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Each day, we are assaulted with new stories about our crime situation. It appears that the front pages of our daily newspaper will soon be unable to shock us. We are growing numb to the suffering spread across the land.
Everywhere we turn, we are confronted by violence. Stunning pictures of lawlessness confront us daily. These tales test us. What ought we to do?
Left alone, this violence will overwhelm us and destroy our hope for a dignified life. How many of us leave our homes for a night out? We are unable to. The fear of becoming a crime statistic keeps us indoors.
Are we going to continue like this? How will our society continue if we do not intermingle? Are we going to allow hatred and partisan behaviour to drive us away from our neighbours?
The radio shows that permit callers to belittle others add to this horror. We cannot ignore this evil. We must respond.
Photo: Ministry of National Security
We know that violent crime is being driven by youths in the age cohort 12 – 27 years. These young people have experienced failure. They are not doing well at school, and there is no support for them in their communities.
Their parents are unable to help. The gangs come along and support them. They shower them with care and attention that is not otherwise available. But once they are in the gangs, they cannot get out.
How do we create respect for human life? When will we view each other as being created by God in His image? When will we begin to see each other as fellow human beings and not as a possible financial transaction?
It cannot be that we keep racing for more and more money and possessions and ignore the disintegration of life for many. We cannot keep putting people who are disrespectful of others on pedestals.
We cannot applaud when some kill others without due process. To do this is to continue the culture of violence. To destroy the social safety net that supports the poor is to condemn many to a life of crime.
The inability to earn a living is a devastating issue. How can you have dignity when you have no job?
When you are forced to be on the street corners all day, you become prey for those who need a pair of eyes. Staying there can lead to you partaking in drugs.
This path is how the neighbourhood loses control of its youth. It cannot generate income or jobs. Life becomes a dead-end street.
The tragedy is that entering a life of crime can put one on an irretrievable path. The gang grooms you so that there is no way back. But being in it pushes you to commit more and more heinous crimes.
The failure of the criminal justice system to bring offenders to trial encourages a downward spiral. On the other hand, to build more jails and to put more young men into them is not a solution.
What happens when they come out? Unless they could spend their time learning new skills or understanding how to live, we have only fed and housed them for a short period. We may have introduced them to others who may create new linkages.
In essence, we have contributed to a worsening situation.
There is a constant battle for more turf between the gangs. This reality raises another issue: the ability to protect oneself from opponents.
Increasingly, there is anecdotal evidence that gang members are turning to the occult. This development on their part stems from a desire to be protected in the battles in which they are engaged.
These charms provide an aura of invincibility and psychological empowerment. But these come at a cost. The crimes become ghastlier, as they seek to rid the opposing gang of any ability to conquer them.
What is the religious response to these situations? While some provide food for the children in these neighbourhoods and seek to create alternative bonding situations, many are uninterested.
They claim that they do not have the funds to do the necessary work. Yet, we see them spend money on events that make no difference to the communities they profess to serve.
They do not stop to consider why their congregations are ageing, with few young people desiring to be part of them. They do not appreciate that their buildings and meetings are at risk since they are close to the suffering and deprived communities.
What is the line of defence for our values? Are these religious groups able to handle the challenge? Will they?
Will we be content to read more and more gory stories? Are we happy when our churches lose their relevance and the occult becomes more commonplace? Where do we think this will end?
The script we are witnessing is a battle for our nation’s soul. We will do well to recognise this and act accordingly.
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