Peace Is Possible
TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 7 Dec 2020
Alberto Portugheis | HUFUD - TRANSCEND Media Service
The following is an open letter I sent from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to the International Peace Bureau in Berlin, Germany, following their request for a donation on “Giving Tuesday” (1st December)
Dear IPB Executive, dear friends of Peace,
Nothing would make us happier–HUFUD and I personally–than help IPB achieve its goals of “disarmament, development and education“, but we first need to know what are your achievements in your 128-year history.
I know you have already created a very wide global network for peace and justice; I know you’ve partnered with trade unions, social movements, and climate activists.
I also know that in those 128 years we have experienced:
two World Wars,
hundreds of wars, long and short, between countries as well as civil wars
thousands of armed conflicts, many still raging, thousands killed every day
development of the military industry
increase in killing power
increase in Injustice (poverty, homelessness, unemployment, hunger)
increase in Trade Union strikes
increase in the number of refugees
increase in deforestation
increase in climate change
increase in social violence
increase in diseases
many tourist economies destroyed (well before the Covid-19 invasion)
In those 128 years we have also seen the creation of the International War Club known as the United Nations Organization, the idea originating from America, the only country in history to have killed through nuclear power, which partly explains why UNO agreed, at their UNESCO meeting, to have their own Nuclear Research Centre (CERN) close to their European Headquarters, in Geneva, Switzerland. The United Nations model inspired many countries to establish their own nuclear centers.
In your communication you say, “We know that together we can.” I believe exactly the same but I also know Peace, Justice, Equality, Education for all, no hunger, no homelessness, control of climate change, of air pollution and the environment in general, better health research and healthcare, and much more, will only be achieved after we free the planet from Militarism, Armed Forces and military production.
Machine guns, bullets, landmines, grenades, bombs, rockets and torpedoes are made for killing and nothing else. Tanks, rocket launchers, air fighters and warships are manufactured to help destroy life and buildings. As collateral, they destroy economies and the environment.
Our sincere and strong hopes, my friends at IPB, is that you are with us on this and accept the reality, that unless you – we – demand and achieve the Universal Abolition of Militarism, working for Peace, Justice, Human Rights, is a total waste of time, energy and people’s money.
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Alberto Portugheis is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace Development Environment. By profession a concert pianist and pedagogue, he is an active peace campaigner, whose anti-military stance earned him a nomination for the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize. As a result, Portugheis wrote Dear Ahed…..The Game of War and a Path to Peace – a book that has received critical acclaim. Another successful book followed: $$$$$s In Their Hearts. In 2015 he founded the Movement HUFUD-Humanity United For Universal Demilitarisation, which has many followers worldwide. In 2018 HUFUD Latin America was born, based in Bogotá, Colombia. In Portugheis’ writings, speeches, thoughts, ideas and reflections transpire his desire “to make people think” and not take for granted what they read or hear, “no matter where.”
Tags: Anti-militarism, Demilitarization, International Peace Bureau-IPB, Peace
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 7 Dec 2020.
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Swami Vivekananda once said, “… it is not man-making education … fifty years of such education has not produced one original man….” Man is missing from us. Existing education destroys those to whom it reaches; it destroys those to whom it is denied. The true education is integral manifestation of universally inherent five elements, viz. body, vitality, mind, intellect and spirit in every man and woman without any discrimination. If education is based on these five elements and practiced in campus and out of campus education and till the end of life by ever one everywhere, justice will prevail and peace will come out, and violence will have no place anywhere. But the universal peace education, which is mother of justice and grandmother of peace, is yet to be born. For more details, one may refer to:
The Mother of Peace Yet to Be Born
By Surya Nath Prasad, Ph. D. – TRANSCEND Media Service
https://www.transcend.org/tms/2014/09/on-the-eve-of-un-international-day-of-peace-the-mother-of-peace-yet-to-be-born/
Nonviolence is more fundamental than disarmament. It is not necessary that a disarmed person would always be nonviolent. But a nonviolent person would always be disarmed. For this, we will have to introduce and implement everywhere the man-making education i.e. peace education based on universally inherent five elements, viz. body, vitality, mind, intellect and spirit in every man and woman everywhere without discrimination of any type (which was and is missing everywhere) and to be integrally manifested to be nonviolent, which leads to total and permanent sustainable disarmament forever. The concept of this peace education has been developed by the author of these lines Dr. Surya Nath Prasad after his continuous study of about five decades. For more details, one may refer to:
Nonviolence: More Fundamental than Disarmament
Surya Nath Prasad, Ph. D. – TRANSCEND Media Service
https://www.transcend.org/tms/2016/08/nonviolence-more-fundamental-than-disarmament/
The “universal abolition of militarism” will require a geopolitical (global) system change from the current global war system to a global peace system. This means a “new UN” using the Constitution for the Federation of Earth (ie EARTH CONSTITUTION) as a model and guide for revising and/or replacing the fatally flawed UN Charter which is the main obstacle to world peace. World federalists like Einstein have been correct all along.
