World Peace and Conflict Resolution: Ukraine, Russia, and We the People
IN FOCUS, 16 Jan 2023
Mahboob A. Khawaja, Ph.D. – TRANSCEND Media Service
Voices of the Oppressed
15 Jan 2023 – Unthinkable as it may be, humanity, every last person, could someday be wiped from the face of the Earth…..A discussion about the future of humanity is about how the important fundamental features of the human condition may change or remain constant in the long run…. Extinction risks constitute an especially severe subset of what could go badly wrong for humanity…. The greatest extinction risks (and existential risks more generally) arise from human activity. Professor Nick Bostrom ( “The Future of Humanity”, 2007), Professor of Philosphy, Oxford University.
Leader Who Could Not Lead
The people of Ukraine and Russia share a common geography and cultural history of values and beliefs and one wonders – what are they fighting for? Ironically, it seems that Russia, the EU, NATO and America – all are competing actors in making the current cataclysm of human sufferings, displacement and destruction. Killing of all by all goes unabated while they discuss sports and enjoy hollow laughter in secluded decisions-making rooms. To some it is a “positive” development to pursue the war agenda, and to others a catastrophic narrative of human ignorance and moral and intellectual degradation. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Ignorance, indifference to human interests of peace, security and peaceful co-existence, and arrogance against the very mankind on whose existence the world enjoins all the attractions of lifelines, beauty and appreciation are at greater risk of extinction. We, the People, We, the Humanity are fast becoming victims of anarchistic entrapment.
Global leaders have not learned to be leaders of humanity. Late Robert Fisk (“The only Lesson we ever learn is that we never learn.” 3/19/2008: Independent.co.uk), described them as “dead enders”, claiming “mission accomplished” when they did nothing to stop war and make peace. The epicenter of cataclysm in-making is sheer human ignorance, greed and false sense of military triumphs. A reflective snap shot of a critical moment in time pulse and movement of history reveals absence of reasoned dialogue for the prevention of the on–going conflict causing massive human casualties, displacement of millions of refugees across Europe, destruction of essential civic infrastructures, foods and natural resources being used as weapons, and furious competitive edge for success in an ugly war between Russia, America, NATO, the EU and Ukraine.
Could we the 21st century conscientious thinkers, learners, observers and political scientists envisage a better world of human unity, peace, security and living in coherent relationship within the splendid Universe?
To glance ahead of the emerging horrifying events coming out of the conflict zones, We, The People of conscientious humanity must call for immediate halt to all war machines and lingering suspicion of one-sided peace and triumph. The sudden and inexplicable plunge into insanity of war will not produce any military or psychological gains for violent assumptions plagued with hatred, bias and false claims and counter claims of military superiority, defeats and occupation.
The global institutions, global leadership and systematic working of the international political affairs are managed by wrong thinking, wrong people and wrong priorities. None seem to have the capacity to further the cause of world peace, security and conflict resolution.
Despite the sketchy illusions of freedom, democracy, human rights, liberty and justice, we are encroached, stuffed and at terrible risk of annihilation more accidental and by error of judgment than planned scheme of things by Man against Man.
Are We, the People being victimized by the individualistic clash of global leadership? Caitlin Johnstone (“Trapped in the Slaughterhouse”, Information Clearing House: 8/02/22), author of Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. https://caitlinjohnstone.com offers pointed expressions on how We, the People, We, the Humanity are being systematically victimized:
They let us populate the earth with more humans only to drain us of our humanity….We’re not people to them. We are batteries. We are fuel….Western civilization is a story of full bellies and starving hearts……This is no civilization. It’s a slaughterhouse….A fake plastic culture designed to keep us on the conveyor belt so that our life force can be converted into fuel for a soulless empire. A fake plastic society built to keep us marching into the food processor. There are so very many more of us than there are of them. We could crush them like an insect the moment we decided to. But the brainwashing is so very, very effective,…We’ll either wake each other up, or we’ll remain trapped in the slaughterhouse.
