We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat King and your lean beggar, is but variable service, two dishes but to one table; that's the end.-- Hamlet, Shakespeare
To Serve Man
In 1962 the classic USA TV series, The Twilight Zone, aired an episode in which visitors from a distant planet convince humans that the mission of the aliens is to use their advanced technology in aid of humanity. When a skeptical expert decodes the title of one of their books as "To Serve Man", full trust is affirmed. However, just as humans are boarding the visitor's spaceship, he runs up and shouts his latest discovery: he'd misinterpreted the title. "It's a cookbook!".
Today, however, if you're looking for chefs from exotic planets to show up and skillfully butcher flesh for you, your wait is in vain. The current market is dominated by local talent, serving up home-cooked man in African, American, Asian-Pacific, and European cuisines. As with the extra-terrestials, the first course served is always a message of altruism: safeguarding human rights or political/religious utopia offered those who are willing to take the next step - that leads the trusting souls into the boiling kettle.
Each of the world's major religions is used to serve man (Despite Buddhism's non-violent image, today there are Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka using Buddhist rhetoric to push for escalation of the tragic war there. In 1959, the prime minister of Sri Lanka was assassinated by a Buddhist monk). And the USA deserves special mention for serving directly or indirectly (by supplying weapons) in most places humans are being slaughtered.
Though marketing of armed conflict usually reduces it to a simple formula of good vs. evil, some (particularly writers and film makers) view it as a uniquely rich reflection of human consciousness - fragmentation, clinging, ideals, ideology, religion, belief, rigidity, greed, cunning, brutality, ambition, ruthlessness, jealousy, suspicion, pride, deceit, confusion. However, the naive mind may not perceive this and be tempted to see today's conflicts, superficially, as simply ridiculous. But by taking the time to probe deeper into the background, to consider the historical, sociological, and economic forces at work, one finds instead that today's conflicts are deeply, profoundly and tragically ridiculous.
The Menu
| Site/Year | Summary of Dispute | Killed/Displaced | Involved | Religions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aceh, Asia/1989 | Indonesia troops vs. independence rebels | 5,000/140,000 | Mobil Corp. (US oil company), US arms | Although Muslim (like most Indonesians), Acehnese see themselves as culturally distinct and practicing a more devout form of Islam. |
| Afghanistan, Asia: under Taliban rule/1995 | Ruling Taliban troops trying to capture areas controlled by opposition | ??/2600,000 | Pakistan, Saudia Arabia, US arms and training | Opposition coalition of religious and ethnic minorities against ruling Sunni Muslim Taliban religious army, that controls 90 percent of Afghanistan and imposed a strict version of Islamic law in areas under their control. Other areas of government administration are virtually non-existent |
| Afghanistan, Asia: under US attack/2001 | US pressure Taliban to expel group said to be responsible for attacks in US | 1000-3600(*)/?? | US, UK, Pakistan | Taliban rule disintegrated and Transitional Administration established, composed of rival ethnic/religious groups. But effective reach of government does not extend beyond Kabul. Strict version of Islamic law still rules. As of April 7 2003, both US air attacks and Taliban attacks on US forces continue |
| Algeria, Africa/1992 | Algeria troops vs. ousted opposition | 100,000 | ??/?? | Rebels are fundamentalist Islamic |
| Angola, Africa/1975 | Angola troops vs rebels | ??/1500,000 | South Africa, US, UN | ?? |
| Assam, Asia/1979 | India troops vs rebels fighting for self-rule | 10,000 | ??/?? | Bodo claim culture is threatened by Muslim immigrants who migrate from Bangladesh |
