 |
| Kenji Goto with Syrian children in North Aleppo last year. |
After receiving the worst feared news, Japan is now on high alert being the latest Western country to do so. Japanese citizens and journalists had pleaded, prayed and called for the release of journalist Kenji Goto being held by ISIS. Despite the multilingual posters being held by Tokyo residents and other residents in major cities across Japan, Goto was still slain. The possible diplomatic channels and alternative methods for dealing with ISIS via a prisoner swamp still did not ease the anxiety Japanese leadership and society are currently feeling. Kenji Goto's family and mom Junko Ishido are broken and in tears from the delay to return their beloved son, husband and friend back home safely. Beyond the grief, Ms. Ishido has spoken out against hatred towards any group religious or ethnic. She continues to remind many media outlets that her son wanted to help people around the world including (Syria and Iraq) from children to families and speak about their lives in a human way. Hatred does no one any good. Hate feeds off the various phobias that have bred wars, xenophobia and racism as has been seen in the aftermath of terrorist attacks and threats. Junko Ishido's calm call has earner her praised from other Western media and larger Japanese society.
Road to Hajj: Muslims in Japan
Japanese Muslims are equally horrified by the news that Goto has been murdered by ISIS. Japanese Muslims have come out in the hundreds to condemn ISIS from all angles and remain the rest of the country that Muslims are part of Japanese society and condemn any act of violence against innocence people. At Tokyo's largest mosque, Tokyo Camii, Muslims who make up part of 110,000 strong community, have prayed for Kenji, his family and offered support.
Thousands of miles west of Japan, Jordan is also experiencing high anxiety levels and blood pressure awaiting to hear the whereabout of Jordanian hostage Moaz al Kasasbeh. Jordanians received the shocking news of Kenji Goto's death. Many Jordanians were stunned and disgusted as they have been by ISIS' cold blooded murders and tactics. Al Kasasbeh's family particularly his father are holding vigils while pleading with the Jordanian government to deliver their son back home. Al Kasasbeh neighbors and relatives are hoping their fears will not be realized. Posters have been made with "We are all Mauth" written in Arabic. Al Kasasbeh's father has spoken out against ISIS' actions and appealed to his son's patriotic duty to protect his country and family. Jordan like the Kurds, Iraqi, Syrian Armies are fighting against ISIS via airstrikes and bombing of ISIS targets. Jordan is part of the impromptu created coalition countries currently bombing ISIS into the ground in Iraq and Syria. All three countries are straining themselves to protect their borders and people. Jordan has considered swapping prisoners with ISIS but does not want to be directly responsible for any future operations that ISIS may carry out with prisoners are turned over to the group. Jordanian officials are hesistant to turn over Saija al Rishawi, the failed suicide bomber convicted as part of 2006 terror attacks on the Amman Hotel. Jordan hosts some of the largest refugee population in the world. It is home to hundreds of thousands of refugees from Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Lebanon. Each time a conflict happens in a neighboring country, Jordan is pulled into the faultlines.
Comments
Post a Comment