Dedicated: To Toronto 18 and their families, especially their wives.
‘Tis getting cold again
Bone penetrating, ruthlessly chilling cold
She boils Within, with seething anger
Yet, she shivers again and again
Steely cold- as if she is standing on top of K-2, all by herself
‘tis a lonely path
‘tis a lonely path
In vain, she tries to warm herself
Yet, it gets colder, without mercy
Without mercy…
Those steely stares, mocking whispers
Those wretched glances and isolation tactics
It’s turning miserably dark again, threateningly dark
Even if he screams his lungs out and runs out naked
No one will see him, no one will hear him
So he screams, just once
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Let me go!
Let me go!
Let me go!
He stands alone on top of K-2
‘tis cold
‘tis dark
‘tis secluded
‘tis “death”
But, she is Alive
Breathing, feeling, being part of “something bigger”
And yet those horrid claws of nothingness
Leave it’s scratches on her
Yet she breathes, yet she lives, yet she smiles
Fighting that darkness that wells up within
Yet she lives, yet she smiles and generates that strong warmth
Today, “we” humbly pray to God to let “them” live again
During and after “death”
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. (Quran, 2: 155)
——————————————
About Toronto 18:
On June 2nd 2006, 18 Muslim local Torontorians were arrested and accused of terrorism related activities. The youngest charged was 15 at the time of the arrest and the oldest was 43. Please note that their arrests do not mean that they are guilty. They are innocent until proven guilty. In 2007, only four men and four boys were granted bail, under abnormally harsh conditions.
Ten are still kept in solitary confinement for a period of greater than 19 months. These men are kept in isolation, deprived of basic rights such as interactions with other humans, religious rights plus rights that are given even to convicted criminals. They are not convicted of any crime and yet are treated way more harshly than convicted criminals. According to a study conducted by the Correctional Services of Canada, solitary confinement for 60 days is “the most individually destructive psychologically crippling and socially alienating experience that could conceivably exist within the borders of the country.” This study also reveals that solitary confinement often causes psychosis (auditory and visual hallucinations and delusions), suicide as well as self-harm in detainees. It is argued by prisoner advocates that 60 days is the maximum length of time that anyone should be allowed to be held in solitary confinement. These men have been kept in solitary confinement for more than 500 days. Tell me why are they mistreated in such a manner? Even convicted criminals are not treated like this and these men are still not proven guilty.
The case of Toronto 18, echos of “Project Thread”, another post 9/11 so-called “anti-terrorism” operation that targeted mainly Muslim and Arabs. On August 2003, 23 South Asian men were arrested. Although the Canadian government and the police claimed that these men were involved in terrorism related activities, not even one of these guys were charged, after regular court procedures. After the media quietened down a bit, all of these Muslim men were deported to Pakistan despite the fact that they were proven not guilty. These men yet have to receive a formal apology from the Government of Canada.
Both these cases, besides others, have been publicly criticized as Islamophobic and as racial profiling. After a careful analysis, similar patterns, shared by these cases emerge: 1-RCMP or CSIS make allegations against some individuals; 2-This receives a lot of media and press coverage, leading to propagation of fear among Canadian citizens. 3-After the charges are proven to be false, the media coverage just disappears.
Hence, we see how “intelligence” agencies provide false information to propagate fear and hate, in an attempt to gain control over citizens; so that they may continue their sham war on terrorism. I think, Toronto 18 are not terrorists but are victim of government-sponsored terrorism. By undermining civil liberties, such detrimental actions not only negatively affect the targeted individuals and their families but also tear the fabric of our society. I believe that every Canadian should speak up against such acts in an attempt to defend civil liberties.
For more information visit http://toronto18.com/. Do not forget to watch the documentary “Unfair Dealings: The Toronto Homegrown Terror Threat”. It is posted at the bottom of the first page of Toronto 18.com