| Burundi, Africa/1993 | Burundi troops vs. militia | 200,000 | 350,000/?? | ?? |
| Chechnya, Asia/1994 | Russia troops vs. independence rebels | ?? | 180,000/?? | Chechens are Muslim since 1600 ; Islamic (political) revival as Chechen government is the only government in the former Soviet to have officially embraced Islam as a state religion, with sharia laws and courts being introduced last year; Rebels are pushing Islamic agenda |
| Columbia, South America/1964 | Columbia troops and paramilitaries vs. Marxist rebels. | 35,000/?? | US, Ecuador | ?? |
| Congo, Africa/1997 | Congo troops vs. rebels loyal to ousted government | ??/700,000 | US, France, Belgium, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia | ?? |
| Eritrea/Ethiopia, Africa/1998 | Border war between Eritrea and Ethiopia | 50,000/500,000 | Russia, Italy, Bulgaria, China | ?? |
| Guinea-Bissau, Africa/1998 | Army mutiny leads to civil war | ??/359,000 | Senegal | ?? |
| Iraq, Asia/1990 | UN sanctions cripple economy, force starvation US/UK air strikes on defense sites. | 500,000/?? | US, UN, UK, Turkey | US, UK claim zone is to protect Kurdish rebels in the north and Shiite Muslims in the south |
| Kashmir, Asia/1989 | Territorial dispute between India and Pakistan, involving independence rebels. | 25,000/?? | India, Pakistan, China, Israel, Russia | Kashmir is the only predominantly Muslim state in predominantly Hindu India and Pakistan is Muslim. |
| Korea, Asia/1950 | Active Cold War remnant | ??/?? | US, China | None |
| Lebanon, Asia/1985 | Israel and proxy troops vs. anti-occupation rebels | ??/?? | Israel, US, Iran, Syria | Israel established as a Jewish homeland in Muslim Palestine. Rebels are Shiite Muslims. |
| Maluku, Asia/1999 | Communal dispute between Muslims and Christians | 3,000 | 100,000/?? | Muslims vs Christians |
| Nagaland, Asia/1954 | India troops vs. independence rebels | ?? | ??/?? | ?? |
| Nepal, Asia/1996 | Nepal police vs. Maoist rebels | 1176 | ??/?? | ?? |
| Northern Ireland, Europe/1969 | Reunion with Ireland vs. British rule | 3225/?? | Ireland, UK, US | Reunionists are typically Catholic, who suffer discrimination from Protestant majority |
| Palestine, Asia/1947 | Israel troops vs anti-occupation rebels | ??/3200,000 | Israel, US | Israel established as a Jewish homeland in Muslim Palestine |
| Peru, South America/1980 | Government vs. Maoist rebels | 30,000/?? | US arms | None |
| Senegal, Africa/1982 | Senegal troops vs. independence rebels in south | 1200/7,000 | US arms | ?? |
| Serbia, Europe/1998 | Albanians vs. Serbs in cycle of retaliation | ??/200,000 | NATO, UN | Serbian forces are mainly Orthodox Christan. Kosovars are mainly Muslim. |
| Sierra Leone, Africa/1991 | Sierra Leone troops vs rebels | 10,000 | 500,000/?? | ?? |
| Somalia, Africa/1991 | Militia battle for control | ??/900,000 | Ethiopia, Eritrea, US | ?? |
| Sri Lanka, Asia/1983 | Sri Lanka troops vs. independence rebels | 61,000/750,000 | India | Rebels are Tamil Hindus in a majority Sinhalese Buddhist country. "As we all know, both religions give the utmost importance to Ahimsa, the principle of non-violence to all living beings." - Bandu Masakorala, delegate of Sri Lanka Veg. Soc. |
| Sudan, Africa/1983 | Sudan troops vs. anti-sharia rebels in south | 1900,000/450,000 | Uganda | Christian and animist rebels against government's strict form of Islamic law |
| Timor, Asia/1975 | Post-independence violence | ??/?? | US arms | Timor is predominantly Catholic, Indonesia predominantly Muslim |
| Tripura, Asia/1979 | India troops vs. independence rebels | 10,000 | ??/?? | ?? |
| Turkey, Europe/1984 | Turkey troops vs. rebels for autonomy | 37,000/?? | US arms | ?? |
| Uganda, Africa/1986 | Uganda troops vs. rebels | ??/?? | Sudan | ?? |
| Site/Year | Summary of Dispute | Killed/Displaced | Involved | Religions |
Credits
- (*)See Studies counting Afghan civilian casualties
- To Serve Man, screenplay by Rod Serling (based on a short story "To Serve Man" by Damon Knight)
- Photo, top left: Ethiopian militia
- Photo, top right:US Navy in Adriatic Sea. Photo by Kris White, 1996