By DP Dimri
Former visionary UN Secretary General U Thant had during the early seventies emphasised, “The concept of peaceful coexistence has been criticised by many. I wonder if they have ever paused to ask themselves, what is the alternative to coexistence.” The tempo against gradually building up arms race and brewing cold war had been so high during that period that even a common young student of Physics like me during 1968 had also visualised such global despondency and expressed horrors of the growing nuclear-race through my college magazine article, “Horror of Nuclear War and future of the Universe”. The situation has since worsened, placing humankind on a volcano of mass destruction, which may erupt at any time on short provocation.
Timely advisories by several wise world leaders and conferment of numerous Nobel Awards for world peace and well-being of mankind did not deter war mongers from scaling up the race culminating in the present wherein nations and ideologies threaten each other with total annihilation. The basic fact remains – two persons fighting on the street are called uncivilised but what about two or more nations warring openly. Should not these be termed as uncivilised and barbaric?
The root causes of most human created devastations since ages have been: unfounded territorial gains and narrow religious fundamentalism. History is replete with tales of disgraceful end of such dictatorial misadventures. In the present context, Ukraine and Gaza wars are also primarily attributable to globally eroding human-value systems of sharing & caring, intolerance for mutual-existence, failure to honour negotiated settlements to acquire supremacy, and extreme polarisation among various religious and ideological sects.
Sadly, these long drawn wars, initially spearheaded by ruthless militant groups, have divided most nations into two factions based on ideological and political affiliations, leading Earth to the brink of World War. All kinds of latest dreaded munitions have been test-fired during these pointless battles. Terrorism has even taken ever changing dimensions of converting hospitals, schools and religious places into war rooms and stockpile dreaded weapons. Thousands of innocent are dead and millions wounded or rendered shelterless with the toll still rising steadily, threatening annihilation of major parts of the Earth in case the madness rakes up to use of lethal nuclear and biological weapons. Such a sharp division on religious or political grounds is an unhealthy pointer to the future of global peaceful co-existence, as also a grave threat to the very existence of the human race. What sort of world are we leaving for future generations?
Age old happenings reveal that all conflicts and wars find final solutions on the negotiating table through mutual dialogues and agreements. Thinking prudently, why indulge in mass revengeful hatred, inconsequential conflicts and devastating wars at all? The world, in the prevalent manifestations, has to find new solutions to formidable challenges faced by the human race for peaceful existence. We must not violate the basic human instinct for a joyful life. A few suggested action points in this regard are: Firm belief in peaceful coexistence; Zero tolerance towards terrorism in any form or region; Shun ethnic fundamentalism or radicalisation; All dispute settlements through mutual consultations and dialogues with durable acceptability; and Sharing of all progressive advancements of mutual interest.
All such viewpoints may seem utopian to some but are we left with any other choice for practising sustainable “Coexistence”? And, all this would be achievable through adopting the unique concept of “One Earth, One Family and One Constitution”. Undoubtedly, it would require extensive consultations with genuine mutual understanding and changed perceptions at the global level. No more temporary ceasefires or truce but sustainable global living and growth. Such an out of the box proposal is conceivable and implementable, needing just an enduring attempt as also proposed by former learned Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam, “True relationship is only one – The entire earth is man’s native land, mankind one family and all human beings as brothers”.
Right sense should prevail and some genuine peace loving well-wishers of humankind must work towards implementation of the ultimate survival concept of “World-Family” based on the enormous wisdom gathered through the ages. And, the earlier, the better. The ground work must commence now towards only the ultimate alternative for human survival and well-being. India can play a pivotal role in driving this global movement. Let not advancements in science and technology master humankind or bloat our egos because “While Science is Organised Knowledge, wisdom is Organised Life”. This is the time for wisdom to prevail. Our earth can afford no WW-III.
(The Author is a Social Entrepreneur and has been advisor to GoI in Skill Development and Entrepreneurship)
