WHAT PRICE IS A LIFE?

This is imprinted on my mind...

 

 What price is a life?

 

Have you ever thought what a life is worth nowadays? Well I’ll tell you... its $US1500. How do I know? I have just witnessed a documentary filmed in Afghanistan where a father has sold his son for that price. The boy was only eight years old and was given to a woman who promised better conditions for him.

 

At first the father was reluctant to hand the son over until he had heard how his other son was faring, for you see he too had been sold sometime before.

 

The tragic scenes show the family crying. The mother at the point of collapse and her other children were looking on with stunned faces as the young boy tried to be brave... also fighting back tears to no avail.

 

The distraught father clutching in his hand the $1500 bundle of notes and with the one hugging and kissing his son goodbye.  The the utter despair on his face was too painful to watch. How can this happen under our very noses and we just say "How terrible!!" and go on about our business.  Can't do anything we all wail!

 

Why did he do it? Well I’ll tell you why…

 

He sold his two sons so the rest of his children could have something to eat during the long winter period. What was going through that precious child’s mind as he was snatched away from his family forever? Did he feel proud he had just been sold like an animal, so his brothers and sisters could something to eat? I think not.  Just how many sons does this poor father have to sell and what happens to his daughers?  Well they get sold too!! 

 

 SHEBERGHAN, 18 May 2008 (IRIN) - Sayed Ali (not his real name) 
  said he sold his 11-year-old daughter, Rabia, for US$2,000
  to a man in Sheberghan city, Jawzjan Province in northern 
  Afghanistan to feed his wife and three younger children.

  

What happens when the parents have sold off all their children, will they then starve to death? Yes...its 100 percent certain unless things change radically.  Either that, or commit suicide, which is a common occurence. Less mouths to feed is the logic of that last piece of bravery and sacrifice for their suffering families.

 

What has happened to all the money sent to aid this country? The starving people certainly have not had the benefit of it.

 

Afghanistan and its people are in dire and desperate straits.

 

To the despicable “fat cats”and warlords who line their pockets with money,help that was sent by well meaning and compassionate peopl, for the betterment of the people of Afghanistan… shame, shame, shame on you!

 

How can you see this happening to your own country and its poor miserable humanity? Would you sell any of your children? No, of course not! Anymore that we would do in our so called "Western Society".  So why does it happen at all! Don’t any of you have any conscience? You are stealing from your fellow human beings! You are rotten to the core in my book absolute evil, evil men. One day you will pay, make no mistake about that. Justice will prevail and it won’t just be human justice.

 

(c) Helena 2008

 

 

 

 

 Please read about the documentary in full that inspired my write.

 

 

 "Afghanistan: Parents sell sons to save starving families".

 http://www.afghanvoice.com/index.php/news/english/afghanistan:-parents-sell-sons-to-save-starving-families/

 Copyrighted.

 

 

 

Author's Note

Thank you for reading my words.

Reviews

[The DuchessPoet]

The first thing that attracted me to this piece is that you were reviewed by one of my favorite poets Shelia... my respect for him got my attention!

After reading your poem I understand why she reached out to you!

I enjoyed reading your message and I appreciate your courage for sharing it!
Complex it may be but a necessary write it is!

Thank you for sharing my friend... Thank you!
Thank you for using your pen in this way!

[Kevin Vorshak]

This is truly sad that these things happen, Helena. It isn't by any means just in Afghanistan either. Many third world countries with totalitarian rulers have this stuff and worse. That is why it is so important to fight to keep our freedoms in this country.

It is scary to think what the price of a human life is in places.

[dhoeweler]

We are all sold. Unfortunatley some more savagely than others.

[Gandré]

Helena

This was shocking essay.

Very well wriiten.
My new favorite of yours.

I am so sorry for those people. What can I do? I wished I could help. We need much more altruism! Enough of this self rigtenous, egoistic society. Enough of super rich. Becoming richer. I think in the next 30 years the world will experience much more spirituality and people will understand: If this planet wants to surive, we need peace. That means i sharing with poor countries. I hope there will be soon an international rule so that those who need aid - also will receive it! We cank go forward taking care of our details looking away and oversee such poverty you speak about in your text! Those people are just victims of crazy fundamentalists. Injustice is horrible. What could make a change?

(Forgive me a late review. I m in hospital. )
LG

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Human decency should not be confined to the treatment of one's fellow citizens. We are all on this earth together and we need one another to survive. Until we understand that, we will keep sliding toward our own extinction day by day. Sad but true. A great write.

[Ravenskald]

True I suspect and very sad
but no different
from illlegal immigration, slave labour
prostitution as enjoyed in the west

every year 1000s of women (and men ) are exported to the UK US and the west
to work in the Sex industry, to the dellight of many western Businessmen (and women )

whether they are russian chinese arab , african do you really need a list
capital after all caters for all tastes ...
whatever you want . for the right price you can have it ,
the free market economy ...
where not everyone is free ...

The bait is usually a green card , a legal job , a respected career in the "service industry "

let the country without sin cast the first stone...

for me I'm afraid
disgust like charity begins at home ...

Raven

[Sheila Kline]

Dear Helena!
Yes, this does happen, and it is so sad.......heartbreaking...soul wrenching, but it happens! The reasons are all so complex that it is like unspinning a spider web. The money sent as relief is held as The United Nations squabbles, leaders fail to come to peaceful aggrements, money is pirated and used for terrorist activities by both sides, and who suffers? The comman man! Not the politician, not the Kings, not the leaders...the comman man! And the wealthy fill their coffers with profits from trafficking "flesh", and goods to support their illicit activities! So complex, so very complex, so sad, so very sad!!
Thanks for sharing this with us!
In the name of peace,
Sheila

[Jenna]

Oh yeah I did read it I forgot to mention when you so rudely bashed my review. I read it when I posted the first comment. There was nothing wrong to report to whoever Charlie is. They are probably gonna think your report was pointless. You should have came to me if you were confused or didnt understand what "wild"ment. I am sorry if I offended you I WAS not trying to. I would be really thankful if you deleted that review that was directed to me, it makes me look bad when I didnt even mean it the way you took it.

[Lynx]

That stuff happens alot in my country too. Oh by the way I'm from Indonesia.
Alot of money was sent for the Aceh tsunami, and other places but we never see any results of that. We all know that the government and most of the powerful people in our country are engaging in corruption, but for some reason no one is doing anything to help it.

I mean investigations are carried out, but after a bit of bribing even the police let it go. It's ridiculous, no one has anymore passion nowadays. It's nearing the END OF THE WORLD!!!

Ehh... I mean seriously, if this continues on no one will ever be able to survive, especially with all this issues about global warming, etc. What is happening to the world today?

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Exactly it? Where is the money that was raised to help them out... more likely the governments taking there share using B.S. reasons why they should get a part of it. This was hard to read but yet needs to be told. We think we have it bad right now then people need to look at some of these other countries.