Responding to the post by Jolly Jacob (www.blackswan.rediffiland.com), Gman (www.mussings.rediffiland.com) had pointed out that “ a very uncomfortable but hard fact of war is that, through the ages and time, it is women and children who have actually suffered the effects of war. The men have fought and gone, the women have had to cope with the after effects” 

        I am sure that GMan had no intention of undervaluing the patriotism, valour or sacrifice of the soldiers who take part in the wars , on behalf of their respective countries, while we , the women sit  back in the comforts of our home. But the truth also is that cruelty soon creeps in amongst all those laudable virtues and the violence that is perpetrated on women and children , persist long after the war is officially over. And Gman should know, being so closely involved.

     The following article by Nicholos d Christoff  , the Op-Ed columnist of New York Times, reveals the more shocking truth, that rape is no more a by- product of war, but is increasingly being used as a strategic weapon for subjugation .

 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/opinion/15kristof.html    

       One had earlier also come across the following report of the UNICEF which details the atrocities of war carried out against women and children and the trauma they carry throughout their lives.

 http://www.unicef.org/sowc96pk/sexviol.htm

         Which brings one to the questions; are we as a species more cruel and violent than the rest of the forms of life that inhabit this planet? Is our very intelligence  responsible for the increasing ways and means in which we perpetrate violence?Is the violence of human beings really a means of survival? Is altruism contradictory to Nature? What are we evolving towards?

      Incidentally, the article of Nicholos D Christoff also finds a place on the site of Paulo Coehlo. I know that he has many fans on Rediffiland. May be they would be interested in accessing the same.

 http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/06/17/the-weapon-of-rape/