water for he who is not thirsty

The following is a very loose translation of a blog post by Maltese author, poet and playwright Immanuel Mifsud. Apologies in advance – the translation does not do justice to the poetry of Immanuel’s words.

Immanuel draws his readers’ attention to a video produced by Amnesty International which depicts a re-enactment of water boarding. He describes the video as shocking and encourages readers to join Amnesty’s campaign against human rights abuse in the war on terror:

‘The shock multiplies when you remember that not only does this torture take place in an era of liberty and human rights, but that it is occurring with the blessing of a man who, in the privacy of his office, prayed with the Pope for the needs of the family.

Water, in the past, was a symbol of life. It was used by various religions, various poets, various artists. The lack of it gave rise to conflicts and great battles; it awakened consciences too. Whichever angle you choose to look at it from, we have always looked upon water with gratitude, respect and reverence. But, the technocrats of terror and torture, are traitors to tradition. Drops of water represent anguish to those who find themselves strewn on a hard table, with their hands and legs tied, their mouths gaping, their necks pressed, their eyes wide open and their breath short.’