A world of peace, of brotherhood and sharing, without killings, without greed, without hunger. Such is the world John Lennon imagined in a classic song. Can such a world possibly sprout?
Lennon’s dream world comes to mind in the face of so much blood-letting and sufferings that go on in many parts of the globe arising from wars, rebellions, terrorism, extreme poverty. No longing for such a world to materialize can be more intense than the longing of legions of living witnesses to or surviving victims of the atrocities of war, rebellion, terrorism, extreme poverty.
But if peace has remained a dream in many parts of the universe, that is so because there have never been any right answers to the causes of conflicts. There are only pros and cons as there are allies and adversaries, all resolute in their belief that their cause is moral and their arguments (or alibis) strong. In the end, military might would often dictate what is “right”, which is sadly what the US invasion on Iraq and Afghanistan and the Israeli invasion on Lebanon and Palestine seem to exemplify.
Genuine and lasting peace can never come from the might of arms. For in wars there are no real victors, only angrier victims who must get back at their conquerors in every way they can to exact revenge and redeem lost pride. Indeed, the military superiority of one only invites the weak to keep up as a matter of survival if not leverage, sending the world back again to the horrors of arms race and the dangers of another holocaust.
We are grateful there is the family of nations to mediate and settle conflicts between and within countries, succeeding in some, failing in others. Beyond this, the United Nations has done a whole lot helping impoverished countries find ways to mitigate extreme poverty and hunger in their midst.
Meanwhile, despite UN intervention, wars, rebellions and terrorism by extremists or by state military apparatus remain the order of the day in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Burma, leaving hordes of human beings slaughtered and maimed, and legions in utter despair. Through this maze, the question comes back and begs for answer: “Can a world of peace possibly sprout?”
Yes, it can. But only when we all learn to embrace one another as brothers and sisters. Only when we all learn to accept that this world and its resources are for all humanity to share. Only if we all learn to feel and show true compassion for one another. Only when we all learn to respect and live with our racial, cultural and ideological differences. Only when we all recognize and learn to respect and defend the basic human rights of all peoples. Indeed, only when we all learn to accept that we belong to only one human family, and learn to live as one.
