Book Review - A Long Way Gone

Book: A Long Way Gone
Author: Ismael Beah (1980-)

Author's nationality: Sierra Leonean
Book Language: English
Publication year: 2007
Category: Civil war, auto-biography, child-soldier, gore, rehabilitation

একটি কিশোর ছেলে হুইলব্যারোতে করে একটা মৃতদেহ কবর দেবার জন্য নিয়ে যাচ্ছে। মৃতদেহ সাদা কাপড়ে ঢাকা, কিন্তু ছোপ ছোপ রক্ত চুঁইয়ে পড়ছে কাপড়ের বিভিন্ন জায়গা থেকে। সে জানে না কেন এই বিশেষ একটা মৃতদেহ কবর দেবার জন্য সে ব্যস্ত হয়ে পড়েছে, যেখানে আশেপাশে অসংখ্য বীভৎস মৃতদেহ পঁচে গলে যাচ্ছে। সে কাপড়টা সরালো, দেখলো সারা শরীরে বুলেটের আঘাত। সে মুখের কাপড় সরালো, দেখলো এটা তারই মুখ।

নিউইয়র্ক সিটির এক কক্ষে দু:স্বপ্ন দেখে ধড়মড় করে উঠে বসলো ছেলেটি। সদ্য সিয়েরা লিয়নের গৃহযুদ্ধ থেকে সে ফিরে এসেছে যেখানে সে কিশোর-যোদ্ধা হিসেবে যুদ্ধ করে যাচ্ছিলো। সে আমাদেরকে তার সাথে নিয়ে গেলো এক যুদ্ধবিদ্ধস্ত দেশে।

সিয়েরা লিওনের এক প্রত্যন্ত গ্রামের এক কিশোর ছেলে ১২ বছর বয়সী ইসমায়েল। সম্প্রতি সেখানে গৃহযুদ্ধ শুরু হয়েছে সরকারি সেনাদল আর আর.ইউ.এফ. এর মধ্যে (রেভোলুশনারি ইউনাইটেড ফ্রন্ট - সিয়েরা লিওনের এক বিদ্রোহী সংগঠন)। একদিন সে বন্ধুদের সাথে পাশের গ্রামে গেল যেখানে আচমকা বিদ্রোহীরা আক্রমণ করলো। প্রাণের ভয়ে সবাই যে যেদিক পারে দৌড়ে পালালো। তারাও একে অন্যের সাথে বিচ্ছিন্ন হয়ে গেলো, নিজেদের জায়গায় ফিরতে পারলো না। শুরু হলো তাদের একাকী বেঁচে থাকার সংগ্রাম। তারা বুঝলো বিদ্রোহীদের থেকে পালিয়ে বাঁচতে হবে, খাবারের সন্ধানে থাকতে হবে, বনে-জঙ্গলে লুকিয়ে বাঁচতে হবে। এক সময় ইসমাইল অন্যদের থেকে পুরোপুরি বিচ্ছিন্ন হয়ে গেলো আর এক জঙ্গলে হারিয়ে গেলো। সেখানে সে এক মাসের বেশি জংলী ফলমূল আর ঝর্ণার পানি খেয়ে বেঁচে থাকলো। ভেবে দেখেন, ১২ বছরের একটা ছেলে যে যুদ্ধের বিভীষিকায় পালিয়ে বেড়াচ্ছে, জঙ্গলে হারিয়ে গেছে, কিন্তু হাল ছাড়েনি বাঁচবার।

যদি বিদ্রোহীরা তাদের ধরে ফেলে, তারা গরম বেয়োনেট দিয়ে তাদের হাতে আর. ইউ. এফ.-এর উল্কি এঁকে দেবে, তারপর তাদের দিয়ে যুদ্ধ করাবে। আসলে এটা এক ধরণের বন্দীদশা কারণ এই উল্কির কারণে তারা বিদ্রোহী দল থেকে বের হতে পারবে না। যদি তারা পালিয়ে যায় আর সরকারি সেনাবাহিনীর হাতে ধরা পড়ে, তাহলে তারা এই উল্কিচিহ্ন দেখে বিনা বাক্যব্যয়ে তাদেরকে মেরে ফেলবে। যখন বিদ্রোহীরা ছোট ছেলেদের ধরে, তখন যাদেরকে তাদের অযোগ্য মনে হয়, তাদেরকে নতুন ছেলেদের সামনেই গুলি করে মারে যেন তাদের মন আস্তে আস্তে শক্ত হয়ে যায় আর এসব রক্তপাত কোনো ব্যাপারই মনে না হয়। 

একসময় আবার সে সমবয়সী কিছু কিশোরের সন্ধান পায়। এখন দলবেঁধে একসাথে চলাফেরা তাদের জন্য নতুন এক সমস্যার সৃষ্টি করলো। একদিকে তারা প্রাণের ভয়ে পালিয়ে বেড়াচ্ছে বিদ্রোহীদের কাছ থেকে, আরেকদিকে গ্রামবাসীরা তাদের বিশ্বাস করে না। যখনই কোন গ্রাম খবর পায় যে একদল কিশোরবয়সী ছেলে একসাথে ঘোরাঘুরি করছে, তখনই তারা তাদেরকে তাড়িয়ে দেয়, এমনকি মেরে ফেলারও চেষ্টা করে। এরকমই এক ঘটনায় তাদেরকে গ্রামবাসী প্রায় মেরে ফেলছিলো, তারা তাদেরকে আটলান্টিকের সৈকতের ধার দিয়ে তাড়িয়ে নিয়ে যায়, যেখানে গরম বালিতে তাদের পায়ে দগদগে ফোস্কা পরে যায়।

