War: Who Benefits From This?
By Kashoo Tawseef
08 December, 2015
Countercurrents.org
Solve the disputes peacefully, don’t make people hostages
The charter of the United Nations finds no takers in the two nuclear nations of south Asia, India and Pakistan, in the words of Haile Selassie, United Nations expresses the noblest desire of mankind; renunciation of force in the settlement of disputes between states; the assurance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion; the protection of international peace and security.
If EU (European Union) a block with some 28 countries speaking all most different languages can live together in peace and harmony, can help each others economy and tourism and culture by steps like making VISA free for EU nationals and if, any EU national can work in any of those countries of his/her choice. Why can’t two countries with shared history and culture live in peace with each other, yes I’m talking about India and Pakistan? Why people are left hostage to the arrogance of few in both the countries because it is not them (war mongers) who suffer or get killed but the innocent civilians on both side of the border and the soldiers stationed at the border doing their job to make living for themselves and for their families.
Again take the example of EU, United Kingdom being part of the European Union and a responsible state recently held referendum in context of Scotland and people voted to stay with the union of United Kingdom and the first minister of Scotland, who was propagating the separate statehood for Scotland, next day in a press conference said, that I except the verdict of the people although I don’t change my conviction for what I campaigned for but for the sake of accepting the people’s verdict, I’m resigning. If there are some contentious issues between India and Pakistan like Kashmir, why not to hold referendum, same way United Kingdom did and let the people decide their future, which side they want to go and whatever the verdict of people will be should be acceptable to all the parties to the dispute and let the people live the way they want to live as humans as anywhere in the world.
Another example from EU, Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog are two municipalities that divide the town of Baarle on the border between the Netherlands and Belgium, there is an open air restaurant and the serving tables are out there and one can sit anywhere they want and you can see the marking on the ground determining the border between Netherlands and Belgium, people are having their meals and no one cares about which side of the border they are sitting and are just enjoying their food. Why don’t India and Pakistan learn from such examples?
In recent border skirmishes, again innocent lives are lost on both side of the border and according to Aljazeera report, some 10,000 families have been displaced and fled amid India-Pakistan cross-border fire, they are frightened and have abandon their homes and same will be the case from Pakistan side of the border. The questions remains how many more lives will be lost, how long will the people have to leave their houses and livestock’s, how many times more the schools have to be shut and children’s will be deprived from their basic right to education. One wonders, how many more years will it take them, India and Pakistan to understand that solving the disputes peacefully will be better for both the nations and for the future generations to live in peace and harmony. Do something for future generation otherwise they will accuse the present generation for the mess and problems they will be facing and they will not forgive us for the problems we left for them.
Time and again, it has been proved that war is not the solution to any dispute and we have many examples from this century be that from Middle East or in Asia, so it is high time that the best brains from India and Pakistan take the lead and advice the stake holders and policy makers from both sides of the border that resolve the disputes peacefully and end the hostilities for ever. Stop bullying and showing muscles at each other, stop accusing people of being peaceniks just because they don’t want the bloodshed and killing of innocent people from both sides of the border and behave like responsible nations of 21st century so that the future generations will remember you in good memories. As Mahatma Gandhi beautifully said, an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
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