Page 46 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 16

Re-Education
Community

The Invisible Citizens

A CASE FOR THE ONES WE CHOOSE TO IGNORE

By Abel Merawi, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

he daily hustle we all We brush against them as we cross said that society is measured by
endure ends when dusk paths, but they don’t disturb our the way it treats the least of its
closes in, and we retreat peace since they are as background members. King reminds us, “True
Tto whatever shelter we a reality as the inanimate objects compassion is more than flinging a
call home. But, amongst us are the we fail to see. The invisible street coin to a beggar; it understands that
unfortunate ones who remain in citizens extend their hand and cry an edifice which produces beggars
the unforgiving streets, for they out for help, but we respond in au- needs restructuring.” Verily, any
have nowhere to go and no place to tomation. With indifference, we toss social and political organization that
call home. These are the invisible them a coin or two to rid ourselves produces and ignores voiceless and
citizens of the street. In the safety of their disturbing presence. And invisible homeless citizens must be
of our homes, we are oblivious to if we belong to the pseudo-inno- reorganized. With this spirit, I hope
their existence. After we closed the cents creed, for whom the world is to at least start the conversation
gates, we also veiled our imagination a playground, we may even retreat that awakens us from our slumber
to external reality by dwelling on our in shock as if under attack. In the and reconstruct the social evil we
endless personal woes. Our apathy meantime, the street citizens remain constructed.
is no wonder as our TV and phone voiceless in every realm of life.
screens orchestrate a lullaby of Any real progress begins with iden-
fairyland. Then, when the sun rises, Society at large has denied the tification and a proper diagnosis of
we open our gates but our mental existence of its most deserving the problem. This begs the question
gateways remain locked. We move and least protected members. Such as to why we indifferently block the
with mechanical intentionality to indifference could undermine any plight and suffering of the homeless.
attend to our daily tasks or idly roam democratic pledge since greatness Perhaps the explanation of George
the streets. Either way, the invisible connotes humanity. The Great Marshall in ‘Don’t even think about
citizens are not part of our world. Martin Luther King Jr. has rightly it’ serves as a starting point. He

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