মাসের পর মাস তারা জঙ্গল, গ্রাম, সমুদ্রের ধার দিয়ে পালিয়ে বেড়ায়। তারা তাদের বাবা-মাকে খুঁজলো, আত্মীয়-স্বজনকে খুঁজলো। এক সময় তাদেরকে সরকারি সেনাবাহিনী উদ্ধার করে নিয়ে এক গ্রামে নিয়ে আসে। কিছুদিন পর বিদ্রোহীরা সেই গ্রাম ঘেরাও করে ফেললো। সরকারি বাহিনীর লিউটেনান্ট কমান্ডার তাদের হাতে অস্ত্র তুলে দিতে বাধ্য হলো। এটা ছিল একটা কঠিন সিদ্ধান্ত, কারণ যদি তারা প্রতিরোধ না করে, তাহলে বিদ্রোহীরা সবাইকেই মেরে ফেলবে যেহেতু বিদ্রোহীরা ছিল সংখ্যায় বেশি। ভালোমতো ভেবে দেখলে কাজটা ঠিকই আছে, কারণ উদ্দেশ্যবিহীনভাবে কোনো কারণ ছাড়াই মরে যাবার চেয়ে যেকোনোভাবে বাঁচার চেষ্টা করাটাই বরং ভালো।

এই ঘটনার পরে শুরু হলো কিশোর-যোদ্ধা হিসেবে তাদের নতুন জীবন। তারা নেশা ড্রাগ নেয়া শুরু করলো যা তাদেরকে গড়ে তুললো পাষান-হৃদয় যোদ্ধা হিসেবে। তারা ব্যথা-বেদনা ভুলে গেলো, চোখে তাদের শুধুই খুন আর বিদ্রোহীদের প্রতি একরাশ ঘৃণা। যুদ্ধের এটাই মূলমন্ত্র - যুদ্ধ যারা করে, তাদেরকে হয়ে যেতে হয় নির্মম খুনে, নির্দয়, প্রতিপক্ষের প্রতি দয়ামায়াহীন, আর প্রতিটা দলই মনে করে তারাই একটা সত্যিকারের উদ্দেশ্য নিয়ে যুদ্ধ করছে, সেই উদ্দেশ্যটাই ঠিক, অন্যেরা ভুল।

এক সময় ইউনিসেফ তাদেরকে যোদ্ধা-দশা থেকে উদ্ধার করে নিয়ে একটা পুনর্বাসন-কেন্দ্রে নিয়ে আসে। সেখানে দুই পক্ষ থেকেই কিশোর-যোদ্ধাদের নিয়ে আসা হয়েছে - আর.ইউ.এফ. থেকেও কিছু ছেলে আছে, আবার সরকারি দলের হয়ে যারা যুদ্ধ করেছে, তারাও আছে। যেইমাত্র তারা সেটা টের পেলো, তারা সেখানে আবার নিজেদের মধ্যে যুদ্ধ শুরু করলো, সেন্ট্রিদের কাছ থেকে অস্ত্র ছিনিয়ে নিয়ে পুনর্বাসন-কেন্দ্রের মধ্যেই মারামারি শুরু করলো। সেসময় ছয়জন মারা গেলো। মনে হতে লাগলো যে, এরকম ভয়ংকর ছেলেদের কোনোভাবেই আর সুস্থ সমাজে ফিরিয়ে আনা সম্ভব না। কিন্তু ধীরে হলেও তারা আস্তে আস্তে স্বাভাবিক হতে থাকলো। প্রথমে তারা ছিল হিংস্র। কেন্দ্রের কর্মচারীদের ধরে মারপিট করা, বা বই পুড়িয়ে দেয়া, বা বই চুরি করে কাছের বাজারে বিক্রি করা এগুলো ছিল তাদের নিত্য-নৈমিত্তিক  ব্যাপার। এই মানসিক পরিবর্তনের পর্যায়ে শুরু হলো তাদের দুঃস্বপ্ন দেখা, বা হেলুসিনেশন। তারা দুঃস্বপ্ন দেখতো যেন কিছু সৈন্য তাদের বেঁধে ফেলেছে, আর গলা কেটে ফেলছে। দুঃস্বপ্নে জেগে উঠে তারা ফুটবল মাঠে দৌড়ে বেড়াতো। কখনো তারা কর্মচারীদের মনে করতো শত্রুপক্ষ, তাদেরকে বেঁধে ফেলে জিজ্ঞাসাবাদ শুরু করতো যে কোথা থেকে তারা অস্ত্রপাতি পায় ইত্যাদি।

খুবই ধীরে তারা এই হেলুসিনেশন আর দুঃস্বপ্নগুলো থেকে বেরিয়ে আসতে থাকলো। এই পর্যায়ে ইউনিসেফ তাদেরকে পুনর্বাসনের চেষ্টা শুরু করলো। তাদের নিকট আত্মীয়দের খুঁজে তাদেরকে পুনর্মিলনের চেষ্টা করলো। কারো কারো আত্মীয়-স্বজন খুঁজে পাওয়া গেলো। কিন্তু বেশিরভাগই তাদের ফেরত নিতে অস্বীকার করলো, তারা জানে যে এক সময় এরা খুনে যোদ্ধা ছিল। একই সাথে অনেকে তাদেরকে সাদরে, অনেক আবেগের সাথেই গ্রহণ করলো। ইসমাইল ছিল সৌভাগ্যবান, কারণ তার চাচা, যাকে সে কোনোদিন দেখেইনি, তিনি অনেক আদরের সাথে তাকে নিয়ে গেলেন। তিনি ছিলেন সামান্য এক ছুতারমিস্ত্রি, খুব একটা সচ্ছল ছিলেন না, কিন্তু তার মনটা ছিল বড়। 

