In the modern
times youth and terrorism make a volatile fusion. What inspires youngsters to
take up arms against the system? What steps can be taken to check the
increasing alienation of today's youngsters? These are the questions being
asked at different forums and seminars to find a solution to curb the
involvement of young people in the act of terrorism.
"You had
everything you wanted. Your Mercedes wasn't enough, you brats. Your golden
necklaces weren't enough, you snobs. Your trust funds weren't enough. Your
vodka and cognac wasn't enough. All your debaucheries weren't enough. Those
weren't enough to fulfil your hedonistic needs. You had everything." These were the words of Cho Seung-Hui, a
young student who gunned down 32 fellow students and teachers in Virginia Tech
campus on April 16 before committing suicide. It was the deadliest shooting in
modern US history. Cho could have been
speaking for millions of youngsters; particularly those on the wrong side of
the have and have-not divide.
Recently a
former Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau, India commented that 'If the
expectations of young people are not fulfilled in time, it results in
frustration, making them deviate from the mainstream.' He further said that young people around the
world generate two powerful emotions in our minds - fear and hope. The fear,
that they would disown and destroy all our civilization values, and the hope
that they could revive, enrich, recreate and carry forward all the positive
aspects of our collective heritage. These fears, hopes and frustrations are
growing each day. Nearly a million
people worldwide kill themselves each year. There is an estimated 10 to 20
million attempted suicides every year. Many of them are youngsters unable to cope
with these emotions. Many others rebel and youngsters are constantly in
conflict with law. Add terrorism to this mix, and you have a million disasters
waiting to happen.
These statements
bring a lot of challenges for the youth of the church, who are called to be the
peacemakers, that peacemaking is possible and young people are the ‘hope’. Can we make a difference? This is a question which does not need any
answer but a committed action.
Kasta Dip
