23-Apr-2012
Sports, Youth and Terrorism
By
Aamir Bilal
The nation is in state of war, fighting the battle of survival for its next generation. While Pakistan Army is involved in the most gruesome gorilla warfare in the hazardous terrain of South Waziristan, the shrewd enemy has unfolded the “Theory of Fear”, targeting innocent civilians, students of school, college and universities across the country. The life has virtually come to a stand still and the effects of deadly psychological warfare has started permeating in to the minds of masses, which is extremely damaging for the mental health of our already activity starved society.
After several attacks on girl schools in Swat and FATA, the terrorists have come up with a new strategy by targeting the students of International Islamic University in Islamabad, killing and injuring several innocent students. The out come of this suicide attack was a stereo type reactive approach by the government agencies resulting in the buckling down of country wide educational institutions and enhancing the security parameters of the capital. Alas the terrorists strike once again within 48 hours of the Islamic University incident, this time killing a serving brigadier of Pakistan Army along with his driver in the broad day light on a busy road of Islamabad G 11 sector.
The terror is raging and the youth is being subjected to this continuous psychological trauma. This situation is not new to the societies of world that faced many atrocities, low and high intensity conflicts and emerged even stronger than before. But in order to address these delicate situations the leadership has to rise to the nation’s expectations. It has to lead from the front with a vision and resolve to change the weakness in to strength by delivering out of the box solutions and catching the bull by the horn. Cancellation of activities like National Games and national training camps of tour bound teams would not help in reducing the prevailing tension.
These are the moments when institutions and organizations like Standing Committee on Sports in Senate, the worthy ministry of sports and youth affairs, the powerful Pakistan Sports Board and the incompetent sport federations should join hands and heads to create healthy yet safe sports activity for the youth of country and don’t let them drown in the sea of fear.
Education institutions must come up with sports activities show determination and hold seminars and walks as carried out by the University of Punjab to show the resolve of youth with the armed forces of Pakistan, thus sending a strong message to the enemies of our beloved homeland that the youth of Pakistan will not accept their sinister demands and the youth of Pakistan will never become hostage in the hands of few paid extremists.
By the grace of God we are a nuclear country of 170 million strong men and women capable of defending our country against any internal or external aggression with a resolve to rise to any challenge and we would prove to the international community that we are a vibrant and healthy society by initiating and participating in all kind of sports and cultural activities necessary for the balanced growth of our youth.
Fitzpatrick a famous sport sociologist said that “leisure can be central to the quality of life of young people and act as a key source of friendship, networks and self identity, particularly in the absence of work, full time education or family responsibilities”. Sports England suggests that, “strong experiential evidence exists to show that sport has a part to play in preventing crimes as sports provide challenge, adventure and giving meaning and purpose to young people lives”. It further suggests that sport engender self respect, esteem, confidence and leadership qualities that we badly lack.
Many competitive sports, but not all, have evolved from battle. Ancient sports were used as tests for soldiers as well as a different form of battle waged between city-states or nations. In ancient Greece, wars were stopped during the Olympics so that the city-states may do battle through athletics. During the middle ages competitive sports and battle was practically the same thing, a way for knights to hone their warfare skills in violent contests that sometimes resulted in death.
Modern sports have been idealized as an alternative to war. Sports began to be promoted around the turn of the 20th century as a way to channel male aggression into a disciplined, healthy pursuit. Modern nations have used athletics in a combative way to beat out other nations and demonstrate their dominance. Sports have become greatly politicized, not only in nations trying to out do each other; sports have been used for internal socio-political goals as well. Nazi Germany used athletics to militarize the youth, to discipline and shape them into obedient tools of the system and to glorify their system. Communism has considered sports to be important in disciplining and molding subjects into a common group that can be easily manipulated and lead and they have used their success in athletics as propaganda to show the presumed superiority of their political system.
Sports are an all pervasive entity that influences almost every aspect of our daily life, where sporting behavior, cooperation, discipline and self confidence are the desired out comes. Ideally instilling these values, youth sports are lauded for helping prevent delinquent behaviors. It is unfortunate that so far we have not been able to appreciate sports as a great assimilator; that is, through application of sport young people of different genders, races and nationalities can learn to accept and respect each other. Had we studied, used and applied sport as a tool of social change our energy bound youth would have been world and Olympic champions instead of terrorist’s tools.
A famous sport sociologist name Keller provides a list of 11 positive aspects of sport and the sports participation process. He suggests that sports provides a meeting place, can give meaning to life, allows one to test and affirm oneself in new ways, provide an opportunity for acquisition of fitness and skills, allows one to take responsibility for one owns health, test strengths and aptitudes, allows one to dominate and turn himself/herself in to a prestige object, provides an opportunity to search for adventure and strong emotions in risky (yet controlled) situations, stimulates aesthetic perception and pleasure of taking part in physical activity, leads to a healthy life style ;and allows one to take responsibility of ones own health.
Reid Etat (1994) in a Canadian study of youth at risk, suggest that physical activity can help in improving self esteem, provides positive role models, teaches team work and social skills, promotes self confidence, provides a sense of belonging, reduces risk factor for diseases, provides a means of releasing stress, gives youth something constructive to do, promotes positive morals and values, teaches leadership and life skills, provides an opportunity for racial integration, enhance cultural awareness, provide a sense of community, fosters family support and promotes wellness of youth.
Similar to Reid, Best (1999) proposed that sport make a positive contribution to health, has economic significance both as an employment sector and a potential economic regenerator and can provide a range of community benefits by increasing cohesion, preventing crime, improving environment and contributing to academic achievements.
If sports in our country have to contribute in the process of community development and social inclusion, it is essential to view sports programs in the medium to long term and not expect quick results. Such programs need to be integrated more firmly into broader strategies for community development like initiatives by NCHD and AKRSP and other developing agencies.
The government and non government sectors should critically evaluate current community development programs and the extent to which they are addressing issues of social inclusion, rather than simply seeking to increase participation through out dated methods. We should not dream of starting “community policing” or importing community volunteers for any emergency or natural disaster once it falls at our heads, but cultivate the culture of volunteerism amongst the youth in our education system through sports and other related activities.
Sports has the definite power to impact and enrich the lives of every child and youth nurturing their holistic personal development helping each to grow and reach for their balanced individual and social potential-nurturing the artist, the athlete and the leadership potential in all of us. Let’s put our heads together and integrate sports in our education and social system to develop a healthy, vibrant and socially all inclusive society or wait for our enemies to play with our nerves at their will.
There is a need that ministry of sports should immediately announce the fresh dates of National Games in Islamabad with fool proof security arrangements and Higher Education Commission should hold a University Olympiad to display solidarity and unity instead of hiding behind the close doors thus playing to the tunes of enemy.
Aamir Bilal
22 Oct 2009
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