The ‘New Normal’ Is Devoid of Rational Thinking and Actions
The contemporary leaders portray narrcastic authoritarianism in political governance and lack proactive imagination to promote peace, security and universal happiness for the masses by malevolence and the on-going miseries of innumerable multitudes. The “new normal” that economists speculate and politicians rejoice is a delusional phenomenon painted by corporate media, its greed and exploitative strategies worldwide. Horrors of wars and catastrophic destruction of the environment and human habitats cannot be the statistic of kindness and love within the God-given system of universal order.
Few affluent classes and corporate entities are playing on the passions of people for economic warfare and political management. Entrapped global humanity continues to search for workable remedies to an unending COVID-19 Pandemic and its consequential pains and on-going sufferings echo worldwide concerns and is climate change not a ticking bomb? The political and legislative dictums do not rotate Earth, nor flow the rivers or produce oxygen or maintain the systematic day into night–night into day or the universe to support life. There is something terribly WRONG with human thinking and its rationality and behavior to undermine the normal processes of life.
We, the People are fast becoming victim of their ignorance and fictitious policies and priorities. Modern ignorance and Capitalist exploitative greed wrongfully exploiting the natural resources of Earth and leading to an end game of life and sustainable future. Time and chaotic events are moving fast and impacting all human societies. We, the People ask for reasoned discussion to find peaceful and workable solutions.
We, the People, We, the Humanity Are an Integral Part of the Earth and Splendid Universe
The earth sustains life and we breathe oxygen. You may call it ‘Mother Earth’, it is created and ordained by God not by any State, the UNO or legislative decree; and it offers all that human beings needed for change, development, survival and sustainable future-making. The planet Earth is living not a dead entity, and is meant for all the creations, not for looting of its inhabitants for sustainable future. We, the People must ensure its future sustainability through increased measure of safety and security of the planet, human life, and production of foods and reduction of greenhouse effects on the earthly habitats. If the few insane and victims of their own vengeful paranoid continue to control the global political powerhouses and determine the future of mankind as it happened during the Two World Wars, consequently, they could undermine our future and the safety of Planet. To a conscientious mind and soul, the warning from God is self-explanatory: (Qur’an Chapter 73: 14, and 17-18), how the visible conditions of our seen world will change against the futuristic predictability:
One Day the earth and the mountains will be in violent commotion
And the mountains will be as a heap of sand poured out and flowing down
Then how shall ye, if ye deny (God)
Guard yourself against a Day that will make Children hoary-headed?
Whereon the sky will be cleft asunder?
His Promise needs must be accomplished.
To make peace and resolve the conflict peacefully, this author proposed direct communication between President Putin, President Biden, NATO, the EU and Ukraine leadership at the earliest: “Why Russia, NATO, the EU and Ukraine cannot Make Peace?” https://english.pravda.ru/opinion/152450-peace_ukraine/ https://www.uncommonthought.com/mtblog/archives/2022/06/22/global-conflict-management-why-cant-russia-nato-the-eu-and-ukraine-make-peace.php
The unforgivable crimes against humanity are dehumanizing the mankind. War is the focal point of man-made tragedies. We the People call for universal friendship and peaceful co-existence that lifts neighborly concern beyond one’s tribe, race, ethnicity, class, and nationality is in reality a call for an all-embracing and unconditional love for all human beings. Human compassion and intellect is somehow the key that unlocks the door which leads to ultimate reality. The Message of Qur’an (Chapter 40: 64 and 67) clarifies the truth of universal brotherhood and wisdom for all the times to come:
It is God, Who has made for you the Earth as a resting place and the sky as a canopy; And has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful, and has provided for your sustenance, Of things pure and good; Such is God your Lord. So Glory to God, the Lord of the Worlds. It is He Who has created you from dust, Then from a sperm drop, Then from a leech-like clot; then He does He get you out (into the light) as a child; then lets you grow and reach your age of full strength; then lets you become old. Though of you there are some of who die before; And lets you reach a Term appointed; In order that ye may learn wisdom.
The quest for human solidarity, love and peace envisages ultimate reality and is beautifully summed up in the First Epistle of Saint John (The Bible): (John 4:7-8, 12):
Let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone
that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His
love is perfected in us.
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Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international relations-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including the latest book: Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution: Approaches to Understand the Current Issues and Future-Making, Lambert Academic Publications, Germany, 2017.
Tags: Conflict Resolution, Peace, World Order
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 16 Jan 2023.
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