Ukulengela Egodini
“Ngezinye izikhathi ngiphupha nginayo yomibili imilenze futhi. . . . Eminyakeni eminingi edlule, lapho ngisemncane, ngahamba ngayodlala nabangane bami eduze nasekhaya. Ngokungazelele kwezwakala kuthi ‘QHU’ . . . Wonke umlenze wami wesokudla waba yizicucu.”—USong Kosal, oneminyaka engu-12, waseCambodia.
Usuku ngalunye, abantu ababalelwa ku-70 bagogwa noma babulawe amabhomu agqitshwayo. Izisulu eziningi aziwona amasosha. Kunalokho, ziyizakhamuzi ezingekho empini—abesilisa abelusa izinkomo, abesifazane abakha amanzi nezingane ezizidlalelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, uRukia oneminyaka engu-8 ubudala, osesembozweni salo magazini, wagogwa yibhomu eligqitshwayo elabulala abafowabo abathathu nomamekazi wakhe.
Ibhomu eligqitshwayo lingahlala lilungele ukuqhuma iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-50 latshalwa. Ngakho, i-Defense Monitor ithi “liwukuphela kwesikhali esibulala abantu abaningi ngemva kokuba impi isiphelile kunangesikhathi isabambene.” Akekho owaziyo ukuthi mangaki amabhomu agqitshwayo atshalwe emhlabeni wonke. Kuvamile ukuzwa kusikiselwa okungenani ayizigidi ezingu-60. Yiqiniso, amabhomu amaningi agqitshwayo ayavunjululwa. Nokho, muva nje ngo-1997, iZizwe Ezihlangene zabika ukuthi “uma kususwa ibhomu elilodwa, kutshalwa angu-20. Ngo-1994, kwasuswa cishe angu-100 000, ngesikhathi esifanayo kwatshalwa amanye ayizigidi ezimbili.”
Kungani iningi lezikhulu zempi zosuku lwanamuhla likhetha amabhomu agqitshwayo? Kunaziphi izindleko kwezomnotho nakwezenhlalo? Abasindile bathinteka kanjani? Ingabe kuyoke kwenzeke ukuba iplanethi yethu ingabi namabhomu agqitshwayo?
[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 3]
© ICRC/David Higgs
Copyright Nic Dunlop/Panos Pictures