এক সময় তাকে ইউ.এন.-এর পক্ষ থেকে আমেরিকায় একটা সম্মেলনে পাঠানো হলো। সেখানে আফিকার বিভিন্ন যুদ্ধবিদ্ধস্ত দেশ থেকে ছেলে-মেয়েদের নিয়ে আসা হয়েছে। সেখানে এক গল্পকথকের সাথে তার পরিচয় হলো। এই গল্পকথক - তার নাম লরা - পরবর্তীতে এক সময় তাকে সন্তান হিসেবে দত্তক নেয়, তার অন্য আরো সন্তানদের সাথেই সে পরবর্তীতে একসাথে বেড়ে ওঠে। সম্মেলন শেষে তাদেরকে আবার তাদের নিজ নিজ দেশে ফিরিয়ে নিয়ে যাওয়া হয়। এই সময় ফ্রিটাউনে (সিয়েরা লিয়নের রাজধানী) গৃহযুদ্ধ ছড়িয়ে পড়ে। বিভিন্ন দলের সৈন্যদল সরকারকে উৎখাত করে নিজেরাই একে অন্যের সাথে মারামারি শুরু করে। তারা সাধারণ মানুষজনকেও কারণে-অকারণে মেরে ফেলতে লাগলো। মানুষজনের জীবন অতিষ্ট করে দিলো।

ইসমায়েল লরার সাথে যোগাযোগ করলো, জানতে চাইলো সে তার ওখানে যেতে পারে কিনা। লরা রাজি হলো। তখন সে গিনি কোনাক্রির পথে যাত্রা শুরু করলো। সেই যাত্রার কাহিনীও ছিল মর্মস্পর্শী। সত্যি বলতে কি, পুরো বইটাই  খুবই মর্মস্পর্শী। আমার কাছে মনে হয়েছে যুদ্ধের ওপর লেখা এক অসামান্য গল্প। পাঠক এখানে যুদ্ধের বিভীষিকা দেখতে পাবেন এক কিশোরের চোখ দিয়ে - যে ছেলেটি সব হারিয়েছে, যাকে একা একা বনে-জঙ্গলে পালিয়ে পালিয়ে বাঁচতে হয়েছে, যে নিজেও এক সময় নির্দয় খুনে যোদ্ধায় পরিণত হয়েছে, যার শৈশব হারিয়ে গিয়েছে যুদ্ধের ডামাডোলে, সে জানে না পালিয়ে বাঁচতে বাঁচতে, যুদ্ধ করতে করতে, মানুষ খুন করতে করতে কখন কোথায় তার শৈশব হারিয়ে গেছে, সেই কিশোর, যে দেখেছে মানুষ মানুষকে কিভাবে পুড়িয়ে মারে, কিভাবে ধর্ষণ করে, কিভাবে গলা কাটে, কিভাবে কাটা মাথার চুলের মুঠি ধরে ঘুরে বেড়ায় যে নিজের চোখে দেখেছে মানুষের দু:খ-দুর্দশা। যেখানে শরণার্থীরা লক্করঝক্কর বসে করে প্রাণটা হাতে নিয়ে দেশ থেকে দেশে পালিয়ে বেড়ায়, যেখানে পুরোটা বাস কালো রঙে লেপে দেয়া হয় যাতে করে রাতের অন্ধকারে তা মানুষকে বহন করে নিয়ে যেতে পারে। লোকজন যেখানে জঙ্গলে ঘাপটি মেরে বসে থাকে কখন বাস আসবে আর তারা পালতে পারবে। যেখানে লোকজনকে গোপন আস্তানা থেকে চড়া দামে দ্রব্যাদি কিনতে হয়, কারণ সাধারণ বাজারঘাট সৈন্যদের দখলে। তারা জানে না তারা সামনের একটা দিন বাঁচবে কিনা। তারা জানে না তারা ইমিগ্রেশন পার হতে পারবে কিনা। ইমিগ্রেশন অফিসারদের মনমতো টাকা না দিতে পারলে তারা নির্দয়ভাবে ধাক্কা দিয়ে আবার সেই যুদ্ধের মধ্যেই ফেরত পাঠাবে। এসবকিছুই খুব মর্মস্পর্শী।

এই ছিল ইসমায়ল বি-র গল্প যে ছিল সিয়েরা লিয়নের এক প্রাক্তন কিশোর-যোদ্ধা। এই সেই গল্প, যা জীবন থেকে নেয়া, সেই কিশোরদের গল্প যাদের শৈশব কেটে গেছে  যুদ্ধের ভয়াবহতার মধ্যে, যারা নিজেরাও এক সময় মগজ-ধোলাই হয়ে নির্মম, নির্দয়ভাবে যুদ্ধ করেছে। এদের শৈশব হারিয়ে গেছে প্রতিশোধস্পৃহা আর রক্তের মধ্যে দিয়ে। তাদের এই গল্প সবার জন্য।

যুদ্ধের মধ্যে ভালো লাগার কিছু নেই। যুদ্ধের গল্প আমরা অনেকেই গ্রহণ করতে পারি না। অনেকেই আছেন যারা যুদ্ধের মুভি দেখতে পারেন না, এমনকি টিভিতে যুদ্ধ-বিগ্রহের খবরও দেখতে পারেন না। কিন্তু সত্যি কথাটা কি, পৃথিবীটা কোন কুসুমশয্যা নয়। আমরা যদি এগুলো না জানতে চাই, যদি এগুলো না পড়তে চাই, যদি এগুলো এড়িয়ে যেতে চাই, তাহলে আমরা তাদের কষ্টটা কিভাবে বুঝবো? পৃথিবীতে প্রতিটা মিনিটে মানুষ মারা যাচ্ছে, সিরিয়া, আফ্রিকার মতো কত কত জায়গায় শিশু-কিশোরদের শৈশব হারিয়ে যাচ্ছে। আমাদের চারপাশে সুখের পর্দা লাগিয়ে তাদের কষ্টটা না দেখার, না বোঝার, এড়িয়ে যাবার মতো খারাপ আমরা নিশ্চয়ই নই। আসেন আমরা সবাই হাত বাড়িয়ে দেই। একান্তই যদি কিছু না পারি, অনেক প্রতিষ্ঠান আছে যারা এই শিশু-কিশোরদের জন্য কাজ করে যাচ্ছে, যেমন ইউনিসেফের কিছু গ্লোবাল প্যারেন্ট স্কিম আছে যেখানে আমরা কিছু টাকা দিতে পারি, যা তারা বিভিন্ন সেবামূলক খাতে ব্যয় করতে পারে। এরকম অনেক প্রতিষ্ঠানই আছে। আসেন আমরা সবাই পৃথিবীটাকে সারিয়ে তুলি।

