Behind the Prison

Behind the Numbers

You heard so much about the torture of prisoners at Abu XXX prison. It has such a bad reputation that President Bush decided to demolish it and build a new one. Moreover it's so hard for him to pronounce it. A new name is in order.

Personally, I think what is needed is not a change of building, but a change of mindset. Or rather a change of people. There is nothing wrong with the building. It's the people. Who's responsible? The people at the lowest rung became the sacrifical lambs. And then the top men declared that torture is ok. Hello, what happen to the Geneva convention?

They invaded Iraq cos of Weapons of Mass Destruction? Hello, where's the weapons?

I was moved to read the news of a prisoner from Abu XX prison, who are released and returned to the arms of his two lovely daughters while his wife burst into tears. Behind every figure, every prisoner is a family man.

It is easy to look at people as figures and statistics. But everyone is a person with a family. It was reported that two Reuter staff were caughted in the wrong place at the wrong time and got thrown into the prison and subjected to torture and humiliation. Yes, there are innocent prisoners.

A few days ago, it was reported that 40 foreign workers were holed up for two months without pay. They did not received their pay for the last 5-6 months. They were knocking from door to door for their food. Their employer didn't have the money to pay them.
One of them said that if they are hungry, they can bear it, but not their family.

Behind every foreign worker is a family at home depending on them to send the money home.When news broke out, 20 people came forward to offer them food, money and medical aids. One of the workers said he cannot accept their money cos he did not earn it. I salute their integrity. They are the ones who build our landscapes, yet they are treated as disposable by their employers. That's despicable.

Sometimes, the foreign workers would be working at the lift just outside my house. When my 3-year old daughter hears their voices, she would naturally greet them and chat with them. I think about the workers who too have children and wives at home. How they miss their family too.

Yesterday I watch a moving Philipino TV programme about a maid who sacrifice herself to provide for the family. How she deprived herself in order to provide for her family. How she has to take good care of the employer's children while she long for the embrace of her own children.

My own maid had children of similar ages to mine. As she see our children grow, taking the first step, utter the first words, milking her, she feels sad cos she could not witness the same for her own child. She could not be there at home for her own. She has to milk other people's child, but she cannot milk her own child. As she carry my child in her arms, she must have wish it was her own child she is carrying. After a few months, she got homesick and asked to be returned to her hometown. The money in the world could never buy the moment of togetherness between a mother and a child.