#ShiaGenocide is a reality, not just a 'fab' Twitter trend

Shia genocide means your dead aren't worthy of any condolence until you refuse to them for days; it means no one cares

Alizeh Khaleeli August 03, 2013
Another sectarian attack in Parachinar. The infamous hashtag Shia Genocide, however, only lasts momentarily on Twitter before being taken over by more worthy trends like #replaceMovieNameWithSharamnak.


A thoughtless comment by a random person inspired this post.
"Why isn't it called #SunniGenocide when people die in Parachinar?"

Firstly, let me explain that genocide isn't claimed by the Shias because it's the fab trend these days, just in case someone was confused between gadget hype and reality.

Second, genocide isn't an award or laureate we'd all like to place in a glass showcase. It is the epitome of inhumanity which rages on caused by the efficient inaction by governments (both past and present) fuelled by the desire to not intervene because it is 'somebody else’s war', or because it is exactly what they secretly sanctioned.

The United Nations defined genocide in Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG) as:
 "Any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life, calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part [...]".

Shia genocide isn't just a term. It means that for decades, you watch your friends and family watch those they love be sprayed with bullets, butchered, set fire to and be slain. It means that a singer's death will get an immediate response from the president, his son, and the prime minister; their family will be offered condolences but yours won’t. It means that your dead are unworthy of even that gesture unless you refuse to bury your dead for over four days. It means that a little girl gets to sit in the sleet with her father. It means that a mother will die at the grave of her son, when he is finally buried and she is consumed whole by grief. It means that when whatever shreds of family that is left gathers to commemorate their martyrs on the fortieth day, they too must die.

Sometimes, it is because of the marks on their backs, sometimes because of their features, mostly though it is because of their faith.

It means orphans further orphaning their children. It means there will be screams, crying, nightmares and hugging. It means having the audacity to reign the youth that wants to take some action; that wants permission to reply to the enemy in the same manner and reasoning with them. It is about silencing the last window of hope left; it means there will be no justice now or ever. Lastly, it means that it is okay because we have to learn to let it go.

It means taking one life away and leaving a few hundred near death.

But despite this explanation, you might just be a numbers man. So I've compiled in a concise and easy to read form of data from 2012 -2013 of Shia deaths, from target killings to horrific acts like Chilas.

Please note: names, ages and relationships which may be inconvenient and cumbersome for your scornful eyes to read through have been omitted.

I hope you have the stamina to read the answer to why it is a #ShiaGenocide. And if you do have the courage, try to remember every date you just casually glanced over; that particular date is a death anniversary for a family. Many of whom may not have even reached that first anniversary mark yet.

__________________________________________________________

2012:
January in Pakistan:

Punjab: 5th, 15th and 16th January

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 7th, 31 January

Sindh: 12th, 13th, 19th,23rd ,25th 30th and 31st January

Balochistan: 17th,18th and 25th January
February in Pakistan:

Sindh: 9th, 15th and 16th February

Punjab: 11th and 19th February

Gilgit Baltistan: 28th and February 29th

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 13th and 17 February
March in Pakistan:

Sindh: 5th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 24th, 26th and 28th March

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 10th, 12th (Parachinar), 12th (Kohat), 18th and 23rd March

Gilgit and Baltistan: 4th, 7th March and 27th March

Balochistan: 18th, 26th, 28th and 29th March

Punjab: 3rd and 17th March

              April in Pakistan:

Gilgit Baltistan: 3rd April
August in Pakistan:

Gilgit Baltistan: 17th August

             September in Pakistan:

Balochistan: 20th September
November in Pakistan:

Sindh: 6th ,7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 21st, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th and 30th November

Balochistan: 10th, 12th, 17th, 18th and 28th November

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 7th and 29th November

Punjab: 21st, 22nd and 24th November

Islamabad: 12th November
December in Pakistan:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 3rd December

Sindh: 1st, 3rd, 5th, 11th, 12th,13th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 21st, 24th, 25th, 29th and 30th December

Balochistan: 4th,13th, 14th,17th,20th ,26th and 30th December

Gilgit Baltistan: 23rd December

Punjab: 8th, 22nd, 30th and 31st December

2013 
January 2013 in Pakistan:

Balochistan: 7th, 9th, 10th, 15th and 8th January

Sindh: 7th, 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 26th, 30th, 31st January

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 19th, 22nd 29th January

Punjab: 5th January.

            February in Pakistan:

Balochistan: 16th February

Sindh: 3rd, 18th March
July in Pakistan:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 27th July

Gilgit Baltistan: 29th July

__________________________________________________________

So you see, #ShiaGenocide is not just a 'trend' on Twitter; it is a reality.
WRITTEN BY:
Alizeh Khaleeli A photojournalist, wedding photographer and writer who is inspired by life and it's realities. She tweets @TwotwoAlys (https://twitter.com/aly2488)
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (87)

Prabhjyot Singh Madan | 10 years ago | Reply Well well well, the topic reminded me of a old saying, " first they came for the Hindus and Sikhs but I did not care. Then they came for the christains and the ahmadis but I was neither so I did not protest. Then they came for me but there were none left to hear my plight and fight for me". Personally, all the sects of muslims are treated as Indian muslims here and I have yet to see or hear about a large scale sectarian fight here in india. Really sad, ismailis, ahmadis and shias are a peaceful lot here in india. Even in Kashmir, kargil shias support india and don't want to leave india. A heartfelt sympathy for your feelings authoress.
Saira | 10 years ago | Reply @bigsaf: You are still just playing with words and as far as Hasan Mehmood's comment i replied him about that he has no right to take the meaning HE want to make out of my words and he has no right to tag someone as Kafir and jihadi sentiments please do explain those to me please dont play with words this time
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