Unprecedented injustice
Post By Godian Ejiogu | January 17, 2021
The title of the report Unprecedented injustice is another word for racism. Racism simply means injustice, but then unprecedented type of injustice. Both the perpetrator and the victim suffer the painful evil of racism. This is why racism is evil. It is a pathological lie and full of falsehood. Racism is not good for human beings. We are all victims.
In 2018 I wrote a book MY DREAM in Dutch MIJN DROOM in search of justice and peaceful society. In my book I wrote about being victims of racism and the potential Netherland have to be the first country in the world with racism free society and government. My intention was to explain it so we can see how all of us are victims of racism. I did not offer a solution yet. Because a problem is a problem when the parties involved agreed to call it a problem. Then they can start looking for solution. The government has come to realize that the system has a problem called racism. Because the government has experienced the pain and suffering of it. I have trust in the government. Netherland have a system of government that belongs to the first class in the world government. I saw this potential and possibility in Netherland because I had been actively involved in the government issues since 2003.
As a member of the Netherland Third Chamber established in 2003 during the Cabinet-Balkenende II, especially to support the work of minister for Development Cooperation then Agnes van Ardenne. I was involved in Education Commission. Noticing how some Dutch origins were thinking about migrants and superiority feelings towards them, I suggested to my commission that we should design a school subject to help Dutch citizens broaden their world view outside their boarder.
My suggestion for WERELDBURGERSCHAP / WORLD CITIZEN in education system was accepted by my commission. After many years of lobbying and negotiation by the parliament, it was adopted in the education system. My intention with this subject is to challenge the students to find out for example what kind of books the citizens in the rocky villages of Afghanistan have in their library. What kind of books does the children in the swampy Delta region of Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria are reading in their Library. What kind of knowledge are being impacted in children around the world? This will help them to broaden their minds and understand the world outside the Netherlands boarder. I was hoping that with such knowledge of the citizens, they will understand the mutual dependence we have with each other.
In 2015 and the years after, I was actively involved in drafting of 10 years program, officially called Decade of African descent to end racism and discrimination in the Netherland. We were few black people from different continents assigned by the parliament to do this work. We did it voluntarily seeing the need of it for the victims and actors and especially for the governing system. This program was Launched in Amsterdam on December 12, 2016 during Cabinet Rutter II, by minister of Social Affairs and Employment Lodewijk Asscher.
When the new elected government of Rutter 3 started with government agreement called regerings akkoord, we lobbied and negotiated to get this program in government agreement.
But it failed to be taken into agreement. When the black life matters movement came up in 2020, the parliament decided to take up this program and carry it out. It is a pity that the particular government has to fall because of what they refuse to listen to. That makes it more tragic and painful for all citizens. We know the solution for the racism problem is not yet found.
The decisions which the government took yesterday, seems hopeful for the society at large.
I am still convinced that Netherland will make itself great by keeping to the decision to end up racism and discrimination. What people should understand is that evil and good affects everybody and influences everybody at a long run.
Racism is manageable when it is not hurting or outside your boarder. When you have to confront it inside the boarder, then you have a different situation that need a different approach. The reality is that it is inside the boarder and has grown to fully matured active participant in all areas of the society, including in the soul, hart, mind and body of at least close to 95% of the adults. Although almost 95% of the adult will claim complete innocent of racism. The reality maybe opposite. This has to do with the shame and shy of racism. That denial will not help us. Recognition will help us to face the reality because we have no other choice.
Netherland have no other choice than to learn to live with what she gave birth to. When a pregnancy is aborted, the growth is aborted. When a pregnancy is given birth to a baby, a child is born. When the life of that child is tortured or killed, the parents will face the consequences of the law and get the required sentence. Netherland gives birth to a society of diversity based on economic interest of the past. It is a responsibility for the present generation to live with the inheritance. The only option Netherland have is to learn to live with this birth of diversity including racism that could be aborted centuries ago. Abortion strategy is too late now, and extinction of the diversity is not an option. Any action towards that direction has the consequence of archiving the opposite. Namely ending up Netherland civilization. This is known in all existed civilization of human generations.
Few months after the publication of my book, I was invited to give a lecture at International Baptist Theology Study Center Amsterdam, with some professors from United State of America, Sweden and so on.
