Uncle Obama, Stop the Drones, or I’ll Die: A Letter

Dear Uncle Obama,

My name is Palwasha and I am 7 years old. Uncle I want to tell you something so that you can help me because only you can help me. I will die if you don’t, so please read this.

I live in Waziristan and I used to go to school regularly. I am a very good girl and all my friends and family say that as well. One day my teacher told me that if some children don’t behave, if they tell lies, if they cheat and if they don’t listen to elders, then God is not happy with these children and He punishes them. But dear Uncle Obama, I have done nothing wrong, I always speak the truth, I never cheat anyone and I listen to my elders also. You know one day my friend brought school dinner and it was my favourite dinner but I did not eat it even when my friend went out for toilet. And one day my teacher asked me whether I like her or not and I said No because my mummy and my favourite teacher told me to speak the truth always. You see I am so very good but I don’t understand one thing. If I do everything right then why I am being punished Uncle. No one is ready to give me answer to my question so I thought to write you this letter.

I was living a very happy life with my mummy, my daddy and with my two brothers. One day when my daddy was telling me a story at night, a drone aeroplane came and threw a missile at our home. Uncle, it killed my mummy, my daddy and my younger brother. I and my elder brother, who is 12 years old, did not die. I cried and cried but my mummy and daddy and brother did not open their eyes when they were dead. My arms had small injuries and they are okay now but both of my legs were blown away when drone attacked our home. A lot of blood came out of my legs and arms. My aunty gave me a wheelchair to move around but I don’t like it. I want to run and fly like before. My brother, who survived, lost his right hand and now he cannot write or draw. He cannot eat properly and he has to use his left hand to do all work. Why I and my family are punished, Uncle? You can ask my teacher I am a very good girl.

Uncle, I cannot play now because I have no legs. My dolls also died in the attack and their dresses burnt completely. My daddy gave me these dolls as present on my birthday. My pink doll also burnt and it was my favourite, Uncle. I cannot change my clothes Uncle and my mummy is sleeping in her grave. I go to her grave every morning and every evening and cry and cry and cry and ask her to please come back to me but I think she is angry with me. My daddy is also angry with me. Uncle, my mummy and my daddy don’t listen to me and don’t come back. My daddy was not like that before. One day in my school, I bumped against a girl and fell down and injured my knee. He came to the school in no time and took me to the hospital but now I don’t have legs and they bleed and bleed but he is not coming back. Why Uncle Why? No one is with me to look after me and my brother can’t do anything you know. He does not know how to work and he does not know where to buy me presents and dolls. He does not know many stories to tell me.

Uncle, please stop these drones because if my brother is also killed, I would be left alone and I am very scared of those bad aeroplanes. At night, I get so scared that I can’t sleep. My daddy used to tell me different stories, sometimes funny, sometimes scary and yes, you know Uncle, one day he told me about Disney World which is in your country. He said he would take me and my brothers to Disney World where I could see my favourite Mickey Mouse. I was so very excited but now I can’t go there. My daddy is also dead. You know Uncle when he died, his body was cut into three pieces and some people did not allow me to see his body. But I saw him in the coffin from my window hiding behind the blinds. His coffin was all red and dripping with blood.

Uncle, please help me! Please ask your army men to stop drones. If they say NO, tell them that I will die also and my brother will also die. Tell them that I am just like your daughter and they will stop drones because you are stronger than those army men. They can’t say NO to you, Uncle. My friends play outside, they jump, they have dolls and when I see them, I also want to do the same but I can’t now. Please ask them Uncle Obama to stop drones and when my wounds heal, I will make you very nice food and omelette and tea. My mummy told me how to make all these things. I have only one doll left who did not die in the drone attack so if you stop drones, I will send this doll for your daughters as a gift and this is all I have to send. If you don’t stop drones my dear Uncle, I will die and I don’t want to die because I want to see Disney World and Mickey Mouse. I don’t want to die because if my mummy and daddy and my brother come back from their graves, they will be upset not to find me anywhere. Please please please Uncle, stop the drones. Uncle, I miss my mummy, daddy and my brother so very much. Can you please bring them back, just for me?

I am

Palwasha.

Waziristan, Pakistan.