Blue sky

In 2013, civilian victims of an American drone strike spoke in front of the United States Congress. Of the victims was Zubair, a thirteen-year-old boy from North Waziristan, Pakistan. He lost his mother to a drone strike while harvesting okra with his sister and grandmother. “I no longer love blue skies. In fact, I now prefer grey skies. The drones do not fly when the skies are grey,” he said.

My X not only symbolises the brutality or war, but also the United States’ ignorance towards violence and senseless killing. While civilians like Zubair and his family are running for their lives, an American pilot can control the drone from thousands of miles away, in the safety of his/her air-conditioned control room. In this piece, the children are flying a kite, despite the dangers of a drone attack. Their faces are filled with pure joy, as they see their favourite kite flying high in the sky. My hope is that people will choose to see the beauty that is reflected in the children and their kite and end their love affair with violence for good. Who would ever want to fear a clear blue sky?