গল্পটি  শেষ হয়েছে স্থানীয় একটি লোকগল্প/ধাঁধা দিয়ে। এক শিকারী এক জঙ্গলে গেলো বানর শিকারের জন্য। সে একটা বানর দেখতে পেলো আর গুলি করার জন্য বন্দুক উঁচু করলো। সহসা বানরটি মানুষের গলায় বলে উঠলো, "তুমি যদি আমাকে মারো, তাহলে তোমার মা মারা যাবে। আর তুমি যদি আমাকে না মারো, তাহলে তোমার বাবা মারা যাবে।"

এই জটিল ধাঁধার আসলে তেমন কোনো উত্তর নাই। তবে, পরবর্তীতে লেখক এই সিদ্ধান্তে আসলেন যে, যদিও মা মারা যাবে, তবুও বানরটাকে মেরে ফেলাই যুক্তিযুক্ত যেন সে ভবিষ্যতে আর কাউকে এরকম কঠিন সিদ্ধান্তের মুখোমুখি করতে না পারে। আমি মনে করি লেখক এই শেষের এই লোকগল্পটি বলে এটাই বলতে চাচ্ছেন যে, পৃথিবীতে যত যুদ্ধ, অশান্তি চলছে, সেগুলো আর বাড়তে না দিয়ে গোড়ায় শেষ করে দেয়াই ভালো। এরকমটা আমরা সবাই জানি, কিন্তু তবুও গল্পের শেষে এই লোককথা গল্পটিকে একটা আলাদা সৌন্দর্য্য এনে দিয়েছে।

যেসব জিনিস জানা গেলো:
১৪৬২ খ্রিষ্টাব্দ: পর্তুগীজ পরিব্রাজক পেদ্রো ডি সিনাত্রা এই দেশের নাম দেন সিয়েরা লিওন। কথিত আছে তিনি যখন সমুদ্র থেকে সৈকতের দিকে আসছিলেন, তখন তারা পাহাড়ের পাদদেশ থেকে অনেক সিংহের গর্জন শুনতে পান। তাই এই স্থানের নাম দিলেন সিয়েরা লিওন, বা সিংহের পাহাড়। নামকরণের আরেকটা কারণ হিসেবে দেখা হয় এইখানে পর্বতশ্রেণীর আকৃতি। সমুদ্রের দূর থেকে দেখলে হঠাৎ মনে হয় একটা সিংহ বুঝি পা মুড়ে বসে আছে। তাই ধারণা করা হয় সেটা দেখেও তারা নাম রাখেন সিয়েরা লিওন, বা সিংহাকৃতি পাহাড়।

১৮৩৯ খ্রিষ্টাব্দ: 'আমিস্টেড' নামে একটি দাস-জাহাজের কালোরা জাহাজে বিদ্রোহ করে এবং জাহাজের দখল নিয়ে নেয়। বিদ্রোহীদের দলনেতা ছিলেন সেংবে পি, যিনি ছিলেন সিয়েরা লিয়নের অধিবাসী। পরবর্তীতে ১৯৯৭ সালে 'আমিস্টেড' নাম একটি মুভি বানানো হয়, যাতে অভিনয় করেছেন Anthony Hopkins আর Djimon Hounsou।

ইসমাইল বি এখন ইউনিসেফ-এর হয়ে কাজ করেন যুদ্ধে বিপর্যস্ত শিশু-কিশোরদের জন্য। তার এই বই আমেরিকার বিভিন্ন বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে নবীন শিক্ষার্থীদের পড়ানো হয়।

https://www.unicef.org/people/people_47890.html

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A young boy is carrying a dead body on a wheelbarrow to bury. The body is covered in white sheet, but patches of blood are soaking through. He doesn't know why he wants to bury this particular body whereas deadbodies are lying around and rotting here and there. He unwrapped the body to see bullet wounds all over. He uncovered the face only to discover that the dead body is his very own...

The boy woke up from this nightmare in New York City. He had just been rescued from the civil war in Sierra Leone where he had been a child soldier. He takes us through a war-trodden country.

Ismaela was a 12-year old boy in a distant village of Sierra Leone. Recently civil war broke out between the govt. and Revolutionary United Front - a rebel organization at Sierra Leone. One day he and his friends set out for another village where suddenly the rebels broke out and everybody ran for their lives. They got scattered and desparately tried to get back to their own village. However they didn't succeed and started to move on. They needed to hide from the rebels and move on, keep searching for food and stay alive. At one point Ismaela got totally secluded from everybody and was lost in a forest alone for over a month. Just imagine a 12-year old boy running through a warzone, lost in the forest and surviving of his own!

If they are caught by the rebels, they would mark 'RUF' on their skin with heated bayonet and engage them as child-soldiers. This is a captivity and the child-soldiers can't escape the gang. Because, if they escape and found by the govt. armed forces, they will be shot straight away without a single question being asked. When the rebels capture young boys, the unfit ones are shot dead immediately in front of the newly captured children so that their mind can be stiffed to make the next killing.

