"Everything's hallow even the struggle itself is also hallow"

"Everything's hallow that even the struggle itself is also hallow"

Warm greetings.

In this season of All Hallows, this marks the start of commemorating not just the dearly departed, but also to think a little about the need for holiness as a person in this changing world.

To be holy is a difficult kind of commitment. People may pray, attend mass, confess, even fast in pursuit of absolving sin and attain grace, but the realities of life shows people that they're still in constant battle with sin, and at times fall from it. 

But it takes time to recover as one has to stand up and continue walking on its journey towards holiness. That by praying and doing good works help one or another to get on the right path especially in facing existing, next, and future challenges in life. True that being holy requires a lot of effort, as God desires humanity to pursue holiness at all costs because without holiness one cannot see the Lord.

For sure most people have started to clean the graves of their loved ones, if not starting to provide kids treats at night, or even writing thoughts in this solemn occasion, but behind happiness and remembrance is the call for holiness as God encouraged. 

To be honest, this note have nothing to say more, but this call for holiness in this season is also becoming a call for struggle. Call it ideal but, the need for holiness doesn't stop by simply praying or by making good works alone, for like the saints and martyrs of the church, those who trying their bests to save lives and give a voice to the voiceless, who partake the bitter cup of sacrifice as they witness to the injustices of this world, do they bear holiness as they seek truth from facts and thus willing to resist and assert the just?   

This note ends up by saying that they didn't die in vain as they call for holiness and facing the struggle. That by pursuing holiness also means to stand up for truth and justice at all costs, if necessary by partaking the bitter cup of sacrifice in facing numerous challenges that affects not just the person in itself but also the community a person belongs. 

An untitled poem for Halloween

An untitled poem for Halloween

How tasty the soup is
As it suffices my hunger
It eases my heart
After enduring sadness and anger
The satisfying taste
Gives both light and warmth
Enough to fill an empty soul
All after the stress and toil

From time to time how stressful work is
Especially after enduring the boss's responses
Sometimes it affects my sleep
If not the time for me to eat
Many tasks to finish upon
Papers to pass, books to carry on
Yet the salary still quite low
But had to endure then and now

For sure my parents would disagree on this
Such as working for a low wage
Despite passing one, two, three, five pages
Accomplished works can't cast out their doubts
But the soup served ease my stresses
If not lightens out my burden
Enough for me to save for the times sudden
If not for the coffee that's often

Oh coffee! my joy and delight!
You made me awake against the forbidding night!
The soup! Enough for an ambrosia!
Compliments the coffee so glorious!
Enough to forget the low wage
Instead shutting the bosses down by passing them hundred pages
But good lord when will their consciences realise
That their servant worked hard yet ain't enough what they pay?

The war may be 'over' for now, but still, a free Artsakh no matter what!

 The war may be 'over' for now, 
but still, a free Artsakh no matter what!

by Kat Ulrike

At first, this writer may not be an Armenian, but this note sympathises with the Armenian people of Artsakh and its struggle for self-determination despite being disregarded by the world, beaten by the Azeris, what more of being alienated by a government who thinks staying silent means national survival. 

Armenians around the world are now grieving, lamenting the loss of life and suffering of its fellow compatriots in Artsakh. That by seeing them leaving their homes, these innocent human beings carrying nothing but their own belongings, what more to see them with fear in their eyes as Azerbaijan imposed a nine-month blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor, the only route connecting Artsakh to the outside world. 

Even the assurance from Russia would say is "token" enough to say "they able to help unlike most of the west", but most are deprived of food, necessary supplies, medical and emergency care. Thankfully there are those who able to show concern to these affected thousands in those times of crisis, providing assistance in any form to alleviate their suffering,  nonewithstanding the fear as Azeris, chanting the return of their "Nagorno Kabarakh" to the homeland wanted to expand in the name of "Greater Azerbaijan" that includes Hayastan itself.  

