The horror of deportation

         Forced migration is the problem familiar to lots of nations and ethnicities aroud the world. In one of my previous posts I have mentioned about North and South Korean families that were torn apart due to the war in peninsula and have almost no chance to get in touch with each other. Separation of Germans during the years of Cold war, conflict-induced displacement of Azerbaijan and Armenian people, and massive refugee crisis in Rwanda, which was the result of dreadful genocide serve as examples of this global issue.

       Unfortunately, Kazakhstan also is the land that witnessed pain and sorrow of deported people.   Seventy years passed since almost half million Chechens and Ingushs were forced into exile in remote parts of the USSR. Their harsh trip is marked by various difficulties. People were put in cattle wagons without any water and food. During the 15-day journey to kazakhstan weaker of them died on the way because of cold and starvation. One of the deportees Isa Khashiev has horrible memories of those severe days when his 3-months-old sister had frozen to death and they finally reached the destiantion where native people were unhappy of their presence. They were unwelcome due to misinformation that exiled people were "cannibals" and "barbarians".

          However, this was not the end of their misery. Those who survived the hard journey had to follow strict regulation. Moreover, they had to make regular reportrs to authorities, and in the case of disobedience  risked lenghty prison sentences in labour camps with even worse conditions.

         The exile of innocent people were forbidden subject to discussion under the rule of Stalin until his death in 1953. Only three yeras later, in 1957, displaces people were allowed to return to their homeland.

 

       

       

The problem of cyberbullying

   
        The 21st century is the era in which various gadgets like cell phones, computers, tabletes and etc are the integral part of every human life no matter of age. People get access to the internet using these devices for education, work, communication and entertainment. However, websites and social networks visited using these gadgets could be very dangerous, cause diverse psychological problems and even lead to suicide.

      Kids and teenagers are the most vulnerable group that are often "cyberbullied". Cyberbulling is the bulliying using electronic devices through mean text messages, e-mails, rumors posted on social networking sites, and embarassing photos, videos, and websites. It is very hazardous type of intimidation that can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and reach any kid. It is really hard to identify person who abuses their child because messages and images are often posted anonymously and spread to wide audience.
Unfortunetly, it is sometimes too late when parents find out that their child was cyberbullied and insulted in social networks.

     

        One of the sorrowful examples of this notion was recently reported by BBC. 14 -year-old Italian teenager, Nadia, killed herself after being a subject of online abuse. She sought for sympathy in popular social network called Ask.fm after breaking up with her boyfriend. However, her followers were very aggressive and wrote quotes like "Kill yourself", "Nobody wants you" and etc. According to investigation, she has suicidal inclinations before those messages, so they served as "the last straw" that made her jump from a high-rise building. Nadia's parents were treated to hospital because of her shocking death. This case caused a public outcry and Italian authorities demand Ask.fm's shut down. The anonymous policy of website that cause bullying-related deathes in UK and the USA are being highly critisized by international community. 

      To sum up, I want to add that all accidents related to the cyberbullying should be clearly and transparently covered by media. Moreover, preventive measures at schools and homes must be done by teachers, psychologists and parents to introduce children with these problem of current ınterest.

Reunion of North and South Korean families separated by war

        War is a terrible plague that brings nothing but destruction and disaster to states and turnes to be a calamity for people of each side. Korean War of 1950-1953 was not an exception. It not only separated the integral nation into two hostile states, but slendered millions of civillians forcing them to lost their closest relatives.

        Nowadays, continuous tensions between North and South make more than 72000 Koreans put up with the idea that they have a little chance to see again their relatives living out of the border. Recent news transmits that program, which was suspended in 2010, when North Korea shelled South Korean borders, has been launched again, and will take place in Mount Kumdang, just north of the border, between February 20-25. The program, which gives a tiny spark of hope for people to retrive their family again, although, has plenty of drawbacks. Number of people who will be able to reunite with their lost family members are very limited. Only hundred people of more than 70000 will win such look-in. Moreover, nearly half of the men that are in waiting list are aged over 80 and might never see their brothers or sisters. South Korea uses some kind of a lottery to determine the participants of the program, while North keeps its selection process subterraneous. On top of that, most of the people separated from their family members are not able to get information about their relatives, to learn if they are alive due to each side's willingness to prevent its citizens from exchanging mails, phone calls or even e-mails.

   

      Nevertheless, program might seem a glimpse that mitigates hostile relationships between states, South remains quite sceptical that it could be guarantee of warmer ties. North Korea uses reunion program as bargaining chip to achieve some objectives, namely, cancelliation of annual military drill, or suspends it in relation to South Korean actions that it opposes, paying no attention to the problem of families forced to live apart from each other for decades.