Later again he found a group of boys of his age. Now a new problem arose which is that moving in groups. They are in a difficult situation. In one hand, they are running away from the rebels, and in the other hand villagers don't believe them. Whenever the villagers hear of a group of boys heading forwards, they chase them back, or try to kill them. They were nearly killed in one such occasion; the villagers chased them down the Atlantic beach and they had to walk along the hot sand all along the way. They got painful blisters in their feet.

For months they travelled across jungles, villages, beaches. They searched for their parents, their kins. At one point they were rescued by govt. armed forces and put in a village. After some days rebels surrounded the village and the govt. armed forces lieutenant had to engage the children to war. It is a difficult decision to take because the govt. armed forces are outnumbered by the rebel gang. If all of them don't fight together, the rebels will kill them. So, logically it is better to try surviving rather than die aimlessly.

After this, their life started as child-soldiers. They got used to narcotics and became ruthless killers. They became numb to pain, their eyes glowed with rage and hatred towards the rebels. This is the most crucial phase of war - each party becomes ruthless killers - merciless, pitiless to the opposition and each party thinks it is fighting for a good cause and that cause is the right one.

At one point UNICEF takes the kids to rehabilitation centre. There were kids from both sides - the RUF side as well as the govt. soldier side. They started severe fights in the centre by snatching guns of the sentries; six got killed in the rehabilitation centre. It seemed absolutely impossible to revert the brain-washed children back to normal. But slowly it started happening. They were ferocious at the beginning, beating the staff, burning books, trading books for money illegally. Very slowly they started to turn back normal. During this transitional phase,they started having nightmares and hallucinations. They dreamt like soldiers tying them up and slitting their throarts. Sometimes they woke up from their nightmares and started running across the soccer field, sometimes they tied up the staff thinking of them as the enemy and interrogated them about ammunition supplies.

Very slowly they got out from their nighmares and hallucinations, and started to become normal. At this phase, UNICEF started to rehabilitate them to their kins. Some of them found kins - for some their kins refused to take them back in home as they knew these were killer soldiers recently. Some were accepted with real warmth by their loving family. Ismaela was lucky to have found his uncle who he never saw before and the uncle was really happy and emotional to accept him in their family. He was a simple carpenter, not much wealthy, but he had a big heart.

At one point he was selected by the UN to deliver a lecture in The USA. There were kids from different war-trodden countries. There he met a story-teller who was moved by his speech. This lady, Laura, later adopted him as her child along with her other children. After the conference they had to return to their own places. At this point the civil war reached Freetown (the capital of Sierra Leone) where different groups of soliders ousted the govt. and started fighting with each other. They started killing innocent people. This made everybody's life miserable.

Ismaela contacted Laura and asked her if he can visit her. She agreed, so he travelled to Guinea Conakry to fly back to US. His travel story was touching. As a matter of fact, the whole book is touching. To me it felt as a masterpiece on war where you see a war through the eyes of a kid - a kid who lost everyone, who had to live on his own alone through forests and jungles, who became a merciless soldier, who lost his childhood in war - doesn't know when his childhood passed away while he was busy running away, fighting, killing, who saw people burning, raping, sliting innocent people, who saw rebels walking around holding amputated heads by the hair, who saw the pains and agonies of people. This is the war where people hide in bushes and waits for the buses, where refugees travel across whining buses which is painted black so it can camoflege in the night, people have to buy food from secret black market, they don't know if they will live the next day or not. In the immigration line they have to pay extra to the immigration officers; if they can't pay they are kicked back to the warzone. It is all so touching.

This is a story from Ismael Beah who was engaged as a child soldier. This is a story - taken from life, the holocaust witnessed by small children, who eventually become brain-washed to be merciless killers to the opposition. These are the children who were robbed off and deprived of their childhood for vengeance and bloodshedding. They have so much to ask and tell to everyone.

There is nothing to like in war. We cannot take stories of war. There are people who can't watch war movies, can't even watch news on TVs on war. But the fact is, the world is not a bed of roses. If we don't go through them, if we don't read about them, if we avoid seeing them, then how do we understand? People are dying every minute in the world, kids in Syria, Africa are robbed off their childhood. In fact there is pain and agony everywhere. Trying to ignore them by covering us with the happy world around us is not what we are meant for. We are better than this. Let us extend our hands. If at all you cannot do anything, please assist organizations in reaching them out. E.g.: UNICEF has a global parent scheme where you can donate some amount every month and they use it for different causes. There should be other such organizations as well. Let's "Heal the world, make it a better place." (- Michael Jackson)

The story ended with a local fable/quiz. A hunter went to a jungle to hunt a monkey. He found one and aimed his rifle to shoot. Suddenly the monkey spoke out in human voice - "if you kill me, your mother will die. If you don't kill me, your father will die." Now what will the hunter do?

There is no real answer to this predicament. However, later the author decided that even if the mother would die, it is better to kill the monkey so that it doesn't put anybody in future in the same predicament. I feel like the author puts this as a grave remark on the ongoing predicaments of the world. We have to stop any predicament by demolishing the root. This is actually known to everybody, but the presence of the folklore made an artistic end of the story.

Things to know:

1462 A.D.: Pedro de Sintra - a Portugese explorer - named the country Sierra Leone. It is said that when they were approaching the land, they heard lions' roars from the mountains; so they decided to name the land as 'Sierra Leone' - the lion mountains. The other reason they might have named it as such is, if you look at the mountain range from far, the mountain range resembles that of an elegant lion crouching. That is also pleaded to be a reason of the naming.

1839 A.D.: The people in the slave ship named 'Amistad' revolted and captured the ship. Their commander was Sengbe Pieh who was a Sierra Leonean. A movie was made out of this story in 1997 named 'Amistad', starring Anthony Hopkins and Djimon Hounsou.

