Often times I am told on these forums that I cannot discount those who give up their lives for their cause, more commonly know as the suicide bombers, but wouldn’t they get their point across better if they go on a public hunger strike? At least they won’t be killing others.
Re: Bhook Hartal (Hunger Strike)
That thought has often come to my mind.
I think they feel that killing themselves won't matter because they aren't important enough.
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The issue is not their death as everyone dies at some point or the other. But the cause for which they die and the manner in which they make the point. Bhook hartal just doesn't have quite that same point effect as blowing up something/someone. Sad as it may be but Gandhi's way is not considered so glamorous anymore.
Re: Bhook Hartal (Hunger Strike)
You brought up a good point Faisal.
Why is it that Gandhi's way is not so glamorous anymore? Why did that one man affect so many people where so many people are unable to affect even a few?
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When someone goes on bhook hartal, he considers the people he is trying to convince human enough to be moved by his pain & suffering. The suicide bombers consider the other side purely evil with no human instinct. Therefore, their motives are 'to teach them a lesson' with or without furthering their own cause.
Re: Bhook Hartal (Hunger Strike)
^ th eirony is that they temselves ar deemed evil and they are.
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I agree AJ, I think a hunger strike would be a better solution...but would it make a difference to you if someone were to kill themselves for what they believe in or if they go on a hunger strike? Their point is to have an impact, so which would do you think would be more effective?
Re: Bhook Hartal (Hunger Strike)
^ do you remember the name of the last suicide bomber or even the first one? yeah..I don't either.
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Going on hunger strike will only affect them whereas blowing up others along with them provides them with more satisfaction because they know that people will be in pain and suffering.
PD: it is not about remembering their names, it is more about what they did.
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^^
The pain and suffering of one's own can lead people to extraordinary things...So before someone decides to inflict pain on others, the first idea is to stop the inflicting being done to one's own...Hence the desperate attempts of the suicide fighters to protect one's own...
As far as hunger strike is concerned, I remember a Buddhist monk in Vietnam who self-immolated himself as an act of defiance to the North Vietnamese government as protest of unfair treatments to Buddhists...The monk is now given the title of Boddhisatva...
What did that achieve? Nothing...A few other monks followed suit...Nothing...After the American invasion of Vietnam, a few other Buddhists turned to self-immilation as a means of protest...Did that achieve anything? Nothing...Vietnam was still occupied by American forces...
The idea of hunger strikes and bhook hartaals happens when there is a conscientious observer...Do you think the Nazis would have given a damn if Jews went on a hunger strike? They did, but that was forced thanks to the Nazis...
Similarly, if 10,000 Iraqis went on hunger strike today, do you think it would matter to the US? Many thousands went on hunger strikes throughout the world against the Iraq invasion...Did that achieve anything?
If anything, the US forces would be happy to be rid of 10,000 Iraqis...This will sove nothing...
The logical choice for any person who has lost everything, thanks to the invaders, would be rather to die fighting and blowing the enemy to kingdom come or at least till they leave...
Re: Bhook Hartal (Hunger Strike)
beautifully said…
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I’m pretty sure their goal wasn’t to have everyone memorize their names.
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Ahmadjee, What was the World reaction during the 10 years when thousands of Iraqi children were dying as a result of being forced on an involuntary hunger strike?
Albright said "the sanctions were worth the number of children dying", in other words she said "hell with their hunger strike, who gives a F@@K!"
Re: Bhook Hartal (Hunger Strike)
oh yeah and hunger strike has always had the desired effect…I mean I can list examples upon examples where it helped policies but strangely enough none come to mind…AJ Bhai, can you help us out here? 
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all those hindu tamil suicide bombers blowing thousands and thousands and nobody remembers today :(
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^ not to mention they are the ones who started the suicide bombing ...a little fact that does not get much run in the press.....
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LTTE is the worst terrosrist organization in the world.. far ahead in evilness than Al-qaida.. which just became forfront as its against USA.. Tamil tigers massacred thousands innocent sri lankans with the ashirbad of India.. suicide bombers had a database of thousands eager to kill.. and it was a prize if their name came out in the lottery..
Re: Bhook Hartal (Hunger Strike)
AJ, no need to go too far, here in canada, they have this muslim guy in jail for the last 3-4 years. was arrested after 911. he is not yet charged of anything. he is in a cell where he doesn't even have any shoes to wear not even during winter when temperature dips below -10C. he is not allowed to go outside for fresh air for more than 30mins a day. not allowed to have any books to read or radio to listen to the news. for all this he went on a hunger strike for 3 months. canadian government said to heck with his hunger strike. he doesn't deserve any of the facilities he is asking for. he wants to die of hunger, be out guest and die. it will save us the time and money to put you on trial, if that ever happened. well things are the same, he gave up on his demands and is still living like an animal in that cell.