Arrested two years ago at the age of 17 and held incommunicado, Tal Mallohi has just been sentenced to 5 years on phony “spy” charges by the Syrian dictatorship. Her crime? Writing poems in praise of peace, freedom and justice. Here are three of the offending poems from her blog, just before she was taken. My apologies for clumsy translation. If you read Arabic, see the original.The first message to mankind
Rights, my brother:
To every one of the people, to you who outlive this
to the universe – where love meets hate and guns – you're like me
I would love to see you smile, living in peace, security and safety
a shining smile filling the universe with love, as joy fills the soul.
Rights: where there's a culture of love, as Allah commands
a brotherly culture of fraternity and solidarity.
Why is there hunger everywhere?
why is disease spreading, and no medicine ?
why is disease spreading, and no medicine ?
why do men deal death and destruction?
why do innocents suffer and abusers live?
why do some die stuffed while others starve?
Imagine another world: open your hearts to compassion and love.
You alone can bring back the fear of God, balance to His universe.
Give us peace and security in our hearts.
(Do not say goodbye, rights, for I am with you always.)
The second message to mankind
Brother wherever you, we are twins, modern souls. To you all love, with all my heart (kisses)
To innocent child, caring mother, loving sister (kisses)
I read of human rights that I am not allowed.
But God created me: I have the right to life, not a threat,
I have the right to take care of my family, I have the right to a house, I have the right to food, I have the right to clothing, to science and knowledge.
We look to a future in which women and men and children are free, where there is work, and hope for a better tomorrow, and all are are free.
(Do not say goodbye, rights, for I am with you always.)
The third message to mankind
Rights: ye dwell in the depths of my mind
Why this terrorism in the world why this murder of those who ride bus or train? Why this evil?
Rights: if I disagree with you on ideas, principles, beliefs -- am I not a human being?
All and Ali, respect each other, with all your differences, let others live with their “errors”, avoid hot-blooded contempt, bear their views in patience, take thought before answering opinions that contradict your own.
Rights: may friendship reign, despite differences in food or drink or doctrine,
and compassion for all people on this earth should prevail among us.
(Do not say goodbye, rights, for I am with you always.)
The fourth message to mankind (excerpt)
...In the fall of 1789, the tenth meeting of the US Congress approved the First Amendment of the Constitution
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
So why this Clash of Civilizations?
Why not tell of the Consensus of Civilizations, of intermarriage?
If we look at civilizations impartially
the elements of agreement outweigh the elements of difference.
Rights: let me meet you and you meet me, without prejudging,
meet and build a civilization of mankind, of all.
(Do not say goodbye, rights, for I am with you always.)
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