MM : THE RUNNING BABY.
By fatemolla
Mukto-Mona is only one year old today. If there is a birthday-cake for it,
there is only one candle on it. Before we realized, this one-year-old baby was
fast done with crawling and walking. Now it is running with amazing speed.
Running, but with or without a direction? Good question! Because, the needle of a clock also runs always, but reaches nowhere. We the members must not call our baby “Podmo Lochon” if it is blind. If MM has any achievement, we need to evaluate it. Let us look at its activity of the only year of MM.
*Propagation of MohaGuru Aroz Ali Matubbar, the Philosopher-Gem of Bengal.*Regular publication of English translation of Jahanara Imam’s book "Ekaturer Dinguli" (The Days of '71).
* MM members send our protest when a Toronto law student was threatened with expulsion from his school for criticizing Islamic law.
* MM sent petitions to the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf for saving the life of Dr. M. Younus Shaikh.
* MM sent petitions to Prime minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia showing concerns at the recent spate of atrocities committed against the Hindu community in BD.
* MM raised voice for immediate Release of "prisoner of conscious" Shahirar Kabir.
* MM also supported Drishtipat on their Fund raise campaign ("Cheye Dekho Campaign".)
* MM also expressed our concerns for Urgent Action Appeal for 10 Prisoners of Conscience in danger of execution in Iran.
* Appeal to stop brutal extermination of Palestinians.
* Development of MM web site ( www.mukto-mona.com ).
* MM Published Special 26th march issue - some well-documented articles are written on Liberation war by the members.* Celebration of Nazrul-Rabindra Jayanti.
* Continuous posting on minority oppression.
* Most probably MM is the only forum that produced a group of courageous women members. Here we see a faint light in the horizon of our dark world full with cruelty to women. We create millions of MeghDoots and Gazals, we are ready to pass sleepless nights for them, but we are not willing to give them equal right in divorce, property and witness, in decision making, in dignity and honour.
Which of these is unique to MM? MM is at per with other sites in making
petitions, in value-fights and regarding websites. But MohaGuru and Jahanara
Imam are two unique features of MM. N-R Jayanti is a proof of MM’s deep
inclination towards our root culture. But the list missed the two most
important and spectacular characteristics of MM. What are those?
First: - One of the two moderators of MM is female. That is clean gender equality, perfectly established in MM as 50%. The dedication and performance of MM’s female-moderator is in no way less in than those of the male counterparts of the sites I know. I don’t know if any other website has female moderator/s at all. Let us quote from “SORRY MY LOVE!!” :- My love! O My Love!! For you, I am ever ready to do anything including:-
1. "Pongu Longhhite Giring" (a crippled crossing the mountain in love),
2. Die as Debdas ( Sharat Chandra)
3. As the "Jokkho" I will send a million "Meghdoot "s with a million sighs and grieves (Kalidash),
4. Keep awake the whole night in your remembrance (Na Puchho Kayse--Manna Dey, Dli Dharhakn-e Ka – Pankaj Udhas),
5. Destroy the city of Troy a hundred times (Helen of Troy),
6. Put the flowers of stars in your Khopa (Mor Pria Hobe Esho Raani.. ..Nazrul),
7. "Will envy that youth too much for Shuronjana" (Ki Kotha Oi Juboker Shathe…..Jibanananda Das),
But respect? Property? Social rights? Human rights? High positions in jobs? Same salary? Decision making authority in any sector of life?
SORRY. SORRY MY LOVE!!!
Second: - MM acted as the breeding ground of FFI. FFI
reflects a vision; it was formed with the sole purpose to combat
religious-cruelty from an organized platform. MM realized that while the
majority peace-believers of god is not, but god’s killing agents like Golam
Azoms and Bin Ladens are strongly organized. MM also realized that god’s
sword-bearers are normally immune to human law. There is hardly any example in
history of the punishment of killers who kill to please their god. It is this
very effort to combat the devil, not its eventual result that makes MM really
outstanding. Needless to say that regardless of the result, any good effort
has its own value. Most of mankind’s successes are not sudden but stand on a
series of such efforts.
Conclusion: - We have so many websites; most of them seem to be
Talk-Champs. We need Action-Lords. A directional concept is very necessary but
very rare. So many issues are waiting for organizational effort. Last month
there was news in NFB that still about 700 BD-women, taken there in 1971, are
confined in jails and rich-houses in Pakistan. There was an open request in
the websites to take up the task from a site-platform to rescue them, who are
very much our sisters. Unfortunately there was no reply. Websites are
tremendous information banks and think tanks for quick learning. But unless
the good thoughts and analyses are translated to action to reach the needy, it
is “Sholo Ana-I Michhe”, totally useless.
At times MM is misunderstood, or ill understood. At times it is under
severe attack. But I am happy to say clearly that MM hardly crossed the
decency line in its reaction. It is only one among hundreds of sites, but with
enough potential to create a storm to fly away century old darts, if acted
with patience, perseverance and vision. MM is a humble candle. But strong
enough to drive out century-old darkness, if lit properly.
fatemolla.
21 May, 30 Muktishon ( 2002)