Ismael Beah works in UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador and Advocate for Children Affected by War. The book is academically assigned in freshers' classes in several U.S. universities.


https://www.unicef.org/people/people_47890.html

Bird Buddies of The Gambia

The Gambia is a very small country in Africa. But rich in bird habitats all around, especially in rural areas where there is an abundance of forests. Just trying to utilize my stay here with my bird photography. I am a novice in the field, but learning. I shall update this post from time to time with bird events that I encounter.

I am uploading the birds in this NGM page: http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/425821/

Favorite Books 16

Book: The Tragedy of Pudd'nHead Wilson (aka, 'Pudd'nHead Wilson')
Author: Mark Twain (alias, Samuel Langhorne Clemens) (American, 1835-1910)

 










Original Language: English
Year: 1894
Category: Drama

 
Summary: Dawson's Landing is a town near the Mississippi river (a real town) where David Wilson came to try his luck to make some fortune in the city. Now after landing he makes an apparently clever remark about a yelling dog (that, he would kill half of the dog if he would own the half of the dog). But he made the remark in front of some people who didn't understand him, and he was coined as "Pudd'nHead" and the name spreaded like wind. So he couldn't make fortune, but eventually settled with palmistry and with his hobby of collecting fingerprints and palmprints.

Judge Discroll has a faithful maid slave 'Roxy' who is taking care of Discroll's son Tom Discroll, and also her own son Chambers. Roxy was 1/16th black, and Chambers was 1/32nd black, and also Tom and Chambers looked alike. Now Roxy made a shrewd trick to exchange them for each other. So changing their dresses in one night, now Tom becomes Chambers and Chamber becomes Tom. So Chambers now started growing up in heavenly cares and Tom was growing up as a slave child.

Chambers had totally gone ashtray and becomes a super culprit in every aspects of shrewdness and cunning behaviour. He became frugal, illiterate, addicted to gambling and became a devil in every possible way. He even kills his uncle for money, but could transfer the false charge of killing to Luigi Capello and Angelo Capello who are two Counts from Italy. Now Pudd'nHead Wilson is pleading for the Capello brothers. Let's see how he resolves the case.


Comments: The story is very much interesting and the sense of humour of Mark Twain makes it even a better reading. The portrayal of an ultimate culprit is undoubtedly witty. The plot was arranged nicely and the final stage is predictable anyway. But Mark Twain actually wanted to write a story on seeing two conjoined twins. Interestingly the Capello brothers are twins, but Chambers and Tom are not twins - though they look similar. I don't know if the author wanted to mean something profound through this (the story doesn't make you think that there might be any profound meaning to this). But the story is much too attractive and will stick you to the pages until you finish. Though Mr. Wilson plays a vital role in solving a murder case, but the main character of the story is the ultimate culprit Mr. Chambers. So I am a little confused if the name of the story is perfect. Even it doesn't show very much of his tragedy in that sense. But anyway, overall it is a very enjoyable novel.


Links:
English ebook is avaialble from Project Gutenberg: Mark Twain - The Tragedy of Pudd'nHead Wilson (epub and other formats)

English PDF available from Pennsylvania State University. Available at (667 KB): Mark Twain - The Tragedy of Pudd'nHead Wilson

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Book: She - A History of Adventure
Author: Henry Rider Haggard (British, 1856-1925)

 

Original Language: English
Year: 1887
Category: Adventure, Fantasy

Summary: Horace Holly is a polymath who has been given the responsibility to bear up Leo Vincey by one of his dying friend Vincey. Before dying the friend gave him some specific instructions about a box which is to be opened on the 25th birthday of Leo. So he did - opened it on his 25th birthday and found some amazing and interesting history in some papers and artifacts in the box.

The short history was like this - long time ago there was a priest Kallikrates who married Amenartas of the tribe. But since Amenartas was the princess of the tribe and they married in secret so they had to flee and eventually reached the land of Amahagger tribe. This tribe had an amazingly beautiful and immortal queen Ayesha who fell in love with Kallikrates but on refusal killed him on the heat of the rage. But then she became so repentant that she started waiting for decades and centuries for Kallikrates to be reborn and come back to her forgiving her sin. However the artifact in the box was written by Amenartas who cursed Ayesha and instructed her ancestors to take revenge of her. Now the ancestor is supposed to be Leo.

On this, the two decided to set on a journey to this mysterious place and see what's really out there. They reached there and Ayesha found that Leo is actually reborn as Kallikrates for whom she is awaiting for milleniums. But Leo is already married to Ustane on reaching the land, so Ayesha needs to kill Ustane. Leo cannot get rid of Ayesha's beauty and forgives her sin of killing himself a long time ago, and also killing of Ustane. But before they can copulate, Leo needs to go through the flame of immortality to attain to the same power of Ayesha. Let's see what happens.

Comment: The book was suggested by Kafi Mahfuz. This is one other classic adventure and fantasy from Mr. Haggard. The amazing description of Ayesha's beauty is once again very much sensational. The adventure was doubtlessly powerful enough to stick the reader to the pages until s/he finishes.

One glitch was observed - if Ayesha could see them coming through her magic water, she must have seen Leo through it, rather than discovering him later. But again, there might be several explanations, but the thing is none was provided. It would not cost much but would make the glitch removed. Anyway, the glitch can be overseen.

It is interesting to note that in most of the books there appears an apparently ugly, but at the same time a witty and honest man. For example, in this book Horace Holly is like that, and in the Alan Quatermain series he himself (Alan) is such a man. It is often said that writers tend to inhibit themselves in some of the leading characters. I don't know if Sir Haggard tried to reflect himself through the characters or not. Or may be he tried to reflect the fact that appearance is not all - judge people by their inner looks.

