Checkpoint Jesus
by Chandi Sinnathurai
When Jesus walked
Through the Muhamalai checkpoint
He was stopped and searched at gun-point.
Questions asked
To which he found “no satisfactory” response.
Reason of your travel? Visit or foreign business?
“I’m going to meet with the children
Who are starving in Northern towns…
I’ve also heard some weeks ago
Over 53 of them died
When a jet plane bombed from on high.”
No! No? lied the soldier
Pouching his moustached lips.
You cannot enter Vanni
Not on my watch, he wisped.
Are you an UN Inspector?
You must be a terror-maker, yes, No?
A Tamil Tiger?
In cotton shirt ‘n’ elastic vest.
Jesus wept with anger:
“If you must you can stop me” he whispered
“But still I will go; I’m not a war monger.
Mark my words. That’s the FINAL answer.”
Show me: I will now do a thorough body search
To make sure all is fine.
Stark naked, I say! you have body marks,
Fresh Wounds in your hands!
Drilled Scars on your feet!
Straight from the battle ground, eh?
“And I must speak to the wounded people.
Comfort, console, and speak up on their behalf.
I can’t bear the pain of suckling infants
Who have lost their mothers to bullets.”
You are under arrest! Hands up!
This is an order. No under-cover reporter allowed.
What’s your name again? The soldier barked.
“ Jesus of the North East
Betrayed, crucified and buried
But that’s only half-a-story.”
With these words he walked towards
The check-point; hostile barbed wires…
The confused soldier stood,
Took aim and rang the Automatic-barrel…
People ran; screamed in panic;
Many fell; bled and died.
With the smoking gun the soldier saluted.
Mumbled and fumbled:
Sir, He escaped! There He’s gone to the Eelam side!!
‘Who? Kavutha? Kavutha yakko?’
JESUS OF THE NORTH EAST.
He’s gone to celebrate the Eucharist
Among the tortured Body politic
The soldier cried and collapsed!
(Only to be trampled under his Commander’s boot.)
Warning: This poetic-narrative is a reflection on Jesus as encultured and seen here not as strictly a religious personality – in clerical garb; playing religious power games; occupied in pious clichés; but as someone whom you might encounter in the Gospels – a “more human radical” – God outside the box, if you must! (C.S)
Tamil Eelam Child Protection Act 2006 (Act No. 03 of 2006), enacted by Tamil Eelam Legislature Secretariat and which became effective on October 15, brings into law measures to protect the Rights and well-being of children from inception of life through adolescence, Head of Tamileelam Judiciary, E. Pararajasingham.
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