But, will the Armenians just accept it? Unless that person happens to be supportive of Pashinyan, but people should recall the words of Raffi, a renowned writer and Armenian nationalist, whose message still hold true today as did in 1915. He ingrained the values of education, independence, love of nation, and freedom in the Armenian mind. He urged the people of Hayastan to arm themselves and protect themselves. "Don't count on others to stand up for you!" he said. 

For sure the entire world only sees the humanitarian crisis over Ukraine and in Gaza Strip, while being mum over Artsakh. Sometimes this writer would wonder why the mum? Just because the war on Ukraine or that of Gaza Strip affects the flow of grains, oil, and gas around the globe? But how about the lives of many who demand justice and self-determination as a community? The situation in Artsakh is no different from what happened in Donbas and other provinces in Ukraine, Gaza Strip in Palestine, or even the Jewish communities in Israel! "Never Again!" said these Armenian folks as they remember the genocide of 1915, as they're willing to take the bitter cup of sacrifice while preparing the weapon and fight back not to repeat the tragedy if not to win back their homeland, their community, their honour as an entity. 

Hayastan must avenge the sorrow, suffering, and death of its people who were forced to abandon Artsakh. The victim's finest retribution is to seek and obtain the justice they deserve. Armenia must hold President Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani government accountable for their criminal conduct by requesting that Azerbaijan be prosecuted for war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Court; as well as President Pashinyan and his incompetence, preferring to sell its compatriots to the dogs. Armenians have a moral commitment to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to make its adversaries pay for the atrocities they have committed against the  people. Artsakh's suffering is also Hayastan's and even the world's suffering, and Artsakh's future also intertwines with that of Hayastan, and even the world.  

The news may blare through and through that the war has ended, but for Artsakh and Hayastan, the battle has only just begun. 

There are no words to say, except the right to resist.

There are no words to say, except the right to resist.

“To demand transparency is an act of patriotism.”

“To demand transparency is an act of patriotism.” 

 By Kat Ulrike 

 To demand transparency is itself an act of patriotism. 

 In a time when corrupt tyrants trying to justify their actions, it becomes a duty for a concerned folk to assert the need for transparency the way these tyrants, being elected by the people, sworn to upheld freedom and the rule of law. 

 Call it a form of gaslighting Duterte’s statement calling those opposing her anomalous Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIFs) as “enemies of the state” and “enemies of the peace”, but damn, what’s wrong in demanding transparency? Those people who she called enemies of the state are the ones who pay taxes and therefore asking why the need of public funds for confidential and intelligence purposes! She even afforded to say that such actions go against the protection and well-being of the citizenry but if one may ask, what protection or well-being is the Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary talking about? She and her office may brag numerous achievements ranging from feeding programs to free bus rides, but the obvious such as to surveil the folk and be justified with “national security” makes the intention the main emphasis- and it has nothing to do with any of her position. 

As an observer, Duterte’s action clearly states that her frustration to become a Defence Secretary shows. Instead of meeting the needs of the Education sector, why national security? On the first place, why accept the title when not even an educator? Of course, she doesn’t want to be treated as a spare tire! And the claim that Confidential and Intelligence Funds immediately contributes to peace is oversimplified and disregards the difficulties of governance and peacebuilding. Confidential and Intelligence Funds are one weapon among many that can be used for intelligence gathering and other covert operations that may indirectly support state security- and these are meant to be for the security agencies of the state. 

And in speaking of national security, especially after recent reports that made Duterte bow down to public pressure and had her CIFs rechanneled to state security agencies, is it really to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the nation and its people, or to consolidate interests of the current order by silencing dissent as what Duterte wanted? Again this demands transparency and accountability too. But regardless of what the current administration justifies its actions, that social justice, economic empowerment and stability, sound administration through participatory democracy, efficient law enforcement, and mass-oriented education all contribute to a just and lasting peace. 

But what Duterte said is an oversimplification that ignores such intricacies as she delegitimises any criticism or demand for transparency and accountability especially in the use of these public funds, if not an intentional forgetting that she is an elected official and like any other public personality she has to face the scrutiny of the people.