There is a 1965 movie titled SHE where Bond Girl Ursula Andress played the role of Ayesha. But like most movie adoptions from books, the movie is also completely different from the story, anyway.

Links:
English ebook is available at Project Gutenberg. Available at: Henry Rider Haggard - She (epub and other formats)

English PDF available at PinkMonkey. Available at (519 KB): Henry Rider Haggard - She (English PDF)
 
Bangla translation is available by Seba Prokashoni. Translated by Niaz Morshed.

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.

Parapsychology 1 - The Mad Man at the Bridge!

Image courtesy: EgoDevelopment.com

This is a narrative from one of my junior friends. His name is Syed Imran Jewel, now resides in Australia. The narrative could have been better told by him in his native language. But since he doesn't blog so I thought I could share the interesting the story. The story is very short and the conclusions are predictable anyway.

It was a bright sunny day, with soothing breeze and tender morning dews on the grasses. Two friends from Bangladesh set on a travel to their relatives in a city in India. They had been invited by those relatives to reach there on that very special day, and they did not know the exact purpose or occasion. On their way they stopped at a bridge near a river. Suddenly their eyes stuck upon a man whose apparent looks told them that he had been out of his mind and probably going through psychological disorder. He was sitting on the bank of the river and was eagerly searching something in the water with a stick.

The two became a little curious, went to him and asked him what he was doing. The man didn't pay heed and kept on searching more inquisitively. They kept on trying to talk to the man. Suddenly out of nothing the man turned to one of them and shouted loudly, "এই তুই এখানে কি করতেছিস? তোর না আজকে বিয়ে?" (translate as "Hey what are you doing here? Isn't that your marriage ceremony is going to be held today? You should be there.").

The two started laughing at this, taking it as a funny remark from a psychologically disordered person. Now suddenly the mad man turned to the other man and said, "এই তুই এতো হাসতেছিস কেন রে? তুই তো বিএ ফেল!" (may be translated as "Why are you laughing so much, dude? You have already failed BA.").

The two laughed at this again, but anyway started their journey again. On reaching the destination, they found that some kind of festival was going on. They entered the house and suddenly all the people cheered them as, "the bridegroom has arrived". The two were amazed and one of them was adorned as the bridegroom and the marriage was completed. This was the one to whom the mad man indicated as the would-be-bridegroom.

I need to shed some light about this old oriental cultural practice. Sometimes such kind of surprise-marriage used to take place in those regions (Bangladesh and India). This was occasional and not any ritual practice in any way. However there is no instance of such surprise-marriages at present.

Now the other one's face became dark like nimbus clouds as he realized what the mad man said had come to reality; there was every possibility that his other remark would be true, too. They went back to home, BA results were published two months later and interestingly this other friend really failed in the BA exam.

As said, this was a narrative from some close contacts. There are reasons to believe in the story as clairvoyance is an established para-psychology. This is a psychological incidence, but has no explanations. Stubborns might still argue that science has an explanation to this. But remember, this is a "para-psychological" phenomenon which, by definition means it doesn't abide by physical scientific laws (or scientific laws don't have a clear explanation to this). Actually it doesn't need to be explained really as it is a magnificient power in itself and doesn't really care for any explanations. Paranormal incidents do occur in the world. Let some of the mysteries of nature remain in itself and amaze us with their magnificence.

Favorite Books 15

Book: In the Ravine
Author: Anton Chekhov (Russian, 1869-1904)

Original Language: Russian
Year: 1888
Category: Short Story

Summary: In the village Ukleevo lives Tsybukin who is a miserly as well as dishonest businessman. His elder son Anisim returns one day to the village and gets married with Lipa. Soon after his return to city he is jailed for counterfeiting. Lipa gives birth to a child. Now Tsybukin  and his wife Varvara think of the future of the child and bestow some of their properties to Lipa and the child. To this, the other daughter-in-law Aksinya becomes furious and eventually kills the child brutally. After this Lipa has nothing to stay in the house - no husband, no child - and eventually gets thrown away.

Days go by and someday Tsybukin becomes older and falls into a victim of kind of dementia (this was not mentioned, but I guess from his activities). Aksinya now gets hold of everything, Varvara remains the same generous as before. But nobody really takes care of the old man. One day while he was sitting on the bench unfed for three days, he met the forgotten Lipa who gave him some respect and a bread to eat. Painfully, the old man took it, could say nothing, but his eyes filled with tears of gratitude or something else that nobody knows. The sun went down, they drifted apart - only left some moments of crossing each other.

Comments: This is not a book, but a story from his short story collection book 'The Witch and Other Stories'. This one is picturesque with human emotions where the inability to maintain fair relation and justice is caused by human atrocity and jealousy. The killing of the baby, the pain of the mother, and the end scenario are mind-blowing.

Link:
Free online reading (English translation): Anton Chekhov - In the Ravine


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Book: Freeway Games
Author: Orson Scott Card (American, 1954-)

Original Language: English
Year: 1992
Category: Suspense

Summary: Stanley is an employee in Nevada. One day when he finishes his work, on return home he started playing car games - namely freeway games. First he played moving side-by-side with other cars, then he started the game of follow, that is, following a car from distance. With his follow-game, the driver of the car that was being followed became suspicious, afraid, and desperate to escape. While trying to escape, she eventually faced a fatal accident while taking a sharp turn at the end of a road. This resulted in palpitating heart-beats for Stanley and he had an unexpected and unbelievably pleasurable orgasm at this unexpected ending. He felt the orgasm was outstanding in any way.

This made him a serial killer of a different sort. Every now and then playing a follow-game and ending in heavenly sensation of a different kind. One day while making this follow-game with an Audi, the suspense became even more intense and ... what next?

