This land is not for sale

The present landlords have been living on their land, happily, merrily, for eons with their elders and children. It has been so long that neighbours, except the most recent one, vouch even without seeing any document that this land is historically theirs.

Some sinister people, known troublemakers in other regions, have set their ugly eye on the land; their other eye is stone blind. For decades now they have been causing unnecessary noise and disturbances, laced with lies and debauchery.

Initially the attacks were limited to throwing stones, breaking a windowpane or two, hurling abuse and insults. They have been leaving garbage on the landowners' right of way for years. All with the intention of driving away the landowners.

Birds of a feather flock together. At one point, one distant but filthy rich entity, without any consultation with the stakeholder landowners or genuine right, but by wile and weaponry, granted a parcel of one katha to the aspirants out of pity it seemed. It was their long-term ploy to destroy peace and tranquillity in the affluent resourceful neighbourhood.

Things turned from bad to worse. The attacks increased manifold. Stones and garbage were replaced with gunshots. There were casualties. In defence, the original landowners started pelting pebbles. The local authority banned them from owning guns because stone-throwers are terrorists.

The distant interfering entity made it their business to get angry. They sent truckloads of arms and ammo. They also provided manpower training to the illegal aspirants. It is believed there is business interests involved. They were rich through dealing in clandestine cross-border arms sales.

The humble landowners ultimately appealed to the whole city. Most supported them, a few did not, and a handful were sh*t scared that they may be excluded from the annual kitty party hosted by the powerful distant entity.

The humble landowners asked the sinister people what the cause was for their aggravating behaviour. They replied, "This land is ours, period."

"But you have already increased your one katha to one bigha, and for the sake of decency we turned the other way," the landowner tried to pacify matters.

The aggressor said, "That was no favour you did. Our decency was we have not yet blown you to pieces."

"Gross mistake," added the distant patron, stars sparkling around him. A smirk plastered on his face.

Over the decades, almost eight, the cause of the landowner lost considerable ground. Neighbours lost interest too. Selfishly they all befriended both the giant patron and the scheming small landowner. Our landowner was left isolated, vulnerable, and poorer. They were left with nothing but the earth on their ancestral land. The scoundrels now wanted more. They created a situation to dupe the gullible into believing they are the victims.

Terrorist activities of the aggressor were harming children and women. The situation had become unbearable.

Yet the neighbours looked on from behind parted curtains. Children of the landowners could not go to school. The sick were scared after a few stones landed on their bed. Water pipeline was damaged. Houses were burning. Ration could not be brought through because the road was blocked.

Finding no other way, their back against the bullet-ridden wall, as a last resort, the landowner put up a notice: "This land is not for sale". Such a notice pops up in several neighbourhoods in the city.

One could hear rude laughter reverberating around the neighbourhood. Said the attacker-occupier-terrorist, "Who is buying? We want the land. And what we want, we get."

"We will go to court," said the desperate landowner.

"No one will take your case. They are all self-seeking cowards," was the audacious retort.

The landowner thought for a few moments. "In that case, we will get someone else to do it."

"Fat chance. Who cares for you? You are unarmed, abused, and without money," one could hear the sardonic laughter from across the river.

A group of conscientious people indeed came forward. They were disgusted at the treatment meted out to the landowner for long. They went to court seeking relief for the landowner.

26 Jan, Al-Jazeera: The International Court of Justice orders Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.

26 Jan, Reuters: The International Court of Justice rejected Israel's petition to throw out the case.