Wings to Fly (Photo: Internet)

I often used to wonder why most Indian women get married so early -- the average age being 23-24 years old. I would always ask myself: Isn’t being “free” (from responsibilities and a lifetime commitment) a better life, at least when you are that young?

At 28, after being away from home on my own for the first time ever and having tasted real freedom, I found the answer! Not only that, I, who was marriage phobic, and I, who wanted to maintain my non-married status for as long as I could, wanted to be “tied down.” Let me explain if it isn’t making any sense…

Compared to my Western girl friends, most of whom got their wings to fly when they were teenagers, I decided to get out of my nest some two years back to pursue my Masters degree. During my stay in London away from parents, I started questioning my bringing up as I learnt more about myself and what it meant to be FREE. I had never known the other way so I never felt odd being questioned for little things like where I was, with whom and what for.

My Indian parents are still the most liberal in the family, if you asked me, but they are overly protective and concerned, especially my dad. The truth is this desire to protect us, even when borne out of genuine concern, is a cage. It limits our choices and opportunities and prevents us from discovering our worth and strengths.

I am getting married late this year and my man is just the sort of guy I wanted for myself – someone who gives me my flying space. I hope my 24-year old cousin, who is tying the knot in two weeks, gets the same from her husband-to-be.

I caught her online last week and asked if she was all perked up for her big day. She said she was nervous as her “days of independence are coming to an end.”

I hope she’s proved wrong and gets to fly high to explore the unknown just like I did in London and would after marriage.

Wake Up! (Photo:Web)

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“There is no freedom without struggle, and there is no freedom without sacrifice,” said Morgan Tsvangirai, the main opposition party leader in Zimbabwe, who called for a popular struggle against Robert Mugabe's government. He suffered a brain injury and a fractured skull and was moved into the incentive care unit.

Tsvangirai isn’t alone in facing this kind of torture in the fight for freedom from dictatorship. Under Mugabe`s regime, so many opposition activists have gone through this brutality and political tyranny – some have been detained, raped and even murdered.

Mugabe, who once fought for the freedom of his country, is now denying that freedom to his own people. He has created an economic and political crisis in a once-prosperous nation, which is now known for chronic shortages of food and medicine, highest inflation rate in the world, violation of human rights.

Why hasn’t the UN or international community taken any drastic steps against such cruelties? Is it because it is a case a minority and powerful black community is terrorizing and slaughtering a major black community?

“Mugabe has murdered more black Africans than the evil South African apartheid regime,” said human-rights campaigner, Peter Tatchall. “A black state murdering black citizens does not, apparently, merit the same outrage as a white state murdering black citizens. I call that racism.”

It is time the international community did more than just denouncing Mugabe`s acts. Zimbabwe’s suspension from the Commonwealth alone can`t achieve much, but an end to President Mugabe’s dictatorship would.

The international community must show solidarity with the freedom struggle of the people of Zimbabwe, otherwise sacrifices alone from the opposition activists will only lead to more brutality and murders in the nation. In my opinion, Tsvangirai`s sacrifice and struggle will only pay off if the international community wakes up.