law.

The comment I will make is that modern technology may have a profound effect in places like Pakistan ...such as having the ability to make a video with a cell phone and rapidly disseminate information by social media. People have told me that they feel this will open up society and drive the move to greater democracy....time will tell if this is the case.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Sarah,
technology does help document reality by the 'layman' and thus help them to report such atrocities.
Is such cases technology can be a powerful weapon...
reminds me of the Bruma VJ documentary http://burmavjmovie.com/ which was done is such fashion.
I applaud, hold great respect and admire those who make such effective use of technology

Sarah Stewart said...

I was talking to a Pakistani person and he said that the people were powerless. I do wonder if modern technology and sopcial media will change that or if corruption is too deeply entrenched in Pakistan

Anonymous said...

That's a question that would involve a very complex answer. Not sure I am the right person for it.
But what I think is that there will also be those who brave against the corrupted system in search of making a difference and SM can definitely help them get the word out... as it may also cost their lives.
In countries like these ... I would think...getting directly or indirectly, passively or actively involved in any corrupted scheme might sometimes be just a form of surviving...!?