The advent of the 20th Century heralds an era of development unprecedented in all spheres of human progress; markedly so in the area of weapons technology. Colonial expansionism and the two great wars brought in their wake large scale destruction of nations, collapse of economies and most of all untold human misery.
At the end of it all, beyond glorious accounts of heroics under fire, there were no gains for any country or its people. The real victims were the common citizens who suffered in silence, and had no hand or involvement in the commencement of these wars.
Have we learnt any lessons? The answer is blatantly a big NO. The cold war era which followed, lead the world yet again to the brink. If the mind has not advanced beyond what it was during the pre colonial / world war stage i.e. perpetration of untold misery on fellow humans for the sake of self aggrandisement and a false sense of supremacist thinking; then no amount of technological prowess justifies any country to be referred to as an advanced nation.
Unmatched humanity and compassion alone can justify the entitlement as an advanced nation and such thought has to flow out to embrace all mankind without being selective in applicability.
Science without doubt has established a genetic link between people of all ethnicities, yet some are considered to be the children of a lesser God and looked down upon. All the major religions of the world propagate love, compassion and a humanistic approach towards fellow humans without discrimination; yet humans have drawn divisive line based on ethnicities and regions and at the same time claim being God fearing people.
If we are neither prepared to accept scientific evidence nor accept the humanistic values propagated by the great founders of major religions then, where lies the solution? Obviously the problem area is the human mind which needs to transcend egoistic and supremacist thoughts if peace is to be given a chance.
Aptly, the preamble of the UNESCO Constitution states “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.”
Reach out to people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, religious beliefs and hold a heart to heart dialogue at individual level. It will be seen that all alike, decry war, and abhor its allied misery, destruction and violation of human rights. All display a deep rooted desire for peace and uphold humanistic values to the core.
Yet surprisingly, the very same people vehemently justify military actions of their countries at a collective level. Obviously then, the “minds of men” mentioned in the UNESCO Constitution refers to the minds of the leadership.
Leadership
If global peace is desired, it will require a major rethink on the part of world leadership. Till of late,
majority of militarily strong nations had at their helm those who had themselves served terms in
their militaries and experienced war and its horrors upfront. Yet, pretty little was done to reduce if
not to remove the spectre of war from the world.
The think tanks worked on the levels of annihilation of the enemy rather than on prospects of peace, and global destruction was just a step away. With power at their disposal it will be better for humanity if it is kept at hand rather than in the head. The search and propagation of peace, with a gun in hand only qualifies for the ‘Humour in Uniform’ columns. The late Prime Minister of India, Mrs Indira Gandhi very rightly said that ‘one cannot be shaking hands with a clenched fist.’
Belligerence only isolates.
Greed
The lust for power and domination over others led to development of uncontrollable military might during the last century. With the break-up of the Cold War barriers, military domination has given way to economic domination. With no holds barred, in the guise of market principles, it has now grown beyond regulatory control of governments.
Technological Advancement
Though scientific and technological advancements are directed towards betterment of mankind; today, it has become imperative that due thought be given to side effects of such advancement.
Resultant ecological imbalance and its fallout on mankind can not be given a go-by keeping in mind the prevailing environmental scenario. Research and advancement beyond the reach of a common man needs a re-think before millions are spent.
Poverty and Hunger
Drought caused by ecological imbalances has many parts of the world reeling under pangs of poverty and hunger. Strife is the natural fallout where poverty and hunger prevail. Some nations, turning an obvious blind eye to these conditions are spending trillions of dollars to study if life ever existed beyond our planet. What use is such research with distant long term goals if people today co-inhabiting our planet are leading an inhuman existence? Conditions prevailing in Africa and many other regions need no elaboration.
The Solution
The solution is in the minds of men viz, the leaders of nations. It lies in their hands to whip up war frenzy or sow the seeds of compassion and humanism in their people. Political rhetoric can sway the people either side collectively. People are intrinsically given to peace and humanism at individual levels. A humanistic approach needs to replace belligerent stances.
Dialogue with an open and equal mind with a view to resolve amicably rather than force decisions needs to be the order of the day. Due consideration to the other’s point of view is required for fruitful results and confidence building.
Collective international efforts transcending national borders are required for addressing humanitarian issues and cannot be the responsibility of a few nations.
Nations must raise the levels of education and awareness of social and environmental responsibilities.
Need to curtail international arms dealings through a system of checks and limits are paramount.
Promotion of sustainable development and technological advancements within reach of the common man is called for.
A larger role for NGOs is envisaged to reach out to the people at the grass roots level preferably under the aegis of the United Nations. One such organisation is Soka Gakkai International (S.G.I.) of Japan. Functioning under the leadership of Dr Daisaku Ikeda its third President and recipient of
UN Peace Medal, SGI through a wide range of activities seeks to foster awareness of social and environmental responsibilities we all share for the future. At the heart of the S.G.I.’s peace initiative is the ideal of education for global citizenship. Drawing inspiration from the humanistic philosophy of Buddhism, its core concepts include:
• The inherent dignity and equality of all human life.
• The unity of life and its environment.
•The inter-connectedness of all beings that makes altruism the only viable path to personal happiness.
• The limitless potential of each individual to make a difference.
•The fundamental right of each person to pursue self development through a process of self motivated inner reform.
You can make a difference too. The world is for you to change. Step out and reach out to fellow humans.