Last year there were a series of tweets about Belgium’s Human Zoo…. I was too shocked to react. I merely saved those tweets and started reading a bit more about it. Then a couple of weeks back we watched this movie called “Whistleblower” that is based on human trafficking and is a true story. Again, I knew a little about this issue but it was still deeply disturbing. Then of course Afghanistan happened and the disastrous fall out of the US pull out bringing Taliban to power. Surreal.
The world seems all wrong when you see these events and join the dots retrospectively. 😞
Belgium’s Human Zoo
Less than 75 years back in 1950’s, Belgian families “owned” black children and kept them in cages as pets. These were human children.
Do read this horrifying account of the human zoos of Belgium – Where ‘Human Zoos’ Once Stood, A Belgian Museum Now Faces Its Colonial Past.
And don’t forget to note that Belgian colonialists felt they had to “civilise” the Congolese. Sounds eerily familiar. The Brit colonialists thought they were “civilising” India… the most ancient and the most advanced civilisation on Earth 🤬.
We can let bygones be bygones but history repeats itself with brown Englishmen (Indian) feel the need to civilise us still. 🙄
Human Trafficking
Do watch this movie “Whistleblower”. It will fill you with rage and a deep sense of despair because of being powerless against those indulging in Human trafficking.
Whistleblower is based on the true story of Kathryn Bolkovac, an American police officer who accepts an offer to join the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. While there, she uncovers disturbing evidence of underage girls being trafficked. She presents all the evidence to her superiors but they do nothing and then she is fired from her job when she persists.
Employees of an American private security firm, DynCorp International, are at the root of all these crimes but the company is still used by the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan. 🙁
There is one particular scene where an older Muslim woman is beaten up and Kathryn Bolkovac tries to talk about her rights and a bunch of men snigger. One of them laughs and says she had it coming … its not fiction. Its happening right now. If anyone has doubts just look up news reports from Afghanistan.
The worst thing is United Nations peacekeepers are involved in this trafficking. I had written about it in an earlier blog – When the peacekeepers are part of the problem.
Do read this short article that has collated the numbers – 11 FACTS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
Human Rights – UNCHR becomes UNHCR 🙄
The United Nations general assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The very second article speaks of right to life and prohibition of slavery and torture.
1948 to 2021 is 73 years and Afghani women lost their right to live life recently. The UN tried preaching to the Taliban and they laughed. They are still ROFL.
The UN came into existence in 1945 … human trafficking has increased, aided by UN peacekeepers and office bearers. Why do we need the United Nations ? and before they lecture India on human rights, I would like to see how many heads rolled when Kathryn Bolkovac’s report was read.
Where is the UN as Taliban becomes the new normal ? Women should give birth, they can’t be ministers: Taliban – Would love to hear from UN human rights council/committee/chairperson/security guard or anyone on their payroll about this great statement from Taliban.
Also “good” Taliban must start calling women as “birthing people”, like POTUS Joe Biden.
End Note: We live in a human zoo and some of us escape getting trafficked but we have no rights !