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Yesterday, December 16th, was a normal day for many people around the world. However in Pakistan it was a day that will be remembered in the minds of hundreds of families. Many families woke up thinking it was going to be a normal day and they prepared their children to go to school. Mothers thought they would see their children later and maybe fix them lunch or dinner. However, this was never going to happen. A group of extremist Taliban decided to take vengeance on military officers and they cowardly attacked a school where the sons and daughters of those high military officers attended.
Is a child guilty to be the son of a doctor, a pilot, a politician or a military? Should we blame them for the parents they have? A child is a pure creature and has no choice where he or she is born and who his or her family will be. We can choose our friends, but we cannot choose our family.
Unfortunately these extremist Talibans who do know what they are doing and have the capacity to understand their acts decided to kill brutally 142 people in a local Pakistan school. One hundred thirty-five of those victims were children. Children who had no say and maybe do not even understand what the conflict is and why their life was ending.
The terrorist went into the school and cold bloodedly shot to death many children who I imagine had a panicked face, not knowing why they were being sacrificed. Seven adult members of the school–probably staff and teachers–were also killed. The life of these 142 families will never be the same. They will not be able to kiss their children again, talk to them or teach them about their family traditions and cultures. I cannot help asking myself how much is a life worth? This cruel act that happened yesterday in Pakistan is repeated on a daily basis all throughout the Middle East and Africa. Latin America is not exempt from brutality also. However the first world countries are not doing anything. What does it take for these countries to take action? Maybe what it takes is for the country to have large petrol deposits or a similar important mineral that is needed for industries to operate. Does this mean that petrol or a mineral is the value of a human life? I refuse to believe so.
We need to decide what is more important: economic interests or to be humans? As a citizen of the world I decide to be human, and to take action when there is a threat in a country against humanity regardless of the petrol deposits, gold, minerals or blood diamonds that these countries have.
Letter by Kadyja Brealey, Costa Rica
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