My blood boils at every sign of injustice toward humanity.

For me, there is no speaking with the enemy, which is anyone who oppresses humans. 

Some might say that they support the oppressed, but do they really?

For me, social justice is important because all human beings are equal. As good human beings, we should look into a country’s justice system and human rights. 

The key to being a human is caring about human life. 

According to Human Rights Watch, people of the Shiite sect face discrimination from the government of Saudi Arabia in education, the justice system and religious freedom. This hits close to my heart because I am part of the same sect. 

On March 12, Saudi Arabia beheaded 81 people. Half of them were Shiites, a religious minority. Most of the people executed took part in the Qatif protests in 2011 and 2012. They protested for their rights and against the discrimination that they faced. The Saudi government sent them to jail for using their voices and speaking out against the regime.  

Saudi Arabia might be a friend of powers such as Europe and North America, but it is as if human rights are overlooked. 

Another example is an ethnic minority called ‘Chin’ in Western Myanmar. They have faced persecution for being Christian and being of a different ethnicity. 

According to the site Myanmar Now, on Oct. 29, 2021, the Myanmar military torched 160 homes and two churches in the village of Thatlang in the Chin state. 

The oppressed citizens should not be forgotten by the world. 

When I see their homes and churches being burned, it breaks my heart because all of the memories of seeing what happened to my people come rushing back. 

If someone really stands with the oppressed, they know that there is no more speaking with the enemy. There is no negotiation with the ones who do not have any care for human life. 

I am a friend of the oppressed. I will never stay silent because when I do, I am guilty of oppression myself.