Belated happy birthday, broken cane!

by Sir Frank Peters
January 26, 2012

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/2093/belated-happy-birthday-broken-cane

Friday, January 13, 2011 was one of those momentous days in the annals of Bangladesh history that will be remembered by present and future generations with glowing appreciation.

It was on this date all children of Bangladesh were blessed by the High Court in response to a petition lodged on July 18, 2010 by Barrister Sara Hossain on behalf of social conscience organizations Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and its sister Human Rights Organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK).

The Divisional bench comprising of Justice Md. Imman Ali and Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif outlawed corporal punishment in Bangladesh schools and madrassas and declared it "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and a clear violation of a child's fundamental right to life, liberty and freedom".

While students and parents may now rejoice and celebrate this auspicious occasion, one cannot help, but ask why it has taken 39-years for this fundamental right of a child to be recognized by law.

One might also ask why a law was needed at all. Why didn't common decency kick-in and say it's wrong to maltreat human beings, especially innocent, defenseless children?

When has violence ever been the solution to anything? Have the conscience of teachers and headmasters been dormant all this time? Where were they when moral fibre, decency, and respect were being distributed?

Why didn't the child protection agencies speak out against it? No doubt they spent millions on compiling reports to justify their existence. Did parents love their children less in bygone days? – I doubt it. Were parents (especially in village settings) less educated in years gone by and unable to tell the difference between assault and discipline? Most definitely! Did the alleged 'learned ones' (teachers) take advantage of their ignorance? Most definitely! – And still do.

In times of war, the strong make slaves of the weak. In times of peace, the rich make slaves of the poor.

Education is the currency of the day, without it you are poor and a slave to those who have it. If we are to claim we live in a civilized society, corporal punishment must be eradicated entirely. A civilized society is one that holds the attitude of equal respect for all men, women and children alike.

It was in 1973 that I received one of the greatest eye-opening lessons in my life, not from a Stephen Hawkins or a university professor, but from two little boys aged no more than nine. I was walking past the playground of Junior School at the time.

One boy had the other held by the throat and was punching him in the stomach with his free clenched fist. I was just about to scream 'STOP, leave him alone!' from my side of the wire security fence when I heard the boy shout: "you will be my friend… you will be my friend" to the boy he was beating.

I was dumbstruck. I did not scream 'STOP!' as I had planned. I needed time to think!

The valuable lesson I learned was it's impossible to beat love and respect into anyone. The moment violence – of any degree is used – respect takes flight and never returns.

Corporal punishment is mistakenly equated with discipline, to which it has no relation. On the contrary, it is a widely practiced form of mental and physical torture that causes pain, humiliation, and violates the rights of the child. It teaches hate, violence, resentment, vengeance and disrespect. And if that's the society you want, this is how you can foster it.

If teachers teach violence, children will learn violence. Children are conditioned to trust them.

Violence is an all-too common colour in the tapestry of Bangladesh. The national newspapers are filled with reports of violence of one description or another daily. We read incredible reports and see shocking pictures of students carrying cleavers, clubs, machetes, baseball bats and other weaponry in universities – the highest seats of learning – not to mention the minor-to-major cuts, bruises, blood-stained clothing. Naturally, we question what exactly they are learning.

I give thought to parents, who perhaps have saved hard all their lives to give their child this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Do they feel cheated having spent so much hard-earned money and in return for what? – A degree in violence and social misbehaviour?

I also ask myself what role corporal punishment played in moulding the minds of the students to this level, if it's solely political influence or a combination of both.

It's a known fact that violence resolves nothing. If violence resolved problems, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia would be resolving their differences in the boxing ring tomorrow for the benefit of the nation, but they are far too intelligent and educated to stoop so low.

While many thousands of children throughout Bangladesh have reason to celebrate January 13 as the day corporal punishment was abolished in their school, we must be mindful of the sad-but-true fact that it still goes on, law or not, and the interests if these children need to be addressed: for their good and the good of the nation.

It is imperative that teachers of high moral standing speak out against it at their school, to protect the dignity of their profession and themselves, and to teach what is right, decent, and proper by example.

Some teachers are prepared to FIGHT for the country… to DIE for the country, but asking them to LIVE and do what's RIGHT for the country, seems to be asking too much.

In 2012, I would like to see the change that began in 2011 continue for the benefit of all. Perhaps in the next 40-years there won't be any students carrying cleavers, clubs, machetes, and baseball bats on hallowed grounds.

Most people, especially those in Islamic countries, will never have monuments erected in their honour, however deserving, but that is not to say they are less appreciated.

While we do not build physical monuments to those whom we love, admire and appreciate most (such as our parents, our loved ones and those we've come to know and admire); there is nothing to prevent us from carrying these 'monuments' in our thoughts and it's always right to express appreciation and give credit where it is due.

In my mental 'Avenue of Honour' there are monuments thanking Justice Md. Imman Ali and Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif, Barrister Sara Hossein and the social conscience organizations Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) for their distinguished and worthwhile contribution to a much better Bangladesh. To them I offer a massive 'THANK YOU' and thunderous loud cheers, on behalf of all the children of Bangladesh.

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