In our time, people have become disillusioned about the fact that ‘even’ the advanced European countries still have wars on their soil, and still talk about winning wars militarily, avoiding to admit that wars should be stopped through negotiations before anyone wins, and better, before they begin – the only true, civilized and peaceful thinking in our time. The concept of fighting wars and winning wars belongs to a time gone by.
After WWII, the slogan was “never again”. But we know that when WWII began, the Germans and the rest of the Europeans were the best educated and enlightened, but that didn’t keep them from war. Since WWII, the advanced and rich superpower USA has been involved in more than a hundred wars and conflicts, and not always on the ‘right side’. European countries have also been involved in violent conflicts and wars, indeed when former colonies fought for independence, as we also know from our Sub-continent. In East Africa, Kenya had a terrible fight for independence, including the Mau-Mau Uprising (1952-1960), brutally fought by the colonial power UK, for which it finally apologized earlier this year.
WUM faculty member awarded Quaid-e-Azam Gold Medal In recent decades, after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989-1991, there have been direct wars in Europe, and conflicts between Russia and former Soviet republics, and structural wars with the West. Russia is mainly European as a quarter of the territory, including the capital Moscow, is in Europe, and eighty percent of the Russians live in the Europe.; the Asian territories will in due course be come up, and already Vladivostok in the far east is an advanced city.
The full Russian invasion of Ukraine, is a war between two European countries, over two years old, but it actually began a decade ago, and NATO and Western Europe failed in peace negotiations. In the NATO member countries, there is enormous rearmament and military build-up. There isn’t much left of the peace philosophy from the first years after WWII. That also includes acceptance of the failed international policies for peace and development, or rather, where inequality is accelerating between and within countries. None of us, indeed not Europe can pride itself of being above wars and violence in theory and practice – although also advocating many tolerant cultural, human rights and religious foundations.
Various food points fined over violations What has gone wrong and how come that when we recall the history of the last century, which was the most violent war century with WWI and WWII, we have not been able to learn enough from the mistakes? In spite of honest efforts by some, how come we have allowed the world to go astray again? And how come the otherwise clever, well-educated and great youth, with their grandparents, have not been able to focus more on peace issues today? What has happened to the quite invisible peace movements, which the youth must revive, not just think about technological development and riches? And then, in ‘another room’, perhaps a place where we go on Sundays or Fridays to pray, we have to ask for forgiveness and mercy for the wrongs we do, and for wisdom and strength to do what we know is right.
It was the former President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere (1922-1999), a politician, anti-colonial activist, and theorist, who said that we pity and feel sorry for the suffering of the poor and struggling, but we don’t do the only thing that would have changed their situation, step down from their shoulders – either that is in everyday life or in broad politics regarding structural or direct violence and war. Yet, we know that a fairer, more equal, and democratic world, will make us all richer – in earthly wealth, and certainly in spirit and values. Let us focus on that in school education and in all social, religious, and other values education in society. It wouldn’t cost money; it would save money. A world without war would not need to allocate money to military equipment and personnel, but more to development and peace efforts – and, yes, true, something would be needed for security and general law enforcement. Ordinary people know this better than we are well-educated. To get that confirmed, just ask your mother or grandmother, sometimes even your father or grandfather. They know it is not naive; it is the old thinking that is naive. The youth must now begin to implement what we who are getting old have old dreamt about, but not even spoken enough about.
Solar panel worth lacs damaged as tree falls at Govt Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital Again, we must stop the ongoing wars before anyone wins, indeed the Russian War in Ukraine. If Russia wins, the West, with Ukraine, would not accept it. And if Ukraine wins, Russia will not accept it either. We must realize that if wars and violent conflicts begin, internally or across borders, there must be immediate peace talks and negotiations. The UN and other organizations should have international peace advisors to help in such situations, not only with blue helmets but with white flags and concrete actions. About the current unworthy wars amongst the brotherly people and countries in the Middle East, now at its lowest and worst in Gaza and Palestine at large, humanity must be ashamed; the leaders should apologize and ask for forgiveness from the people and God.
We know that after a war, if there is a winner, according to military assessment, the winner takes it all, sets all rules, and draws all conclusions, such as after WWII. It may take time before the peace is accepted by all. But then, many times, wars are not won militarily, just fought for years in terrible ways, such as the unjustified twenty-year Western invasion of Afghanistan after the terrorist attacks in the USA on 9/11, 2001. Afghanistan suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties, and massive material and immaterial destruction, and delays in development, and the country is again ruled by a conservative Taliban regime.
PM’s coordinator champions green agenda for Pakistan’s future What comes after wars is talked less about than the wars themselves. We must plan for peace, indeed the development of peaceful mindsets and thinking. In Europe today, I am worried about the current NATO rearmament to create a ‘war mindset’ in peoples’ minds, indeed young people, if policies and visions are not changed. Instead of learning that wars are illogical and belong to a time gone by, the young people of today learn that rearmament and massive military build-up is acceptable. But it is not. And we must make sure that no wars in the future are won by anyone – because they are not allowed to erupt. We must do what we can to avoid wars, and if they do begin, negotiations must take place immediately, yes, before anyone gets a chance to advance and certainly not win, a concept that must be wiped out from our vocabulary and thinking in our time and in all future times.
Dear Reader, even if you think I am naive and too optimistic in my considerations, I hope you will think further yourself about the issues I have raised and many related issues. There is plenty of time to do that, and some issues will take time, especially those that concern the development of more peaceful mindsets and practical focus. But some such issues are indeed urgent, notably those that regard peace negotiations before anybody wins the wars that rage, indeed in Ukraine – and Europe’s and America’s influence in wars and conflicts everywhere, including structural violence and inequality.
Private, financial sectors to change face of agriculture: Aurangzeb Atle Hetland
The writer is a senior Norwegian social scientist with experience from university, diplomacy and development aid. He can be reached at atlehetland@yahoo.com
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