Yeah, another one.

Hundreds more sacrificed to feed the ambitions of thousands of others. I am shocked and saddened. I am just mad and very angry with all this.

It begs the question about who a terrorist is, what is legitimate in a war, and whether war and violence is ever justifiable. What a ‘just’ war is is ultimately a matter of where one is located—the view from one’s perch.

I am reminded of the popular Death of a Salesman case we come across in workshops. Is it just the one who pulled the trigger alone responsible? I think ultimately there are many players potentially responsible: Russia, Ukraine, NATO, the USA.… They have been at it for months now, to create a super-heated environment of territorial claims triggered by an economic agenda, greed, and a quest for superiority and expansionism.

Somethings are not likely to change—the denials, the retractions, the accusations, the pro-forma condolences, the masks of indignation, the search for mileage by some, and leverage by others…. Remember Korean Air (and the Soviet Union), Iran Air (and the USA) and other such.

The families affected will be eventually ‘facilitated’ to ‘move on’, with a gaping hole in their hearts.

The world is turning more dangerous and unable to contain its conflicts and differences. That is worrying. Distressing. It just reinforces the argument that one needs to be armed to feel safe. That peace can be secured only through war. And national interests will always trump the human and the humane. So it cannot be about 295 lives extinguished, but x, y or z from this or that country.

Sadly, this will breathe new life into MH370 theories about missile hits. On the back of the MH17 tragedy, it will be tempting to make a case for a swift, more comprehensive, public and independent scrutiny of all the material in the Malaysian government’s possession. But in this hour, one feels a solidarity with the families of passengers on MH17 who we know suffer immensely and will inevitably ask: Why? Why now? Why innocents?

I suppose, in a way, everyone is culpable.… When we remain mute spectators to crass, cynical and outrageous acts by governments, organisations, groups and individuals, as if we are in some way immune or exempt from their influence, or when we naïvely believe that the rule of law and natural justice happens naturally. I suppose it is ‘natural’ to feel indignant when stuff happens in our own backyard, when the unacceptable explodes on our face, or when the unspeakable happens to people we call our own.

I felt sad for Malaysia Airlines. Specifically, its crew. Having experienced them recently, I imagine they feel the searching scrutiny of passengers, and an air of fear and suspicion onboard each day. They have now lost more of their colleagues to senseless violence. I feel sad for Malaysia’s people. Their sense of pride and well-being already dented by the handling of MH370 by the country’s leadership and the airline’s management. They will be hard-pressed to live down this one, feeling accused and held (unfairly) responsible, not knowing how best to express themselves and be free of taint.

Image: Wikipedia

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