Disheartening news about baby dumping, rape cases and gender-based killings have become regular front pages stories in Namibia.
I refuse to use the word “passion killing” when referring to gender-based killings. Back to the cases, these are just a tip of an iceberg, many cases remain unreported and people continue to suffer in vain. I sympathise with those who fall victims to such horrific acts. Lately I have heard some very ignorant comments about gender-based violence and baby dumping cases. I condone baby dumping just as much as I condone violence whether against man, women or children. However I have to address the disturbing comments being made on the two issues. Some people feel that women (who are more often the victims of gender-based violence) are being abused and killed because they are at fault for dumping babies. I have heard comments such as “stop dumping babies so you can stop being killed”, “God is mad at the women that is why he is punishing them with passion killing”. First of all, the law is not in our own hands and you cannot choose to kill someone coldblooded or rape them because you feel the female population is at fault. Secondly, the woman being killed is not the same woman who has dumped the baby. God did not send anyone on earth to punish people for him. Today you can make fun of such serious situations but tomorrow it will be your innocent sister/ mother/ daughter or friend killed by someone with trust issues who cannot deal with their anger in a non-violent way. It may seem you are far away from you today but you never see it coming. None knew that their sisters were going to be killed or raped the next day, so instead of making fun of the situation, let us support each other and educate each other on how to deal with problems in life.
My fellow ladies, let us stop with this horrific act of throwing away babies. I understand that sometimes these babies are not planned but what plausible excuse do we have to wrap a living human being in a plastic bag and dump it in garbage. What problem have you solved that way? Let us face our responsibility as mothers, work hard and raise our children against all odds. We have heard many stories of people that were born by poor parents and grew up in poverty and it did not break them, indeed it made them stronger and they went on to become some of the most successful people we know. Your baby too can be that person thirty years from now.
No matter what one’s social status or economic status is you have the right to a normal life free from harm and danger. I believe every one of us has inborn goodness that sometimes seems to be hidden under guilt, shame and hurt from past experiences. But we can take a stand, take a deep look at ourselves and re-discover that goodness that each one of us possesses. We are all equal before God and the law and we all deserve peace and to be treated or treat ourselves with respect. Do not end a life, save one..