THE NOBLE DOCTOR AND JOURNALIST
KAJAL CHATTERJEE
The heart-rending picture of wounded Dr. Ihor Kolodka (in bloodied surgical scrub), leading from the front in cleaning up the rubble and searching for the victims after the Russian missile attack upon the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital Kyiv, should act as an eye-opener for those leaders countries and people around the globe who openly support the fatal aggression upon Ukraine continuing since 2022 or prefer to act "neutral" and trade with Russia in the name of "national interest"!
Will Kolodka's cry (while removing the debris after having his wound stitched up) "It's my hospital, my people, I'm a doctor" open the conscience of the direct and tacit supporters of the invader Russia!
In this context we must again remember the act of Russian journalist and 2021 Nobel Peace laureate Dmitry Muratov(sharing the award with Maria Ressa for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression) for his 2022 decision to donate his Nobel medal for auction so as to raise funds for the Ukrainian refugees.
We are all aware how the minimum voice of protest --- be it a peaceful slogan shouting or simple inscription of "NO WAR" --- are/were being tamed with iron hand in Russia with even children, women or senior citizens not getting spared from detention, imprisonment and severe punishment. The Novaya Gazeta newspaper --- Muratov is the editor-in-chief of which --- was already facing the ire of Kremlin for long for daring to criticise the policies of the State or Vladimir Putin. So Muratov was well aware of the severe consequences he might have to encounter, thanks to his unique sacrifice of even the prized Nobel medal drawing international attention resembling a tight slap upon the State apparatus and its supremo. Yet he had not hesitated to take this extreme bold step despite residing in Russia and thereby endangering his own freedom, safety, career, future and even life just to respond to his Call of Conscience and offer financial/moral assistance towards assaulted people of foreign vintage i.e. the Ukrainian refugees !
Dmitry Muratov had practically proved through sheer action that Humanity is infinite times Greater than blind rabid "Nationalism"! So instead of uttering zealous rhetoric of "My Russia is Great" and supporting the aggression akin to Dark Medieval Ages, Muratov could protest against his very own( in terms of mere passport ) so as to embrace the God's own ie human beings of the world(that too persecuted) by transcending narrow definition of "Nation".
Will the exemplary act of Dr. Ihor Kolodka towards his own countrymen (victims of aggression) and selfless protest by Dmitry Muratov against the aggressive State apparatus of his own country inspire the world to protest against Russian invasion of Ukraine by drawing inspiration from the eternal truth - - "All things can be sacrificed for the sake of humanity, but Humanity cannot be sacrificed for the sake of anything"!