In the course of several coups and civil wars of Sudan and South Sudan, millions have been killed, wounded, disabled or displaced, and brought enormous long-term suffering even to those who could avoid the worst. Division of the country failed to bring peace and relief to either of the two parts. Darfur region’s genocidal violence may have been condemned very widely, but this has not prevented the emergence of new threats here.
If a single factor could have prevented this tragedy, then this is the existence of a strong, non-partisan peace movement working with continuity not just in the bigger cities but also in remote villages with strong UN/international support (without getting involved in or divided by big power politics, dedicated only to peace among the country’s people). Such a peace movement would have enabled people to rise above narrow identities (Arab, African, Arab-African, Afro-Arab, religious identities, others) to create a common future of peace and stability for all people of Sudan. This would have enabled the country and its people to use their considerable resources to ensure that the basic needs of all people are met, instead of allowing militias and armies to blow up the resources (including gold) to procure highly destructive weapons for threatening and killing each other and their own people.
All this is true not just for Sudan but for most other conflict zones of the world. In fact this is even true in the context of several potential conflict zones, not just the already active ones.
Huge armies with expensive and destructive weapons exist in most countries, all the more so in conflict zones which tend to have several heavily armed militias as well. Yet the need to spend half of this budget on ‘soldiers of peace’ or peace activists who work with continuity among people for creating the base conditions for peace, the fertile soil in which flowers of peace are likely to bloom and the thorns of discord are likely to wilt, has seldom, if ever, been appreciated or considered seriously.
Even from the point of view of narrow economic analysis, such an investment would have yielded rich results in terms of ensuring the conditions of social harmony, political stability and economic prosperity.
From the wider viewpoint of reducing the distress of people and strengthening their community life, such investment in peace would give even more impressive results.
A basic message that such peace activists need to convey is to end the many-sided discriminations and hostilities based on ethnicity, race, religion, faith, sect, language, caste, gender and other narrow identities, instead emphasizing the need for all people irrespective of such differences to live together in peace. All differences need to be resolved with peaceful negotiations in a spirit of give and take. Trainings for such peace efforts should be provided, emphasizing similar achievements elsewhere, and institutional mechanisms for this should be created. Similarly, the importance of peaceful relations with all neighboring countries as well as the potential of peaceful negotiations to resolve all existing differences and disputes should be emphasized.
In addition, training of non-violence also involves even more basic efforts to reduce the violence within the self, and violence in all close relationships. This helps to reduce self-harm, domestic violence, gender violence, neighborhood violence and workplace violence. Such efforts reduce distress ad provide much relief in everyday relief. This enables peace activists to obtain the trust and thanks of many people and this trust can be very useful for creating further linkages to reduce violence based on ethnicity, race, religion etc.
Women are likely to emerge as the most dedicated and effective mobilizers for peace. Women often suffer the most in prolonged conflict situations, and they are also very highly motivated in trying to ensure a peaceful future for their children. Their emotional appeal for peace is also likely to be more effective.
Young people are also likely to be very responsive to such peace efforts. With their entire future before them, most likely to be devastated if the forces of violence and conflict take over, they are likely to contribute their best efforts to ensure peace.
These potential champions of peace often never get the opportunities they need to realize the full or even half potential of their capabilities in peace activism.
Give peace a chance in all existing and potential conflict zones. For this broad-based peace efforts, involving continuing peace work by a large number of peace activists, with special emphasis on women and youth, are needed, with international non-partisan help for their protection and support.
Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, Earth without Borders and A Day in 2071.