Comment: Interesting reading. Motif of a different kind of serial killing is portrayed in a different sensation. One reason for serial killing is also pictured very well. Extremely a story of suspense. This is a short story from his book 'Changed Man'.

Link:
Free online reading (English): Orson Scott Card - Freeway Games
Bangla translation by blogger Obonil. Translation available in Sachalayatan blog here: Khela

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.

After-Death Body Donation

I have just come up with a question - what do you think of donating body after death for the betterment of mankind? What are the religious views in donating body after death?

Most of the time I find people misuse and misinterpret religions. It is us who use religions for self-interests and spoil it often. At the same time it is us who can glorify religions with our rationale thoughts. But it hurts me that whenever we meet someone the first question that arises in mind is which religion s/he belongs to rather than hitting the simple idea that, s/he is a human being.
From my understanding from people I met, donating body after death is forbidden in Islam. But I found many religious links in the web that glorifies the donation of eyes. Now again others will start saying that those sites are steered by Jews/non-Islamists blah blah and will turn the discussion down totally rather than going through a rationale revelation.
I don't know the views from other religions.Apart from all religious views, one single question is not answered, not felt:

What will you do if you have an accident, lost your eyes and you need replacement of cornea from someone's donated eyes. What will you do if you need a kidney and you need to rely on someone who donated already. 

The answer is 'Yes, you will definitely try to pursue for a replacement'. Then why would you disgrace the donor with religious ideology (if it is really like that)?

I wanted to start a friendly discussion with deeply reflected thoughts. I am ignorant in many of my own religious views and a little lazy in performing my own religious obligatories. But to my own understanding I think donating body is a sacred thing to do rather than burning it or burying it.

Just to remind - this is not a religious debate (though it started with the word 'religion'). The mail is about encouraging body-donation and the debate is for betterment of mankind which should be the ultimate focus of all religions and not to fight with each other like fools.

Favorite Books 14

Book: Allan Quatermain
Author: Henry Rider Haggard (British, 1856-1925)

 

Original Language: English
Year: 1887
Category: Adventure

 

Summary: The three friends - Allan Quatermain, Sir Henry Curtis, and Captain John Good decided to set on another journey to Kenya in quest for an unseen land. It was being whispered that, there is a place in a remote area beside Kenya where some white people stay. On their quest, they find Quatermain's fellow warrior Mr. Umslopogaas, who is a Julu veteran. Together they made a thoroughly strange and interesting adventure. They had to fight hundreds of Masai warriors on their way. Eventually they reached Ju-Vendis - the unknown reign behind Kenya. Ruled by two amazingly beautiful queens - both falling in love with Sir Henry. A rejected woman can be as ferocious as an injured snake. That's what happened. Let's see how the three comrades and the Julu super-warrior can handle the situation.

Comments: This book is the sequel of Mr. Haggard's other novel "King Solomon's Mines". Actually the protagonist Allan Quatermain appeared in a number of Henry Rider Books, and this is the last of the sequel. In this book,the same people coming from the previous series set on another amazing adventure. To be honest, this is thriller than "King Solomon's Mines". The writer's power of imagination, and story-telling is amazing. It seems he himself was in part of it, and also he makes you feel like that. The author is mesmerized by the thrill and chill of Africa, and at the same time he mesmerizes you same way.

It is interesting that Mr. Haggard being a white chastised his own culture in the book. He clearly stated his viewpoint about today's civilization and what is known as the savage world. Some snippet from the novel - "I say that as the savage is, so is the white man, only the latter is more inventive, and possesses the faculty of combination; save and except also that the savage, as I have known him, is to a large extent free from the greed of money, which eats like a cancer into the heart of the white man. It is a depressing conclusion, but in all essentials the savage and the child of civilization are identical. I dare say that the highly civilized lady reading this will smile at an old fool of a hunter's simplicity when she thinks of her black bead-bedecked sister; and so will the superfine cultured idler scientifically eating a dinner at his club, the cost of which would keep a starving family for a week." Another snippet - "Better is it to slay a man in fair fight than to suck out his heart's blood in buying and selling and usury after your white fashion." Steady contemplation might yield the same conclusion in your mind, too.

Link:

Bangla translation is available by Seba Prokashoni.

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Book: Hoity Toity (Original Russian Transliteration Хойти Тойти)
Author: Alexander Belyaev (Russian, 1884-1942)

 

Original Language: Russian
Year:1930
Category: Science Fiction

Summary: A strange elephant has brought charming attention to the circus. He can do maths, he can read like a human being. People think of it as some kind of trickery, but returns home contently. One night the elephant gets out of the circus, and becomes unrest. Eventually the police chase it and it flees towards the jungle. While the police decides to kill it, but suddenly with the advent of Prof. Wagner, the elephant becomes calm. Prof. Wagner calmed it down and brought back to circus.

On way back he tells the amazing story of how he transplanted the dead German scientist Ring's head into the elephant. But one night the elephant was lost. Now the elephant tells him the rest of the story. That night when it saw a leopard in front of it, then out of human instinct, the elephant, i.e., Mr. Ring ran like hell and eventually lost the way and could not return back to Prof. Wagner. He tells many more stories of his survival through pigmies, ivory poachers and many more adventures that he had to face in his life.

Comment: May be this was the first of its kind that talks about the possibility of organ replacement and transplantation. A thoughtful adventurous science fiction by brilliant Mr. Belyaev. This is called the dimension of thinking. While Hoity Toity is the name of the elephant, there is no apparent meaning of the name, or the meaning found so far in the web is not congruent with the story. However, if you know a reasonable meaning, please put a note in the comments.

Link: No ebook available. English paperback is available in Amazon. Bangla translated hard-bind is available in Aziz Supermarket Bookstores in Shahbagh, Dhaka.

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.