Thobela Isilumkiso!

GQUM! NgoJuni 3, 1991, iNtaba iFugen yaseJapan yatsho ngesithongakazi, ikhupha izantyalantyala zegesi kunye nothuthu lwentaba-mlilo. Loo mxube utshisayo wehlisa loo ntaba. Olo gqabhuko-dubulo lwabulala abantu abangama-43. Abaninzi abasinda ngokulambisa batsha kanobom. Bambi babekhwaza besithi: “Sicela amanzi torho.” Abacimi-mlilo kunye namapolisa benza amatshe besiya kubanceda.

KWISITHUBA seeveki ezimbini ngaphambilana kwakubonwe udaka lwentaba-mlilo kwincopho yeNtaba iFugen, kwaza kwaxelelwa abasemagunyeni kunye nabemi. Kangangexesha elingaphezu kweveki ngaphambi kwaloo ntlekele, kwakunikelwe isilumkiso sokuba kuphunywe kuloo ndawo. Kusuku nje ngaphambi kokuba kwenzeke olo gqabhuko-dubulo, amapolisa ayecele abamajelo eendaba ukuba bayeke ukuya kulaa ndawo ivaliweyo. Sekunjalo, ngaloo mvakwemini yamasikizi amaxhoba angama-43 ayekuloo mmandla uyingozi.

Yintoni eyabangela ukuba abantu abaninzi bathi tsi kuloo mmandla okanye baqhubeke behleli apho? Abanye abalimi ababeshiye amakhaya abo babuyela kuwo beyokuhlola izinto zabo kunye namasimi. Iingcali ezintathu zentaba-mlilo zazizama ukusondela kangangoko zinako kuloo ntaba-mlilo ukuze zanelise izilangazelelo zazo zemfundo. Uninzi lwabachola-choli beendaba kunye nabo bathabatha imifanekiso lwaba nobuganga bokudlula kwimida esikiweyo kuba nje lufuna ukuziphaka zishushu iindaba ezingaloo ntaba-mlilo. Abaqhubi abathathu ababeqeshwe ngamajelo eendaba babelapho. Amapolisa kunye namatshantliziyo abacimi-mlilo babephangele. Ngamnye kubo wayenesizathu sokuya kuloo mmandla oyingozi—ibe umphumo waba kukuphulukana kwakhe nobomi bakhe.

Ngaba Ukummandla Oyingozi?

Sisenokuba asiphili kufuphi nendawo ekunokubakho intaba-mlilo kuyo. Ukanti kuthekani ukuba besijamelene nentlekele yehlabathi lonke, eyenza wonk’ ubani abe kummandla oyingozi olihlabathi liphela? Incwadi eye yangqineka ingumthombo onokuthenjwa wenkcazelo yeziprofeto iyasilumkisa ngentlekele ezayo yehlabathi lonke ibe iyichaza ngolu hlobo: “Ilanga liya kwenziwa mnyama, nenyanga ayiyi kunika ukukhanya kwayo, ibe kuya kuwa iinkwenkwezi ezulwini, namandla amazulu aya kugungqiswa. . . . Zonke izizwe zomhlaba zimbambazele zisenza isijwili.” (Mateyu 24:29, 30) Apha intlekele eza kwenzeka kwizikhanyiso zezulu kwindalo iphela ichazwa njengechaphazela “zonke izizwe zomhlaba.” Ngamany’ amazwi, esi siprofeto sithetha ngesihelegu esiza kuchaphazela ngamnye wethu.

Le ncwadi enokuthenjwa yesiprofeto yiBhayibhile. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, umongo wesi sibhalo sicatshulwe ngasentla usinika inkcazelo eneenkcukacha yezinto eziza kukhokelela kwintlekele yehlabathi lonke. Kanye njengokuba udaka lwentaba-mlilo kunye neminye imiqondiso yentaba-mlilo yanika amagosa esixeko saseShimabara isizathu sokuchaza ummandla othile njengoyingozi, iBhayibhile isinika isizathu sokuba siphaphe yaye sizilungiselele ukuze sisinde. Sinokufunda isifundo koko kwenzeka kwiNtaba iFugen size siqonde oko kuza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo.

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 2]

COVER: Yomiuri/Orion Press/Sipa Press

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 3]

Yomiuri/Orion Press/Sipa Press