In my lecture I spoke about the power of the oppressed and vulnerable. The history has shown us that there is a social pattern of birth, growth, maturity and decay of any civilizations. We can see it happening in the present upcoming powers and civilizations. We can see it in the degenerating powerful civilizations. All the fully grown registered powerful human civilization decayed not from external forces or powers from outside, but from internal strife of those who were oppressed and unjustly treated. Like in every living being, death is always present. When death is activated it will kill. In every society, you need to realize that society is an organism, living thing, there are always social problems. If social problems are not well treated, the evil of it will be activated. Then everybody suffers the consequences. Therefore, not treating social issues is a choice to cause national damage or even destroy the civilization. Racism is a social issue that is economically related. Racism as social issue has the power to end up a civilization. In every civilization, social problems are present as underlying power to destroy it, just like life and death in one body. Looking closely to those upcoming new civilization, you can see their approach to social problems which demand criticism from outside. Those social problems are there to lay the foundation for the fall when the time comes. This has been the routine since at least thousands of years recorded history. As a theologian, I can read it in my bible how the civilization of Egypt ended through the treatment of Pharaoh on his slaves. There is power above human government that rules the world. That natural law never fails to work. The test of durable civilization is the treatment of the vulnerable ones in the civilization.
Yesterday 15 January 2021 our government fall. It is painful for the government and our beloved nation.
The cause is institutionalized racism or institutionalized unprecedented injustice to the vulnerable relating clearly to children.
The government and her system refused to listen to the pains of their citizens and closed their ears in hearing them. There is a chance to make a new begin. This is a chance to look into all social problems and those suffering in pain in our society. If the new government will adhere to the new decision taken, Netherland will be the first country in the present world to achieve a society of peace and justice. Thereby setting the pace for a new world and a new civilization for the rest of the world government to follow. Netherland being by virtue the center for international court of justice, have this call to fulfill and this example to set. It is not an easy call. It will not be easy to archive.
Making Laws alone cannot archive it.
We have to be careful in making innocent citizens criminals in our effort to fight racism through laws alone. We have to be careful in turning victims as actors and as criminals. Making people bear responsibility of crime they did not commit will bring other problems and pains. This is part of the consequences of fighting racism.
In comparison of the affair that led the government fall, the innocent parents were sentenced to be criminals by system of racism. Now the ministers or the governing body are taking responsibility of this consequences. We can see the pain of this consequences by some ministers who claimed that they did not know what was going on and after long reflection did not see what they could have done to stop it. They were powerless. Such pain cannot be comforted as a minister said, it is sitting in his body. He has to carry it. There is no justice in the system to set him free. This is exactly what racism does to victims. You cannot be free from it, because no one can set you free from unprecedented injustice. You carry responsibility you did not cause, and you are accused, sentenced and punished for what you did not do, which is also beyond your power to change. That is why the pain is durable and the body carries the trace of it.
We can see that everybody is a victim. Thereby the whole country and all citizens are now victims of the racism act. This is how racism works. We are all victims. It could had been disastrous if the fall of government affected fighting covid 19.
My advice is to be care full in the future plan of eliminating racism because it can lead to more victims by innocent citizens. My research on racism in 1996-98 showed that it is very deep and cannot be fought with laws or strict laws alone. I gave this advice last year to party leaders behind closed doors.
There is a long way to go in other to fight it and overcome it without much damage in relationships and dividing the people in the society. The actors and the victims are altogether victims. If we have the understanding of what it is and how it works, we can effectively and collectively eradicate it. I know we can do it because we human being created it. We only need to see the damage and accept it is not good for any of us. Like we see the damage of covid 19 and come to conclusion that it is not good for any of us.
We have to come to terms to nurse our anger and our pain. We are connected and together responsible for this society. We need to recognize our pain and powerlessness on both sides.
Who ever love the Netherland will stand up and work against social problems causing unprecedented injustice. I love this country and that is why I am concerned and stand up to work.
May Peace, Justice and Unity be in the Netherland. God bless this country, The Netherlands.
Godian Ejiogu
Peace Servant
Spiritual and mental caregiver with specialization on cultural sensitive care for migrant especially from African origin. We give personal and group guidance to victims and actors of racism and discrimination. We carry out research in migrant issue. I am a guest lecturer and design trainings, public speech and writings.
Peace Servant
Laan van Kronenburg 14,
1183 AS Amstelveen
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Email: info@peaceservant.nl