7 - 13 June 2001
Issue No.537
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 7 - 13 June 2001 Issue No.537 |
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Limelight
The cruelest of them all!
This is the 21st century.... Or is it? A satellite view of our planet may reveal that certain parts of the globe remain in the dark, ignorant of man's achievements in the last two millenniums. While these achievements have unequivocally afforded us an advanced degree of sophistication and refinement, in all matters technical, aspects of the emancipation of the heart, continue to lag behind.
Experts believe that many of our baser instincts remain etched in our brain since the days when our early forefathers hunted and killed for the survival of the specie in a tremendously inhospitable environment. Prejudice and intolerance, the cerebral manifestations of modern man, remain as much a part of his human make-up, as do the more rudimentary instincts of cruelty and violence -- residuals of his ancient fears and insecurities.
This manifestation of the rarity of human compassion was masterfully expressed by the remarkable Iranian director, Mohsen Makhmalbaf. "Kandahar" spelling notwithstanding, is the second largest city in Afghanistan, home of the Taliban. Derived from "talib" (meaning student), the religious group came to power in 1996, after the ouster of the Soviets, who occupied Afghanistan for 20 years. Critics, without exception, hailed Makhmalbaf's film as the best entry at the recent Cannes Film Festival, yet no Palmarés was handed to the talented auteur director, on closing night. Audiences were outraged; critics cried foul. It was another blow to the lack-lustre Festival of 2001, reflecting poorly on the calibre and wisdom of the jury.
Cannes has traditionally encouraged national cinema in general, and Iranian cinema in particular. Contemporary Iranian national cinema is considered by many as the best in the world today. Abbas Kiarostami, prominent Iranian director won the Palme d'or in 1997 for his film Taste of Cherry. A review of post-revolution Iranian films will be tackled at another date, in order to confine our focus here on Kandahar.
The timing of the film's release coincided with the condemnation of the Taliban by the United Nations Security Council for "the grave violations of the rights of Afghan women and children." Once again women have fallen victim to man's baser instincts and boundless cruelty. Women are of no importance in Taliban eyes, unless they are engaged in producing children, satisfying male sexual needs, or keeping the pot boiling. Imprisoned within the four walls of their homes, Afghan women have to be totally covered under the burqa, with a mesh panel covering the face, if they must venture out. They have been banned from every stage of education and every form of freedom of expression and movement, in their own country. No longer able to bear this rigid code, the rate of suicide amongst them has dramatically increased. The scenario of Kandahar, written by Makhmalbaf, reflects on the depths of deprivation and sufferings of women, preferring a noble death, to an ignoble existence.
'Nefas' embarks on her last journey home
Our heroine, Nefas (meaning breath or respiration), who had fled to Canada, embarks on a journey back home. Her sister, who is unable to tolerate her infernal existence, is contemplating suicide. This is the story of that fateful journey with all its savagery and primordial barbarity. Makhmalbaf crossed the Iranian border illegally, in order to see first hand all the horrors perpetrated by the Taliban. He recounts, "I thought I stepped into another age, the Middle Ages. A country black and dreary, without pictures. I shall write a book about them one day -- I shall call it 'the country with no pictures'. They have no cinema, or TV, or paintings. They have no music. A library at Kabul containing 55,000 volumes has been burned to the ground. One million Afghans are in danger, hundreds of thousands have lost their legs to land-mines. And yet the destruction of the ancient Buddha statues has aroused more emotion around the world than have the lives of those human beings." It is with outrage and indignation, with cool courage and a sense of purpose, that Makhmalbaf depicts this hellish world in his masterpiece on celluloid.
His special brand of lyric reality culminates with a scene of a Western plane dropping artificial limbs, arms and legs, as the crowd rushes to pick the fitting prosthesis. This rigid form of Islam is condemned by all Muslims. The 55 members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference refuse to recognise the Taliban. Makhmalbaf himself is a Muslim Iranian. Neighbouring Iran, itself a fundamental Muslim country, is wary of this code of behaviour -- yet we all stand by and watch helplessly. We salute Makhmalbaf for daring to do something.
Since Cain killed Abel and declared he was not his brother's keeper, mankind seems to have inherited a licence to kill. Animals have better motives for killing -- hunger and danger! Man kills for greed, revenge, and power, he is the cruelest animal of them all. Man kills if he does not like the colour of another man's skin, or does not share his convictions. Man kills on a whim. Wars have been waged for no rhyme or reason, setting brother against brother, neighbour against neighbour, East against West, North against South. In all corners of the globe, at any time, some war is being waged. Genocide is no relic of the past; it is alive and well! The Hitlers of yesterday bore the Sharons of today. Man sits and watches, shakes his head, and does nothing! The relentless news media that has invaded our homes night and day, has brought alive the reality of man's crimes committed against his fellow man. So much for technology!
This is the 21st century after all -- but still, we sit and watch, with a hardness of heart, shaking our heads and doing -- nothing. Our compassion takes a back seat to our baser instincts. Whatever happened to that quality unique to man -- mercy? The Bard himself said "tis mightiest in the mightiest," but alas, where is the mighty, let alone the mightiest?
Such grievous ills have been committed in the name of the gentlest and most peaceful of religions. How can the basic pillar of Islam be so abused by its faithful followers! The "quality of mercy" is "an attribute to God himself." Does not every Muslim utter these words before every prayer "In the name of God, The Merciful, The Compassionate".
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