Reflections on Dear Matefele Peinam by Abdulaziz Ali Omer

I have a dream that one day my four little children will live….Martin Luther junior said and that dream cane achieved by our decent and loving care of children today .
When it came time to leave Marshall Island, Kathy Jetnil Killinjer, the artist and journalist was a ware that she would take part with hundreds of literary contenders but she had a mystic feeling that she would make an indelible mark. She took in her arms her infant, the source of her inspiration and joy. The plane took off and her beautiful Marshallese eyes held the confidence and pride gleam of our distinguished Arabian poet El Mutanbi once he said "....They (competing other poets and audience) knew that my presence is thier absence.What have they prepared from tears to my arrival". Indeed,there were tears for mother and child waiting for a glimmer of hope from a wave that yawns beyond a hurricane.From Marshall Islands, on the North pacific ocean,the Marshallese poet Kathy Jetnil Killinjer came as one of representatives for thousands of those chanting for change from civil society ,she came from the dreaming beaches of Marshsall Island to NewYork glittering skscrappers to take part in the Climate change summit. Her participation in the march of climate change converted I have a dreanm into Dear Matefle Peinam. What strikes me is her reassuring message to her child Metefele peinam who is threatened by the lagoon which is symbloic of High -sea:"...close those eyes and sleep in peace"That is really what children need some one to mitigate fears provoked by nature or man-made. A child should rest calmly not staying a wake and shrieking of pain.Kathy Jetnill imparted to us frightening and disappointing things that her child as one of tomorrow don't want to happen. These things take place as a result of sectarian violence.In order to soothe his anxeity and tension because of what people predicted bleakly ".....you will wander rootless with only a passport to call home ", she gives him an assuring hug and looks into his innocent eyes looking forward to a better life saying dear Matefele Peinam.Donot cry. Mommy promises you.What does that wonderful mother promises little nice Matefele Peinam. "....No one is losing their homeland.no one s gonna become ......refugee"she concluded her lovely and touching poem with these words that resound from Papua Guinea to Fijji:"...We deserve to do more than just survive.We deserve to thrive"
Kathy from the U.N podium expressed the enthusiasm and inflexible determination of raised fists and booming megaphones as she she shouted "...We will fight.It is a fight against greedy businesses.It is a fight for the comfort of those who suffered from floods that swept through Pakistan,Algeria,Colombo and Sudan. It is a fight for the sake of the radiance of village and rich clean soil.It is a fight for a Marshall Island with high sea levels to swallow her home and her seven months old infant.Kathy is co-founder of an environmental NGO called Jo-jikum to raise a warness about the climate change in her tiny pacific village.Her performance earned her a standing ovation.According to twitter her true words left a few dry eyes of those in her audience.What remains to be realized is that the evoked tears and her haunting words as Paulo Freire put it will nourish the human existence and transform it.
....To the Islanders of Papua New guinea and Fiji , I a apologize" Kathy said regretfully. The taste and sensation dictate on me to extend the apology and sympathy to other places where we bind our self-inflicted wounds and the self-rebuke should be followed with rectification process of conduct.The lagoon is going to snatch the breaths of little Manafele Peinam.His courageous mother raises her compassionate and defiant voice".....No one will devour you " and that a signal that the life-saving efforts should not cease despite the gloomy prognosis. Iwanted to write a poem to make the world break the inhuman indifference to suffering of children.How brilliant is Kathy.She jas done that to save me the trouble of writing.The world prodced tears as expensive as gold.We hope they change clashes and animosity to peace,love and tolerance for our mutual interest as fellow humanbeings.
The Goon T.v a Sudanese channel broadcasted live the image of Hassan , a child with a defected heart and in need for raising funds for a surgery.His innocent stares and moments of pain was our scourge. Matefele Peinam from Marshall Islands is physically fit compared with Hassan but as result of climate change there are high stakes around Matefele Peinam'life to ruin his health and seal his fate.That is what generated our pity and sadness.
I don't find a better explanation for that mixed feeling that takes hold of me other than William Wordsworth once he wrote"..The child is the father of the man".

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