See http://www.earthfederation.info and http://www.earthconstitution.world
It is true that militarism is a dead end. However, a worldwide “culture of peace” through education, prayer, meditation and spiritual growth can’t succeed on its own. The present global system breeds paranoia between nations. The UN’s design makes war as the final arbiter. Instead, disputes need to go to a World Court and a World Parliament. But there must be enforceable world law. Currently, there is no sheriff at the global level.
Change is on the way. Learn about THE SAN FRANCISCO PROMISE for UN Charter Review and the EARTH CONSTITUTION for a “new UN.” Individual growth (peace, nonviolence) and global system change are what is needed.
It is with great interest that I read the comments and ideas by Dr. Surya Nath Prasad and Dr. Roger Kotila, following publication of my Open Letter to IPB about the Universal Abolition of Militarism (Armed Forces, Military Industry, Military Trade, Military Education)
Dr Prasad thinks true education is missing from us and I agree, but not in the same sense. To me, the integral manifestation of the universal inherent five elements, (body, vitality, mind, intellect, spirit) are taught, but in the way it is needed by politicians. Education is definitely based on these five elements and practiced in campus and out of campus education and this is why Justice and Peace cannot come out and prevail.
In a militarized world, whether they like it or not, politicians have to make 100% sure their colleague – Minister or Secretary – in charge of Education, produces a violence loving youth, otherwise nobody will be applying for a job in the Armed Forces. Politicians in charge Economics have to create financial crisis, unemployment, poverty, hunger, homelessness, so that the young feel the Armed Forces are the ONLY jobs that will give them security, shelter and feed their families.
Politicians know very well what “universal peace education” is, but the existence of Armed Forces, does NOT allow them to put it into practice. Politicians are not stupid or ignorant, but are forced to act as if they were stupid and ignorant by the absurd idea that their country needs Armed Forces for “Defense”. “Defense” is the magic word that keeps producing wars. Politicians have to create enemies, so that they can justify the obscene spending on Defense.
Without Armed Forces, we could educate without promoting Patriotism, religious and ethnic divisions. The mother and grandmother of Peace is: STOP MAKING MACHINE GUNS, LANDMINNES, GRENADES, BULLETS, BOMBS, ROCKETS, TORPEDOES.
What I just said explains why l could never agree with “Nonviolence is more fundamental than disarmament”. If Peace Education was enough, and weapons existed for defense only, there would never be war.
The geopolitical (global) system change from the current global war system to a global peace system Dr Kotila speaks about, does not need, in my humble opinion, a new Constitution. All it requires is the Abolition of Militarism, so that all UN countries in the world can respect their own Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Right to Life, to a home, to education, to health services, to work, to food, to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to choose the country one wishes to live in,
Militarism creates the opposite: removes life, (and destroys buildings and economies), makes people lose their jobs, homes and country (refugees), makes children miss their Education, makes people die from malnutrition and lack of medical care, etc. etc. The ONLY winners in a militarized world are and will always be: military manufacturers and their employees, negotiating politicians, diplomats, top brass, oil and media mogulsand funeral businesses.
The UN Charter is not flawed, but Humanity’s passivity makes it flawed. The Charter says ALL WARS ARE ILLEGAL. We need humanity to understand that Militarism forces politicians to practice ILLEGALITY, makes them criminals against their will. Just a simple example: if you are a politician and in the part of the country under your control there is a Scud missile factory, you are professionally and morally obliged to ensure the good business of the voters who elected you. The ONLY way you can do this, in this case, is to help sell, export the Scud missiles. To achieve this you need politicians abroad to organize a war
The “worldwide culture of peace” exists. I have asked people in most countries of the world “do you like war”? I never had YES for an answer. Even politicians and weapon manufacturers say they don´t like wars, but………they – the honest ones – admit they have to accept them, for the above stated reasons.
I’ll end by going a step further: EVEN IF MILITARISM WAS ‘NOT’A BUSINESS, IF “NOBODY” BENEFITTED FINANCIALLY FROM THE BUYING AND SELLING, TRAINIG, USING OF MILITARY PRODUCTS, LANDDMINES, ROCKETS, BOMBS, GRENADES, TORP+EDOES, AIR “FIGHTERS WAR”SHIPS ARE MADE FOR WAR AND KILLING. THERE IS NO OTHER REASON FOR THEM.
Alberto Portugheis