History has a knack of exposing human brutality and callousness in spite of claims of being civilised and cultured. Historical accounts show that nations and individuals motivated by self-interest violated all moral norms and human values. This brings to mind the most famous and oft quoted line from James Joyce’s novel Ulysses: “history is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake.”

In the 4th century BC, when the Athenians came to power after defeating the Persians, they were ambitious enough to invade neighbouring islands and countries in order to occupy them and to establish their political hegemony. Their argument was simply that the weaker nations should submit to the powerful ones, and accept their domination. If the Athenians met any resistance, their opponents would be crushed mercilessly.

Once the Romans acquired military power, they too were desirous of ruling over the greater part of the world. Julius Caesar alone killed half of the population of the Gauls and enslaved nearly 60,000 people, who were brought to Rome and traded in the market. The Roman generals fought for power and killed thousands of soldiers to achieve their personal designs. Although the Romans built a great empire, it was at the cost of human suffering and the loss of lives of thousands of soldiers and common people. Is that an achievement to be proud of?

History has been a witness to some terrible events of killing and carnage. When the Abbasids overthrew the Umayyad caliphate, they murdered all members of the ruling dynasty and celebrated victory. It is said that a victorious general or two cut the head of his defeated opponent and made a drinking bowl out of his skull. It was a Mongolian custom to build pillars out of the skulls of their enemies. Babar also followed suit after the battle of Panipat in 1526.

Nightmarish episodes they might be, but human civilisation is a story of suffering and sacrifice.

On the other hand, we find examples of progress in human history. There are scientific and technological inventions which are regarded as a sign of human development and a transition from the age of barbarism to civilisation. However, it is also seen that in some instances, the very same inventions have caused destruction to the very civilisation which led to their creation or invention.

In the modern period, there are many examples when technology is used as a killing machine to massacre nations or ethnic groups. In Africa, in the conflict between the two tribes, Hutu and Tutsi, the Hutus being in power launched a campaign known as ‘ethnic cleansing’ against the Tutsi tribe. They were well-equipped with modern weapons and enjoyed government support.

In order to facilitate them gainst their rival tribe, the government also provided the Hutu with information about the Tutsi. When the rioters went out in search of their victims, in one hand they had guns and in the other they would carry a transistor radio broadcasting the addresses and localities of the Tutsis. In one case, when a group of Tutsi people approached the church for refuge against the attackers, the bishop of the church refused to open the gate and told them that there was no place for them in the church. Consequently, they had to die, even the co-religionists declined to help them and save their lives.

In a similar event of ethnic cleansing, the Slavs systemically massacred the Bosnians. In Gujarat, the provincial government was involved in the bloodshed of the Muslim community. The miscreants were provided lists of the Muslim community which indicated their names and locations of their property. Unhindered by police or any state authority to stop the killing, they freely continued burning and killing the community. When the state becomes involved in riots, disasters are more extensive and unlimited because there is no authority to check or stop the bloody action.

In all the above three cases, the world community observed silently and took notice of the genocide only after the event. According to an estimate, nearly 35 million people have been killed in religious, sectarian and ethnic violence, while 61m people have died because of state terrorism.

History is full of examples where nations in the name of civilisation, nationalism, racism and religion, have committed crimes against humanity. Human development and progress has taken place alongside bloodshed and cruelty to others. Civilisation is hence perhaps not the result of sophistication and refinement of the human character, but it is just an outcome of human suffering and sacrifice.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, December 28th, 2014