‘No Escape’ is a thriller that serves as critique on a new form of colonialisation – the corporate kind, that even leads to a kind of slavery. As the character Hammond, who is a frequent visitor to the featured fourth world country put it to explain why a coup against foreigners arose…
‘They [the citizens] don’t usually fight back. Most of the time, they don’t even know what we’re doing. We [our western countries] have interests in this region. The corporations who run them have interests here. So I show up all nice and friendly, offering them a loan to pay got our services, which we know they can’t afford. Then we build them power plants, waterworks. freeways – it doesn’t really matter. And when they can’t repay us the debt, we own them… The rebel leaders said we were trying to enslave their people… and they were right. Most of those merciless men [rebels] out there, they’re trying to protect their children, just like you.’
The rebels led a revolution to overthrow the government, which ‘signed deals with the devils’, letting down the poor. This is a grave reminder that the legally and politically correct might not be morally right. Motivated by greedy intentions in the guise of doing favours and business, simple-minded ignorance of the people was exploited. What seems to be multi-national ‘right’ livelihoods could be mass deceit and exploitation of the poor for their underpaid labour, while human rights and natural resources are ‘robbed’. Although ‘No Escape’ referred to the expatriate family that almost could not escape from the coup, the truth is there is truly no escape for the poor who cannot afford to leave their country.
Wrong as it might be to resort to violence out of desperation for fair treatment, the frustration of the people is also understandable. Both sides, unfortunately surely create negative karma as long as fighting resumes. The world needs more empathy and gentlemanly discussions for peace on earth. If not, its would be the endless shooting of guns and waving of knives. Glimmers of hope shine through when strangers unconditionally help strangers, even to the extent of risking lives for one another. We see locals helping innocent foreigners to hide, while foreigners also helping to defend endangered locals. Is this not the true kind of world we should aspire towards?
