Monday, December 8, 2008

Day 14: 8 December - Enough is Enough

As i was walking to the Internet cafe this morning i was really at a loss as to what i was going to write about. I have so many different thoughts, experiences and emotions swirling around in my head. I was struggling to piece them together into something that might make since. I had decided to just write a couple of sentences and hope that i had my thoughts together by this afternoon. But then something happened. A few minutes after i sat down at the computer Bonani, one of the small Long Street kids, walked in the door. He did not greet me with his trademark smile however. He quickly walked up to me and as he got closer i could see he was crying. He came close to me and leaned against my side crying. He had a golf ball sized knot over his left eye, with blood dripping from it. I few smaller knots on his forehead, also with cuts on the peaks. As i hugged him i noticed he was soaking wet.

His hands were totally withered like someone who had spent way too long in the bath tub. His eyes were swollen and blood shot; which i later found out was from tear gas. He asked me to contact a social worker because the Security had picked him up and taken him to the police last night. They beat him, sprayed him with tear gas, sprayed him down with water, and beat him some more. He is starving and has not had anything to eat. I do not know what provoked this response from the Security, but i do know that beating a child and spraying him with tear gas is never acceptable! No matter what! I can't write long because he is sitting beside me sleeping, waiting for me to "help" him. I have no cell phone to call for help and only a few rand to buy him something to eat. I wanted to take a minute to write this because this is the kind of story that needs to get out. It is very ironic that such a small child got beat up by the very people who are supposed to be "keeping the peace", WITHIN the 16 days of activism against violence towards women and children!! I say enough is enough!

7 comments:

Unknown said...

oh i am so pissed off right now. is there anything i can do???

Montwane said...

Yes is it such a ....... Ok lets move on from there firstly I am based on Jozi and would like to help is there anyway I could help with whatever is needed. I admire what you are doing but carring so much by yourself I think will also affect you more but I am willing to help in anyway possible just say what you would need from people like myself then lets do it.

Abbey Matlala

Tendai Sean Joe said...

this unacceptable and the kid will be traumaised for the rest of his life.i find it with myself,when i was a streetkid i was beaten by the cops and the general public and now even if i know i wont be violent,my emotions are just wild due to those experiences.

Anonymous said...

SHOCKING!!! Thanks for sharing daily Ryan. I believe that this will help to bring change..praying for that. Anneke

Beth said...

OOOOOOOOOH, That infuriates me!!!!!! Poor little guy. At least he had you to lean on rather than having to go lay on the ground by a wall and suffer alone. He's the reason you are there.

MylifE said...

At the end of the day, the security guards are receiving orders that they are following through. It is sick to see this happening, not just today, for many years.

Thank you Ryan for bringing this awareness to society, maybe some of the fat cats that are responsible for hiring the security, will see this and if they have a conscience, will spend as much money on getting the kids off the streets as they do in hiring security guards that are not trained to handle their jobs.

Can you imagine a World where a child could go to a security officer and ask for help as opposed to being smacked for being a child living on the streets.

John said...

Unbelievable! I am speechless...