Dr John Mohan Razu
People by and large want to live in an atmosphere that promotes harmony. In tune to this, the edicts of religion are basically entrenched on peace and harmony. On the contrary, it is indeed paradoxical that what we have been witnessing is as the human civilizations keep progressing and advancing to ‘higher levels’, we see lowering of our sixth sense to the levels of ‘brute nature’. The only distinction that makes humans from others is that—human nature is endowed with reason which ought to exemplify in action-reflection process coupled with temperance and prudence. For instance, we have progressed in innovation and live in knowledge society; while on the other, our own creation vis-à-vis societies and nations are gripped with hate and intolerance leading to lynching of our own species in thousands and millions.
Those who lost their lives have nothing to do with the issues or the problems. Due to the egos of some, innocent people world over are losing their lives. The blood of the innocent is being spilled and shed and the phrase commonly used against those who were/are responsible that “they have blood in their hands” lost its relevance. These phrases have not impacted them, rather made them more brutish and hard hearted. Life is more precious and so adds infinite value. For example, a few days ago, 15 Palestinians were killed on the Israeli-Gaza border; ongoing “carnage” in Syria, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. The conflicts within and between the borders such as Indo-Pakistani; ISIS and fundamentalist groups belonging to diverse religious-ideological and political persuasions; the State often becoming roguish perpetrating violence against those who ask for their rights and dignity; the outflow of people in the name of ‘migrants’ and ‘refugees’ and many such categories who keep losing their lives. Myanmar’s Rohingya is a classic case, wherein six and half lakhs of people have been thrown out of their homes/land in the name of ‘outsiders’ and ‘ethnic cleansing’.
Lives are lost and blood is spilled for petty reasons. Leaders within democratic settings, dictators and totalitarian regimes across the world make decisions in most cases have been detrimental to many. As a consequence there have been too much of bloodshed. Children and the youth happened to be the victims of the egos of those who make decisions. The entire world is caught up with this syndrome where innocent get killed and the kith and kin undergo long-suffering. In major parts of the world, nations and societies are caught up either with war or ethnic/caste/racial conflicts or political or social or religious or cultural or economic crises. Bombardments and reckless shootings have become the order of the day. As a result, innocent people leave their domiciles and in the process undergo all sorts of suffering. What is happening in our so-called “civilized world” is that the international organizations set to mediate or arbitrate or influence the comity of nations to deter from wars and conflicts have eventually ended up creating “camps” for those innocent people who suffer due to the inflated egos and irresponsible actions of a few. Religions of the world speak of peace, reconciliation and harmony, but those who are supposed to govern the nations decide the other way round—creating enormous problems ranging from loss of lives, insecurity and total dislocation of their families from their domiciles.
The bustling townships and beautiful villages known for commercial and productive activities have been evacuated and deserted. Hardly people want to come back. For those who play with their egos and powers at their disposal think that people forget and thus have short memories. They are wrong and the sufferings of the innocent meted out in diverse forms shall linger for many generations. Leaders do not want to get into dialogue or conversation or employ and exhaust channels that would defuse the crises. First they decide, act, devastate and then justify. By then everything is done. Precious lives are lost; innocent blood is shed and families suffer because they lost their children and the youth. This is scenario and the world we live in. The world is soaked with enormous acts of injustice and oppressive tendencies. We have gone back to medieval age—tit for tat and in the process—the aggressor and the aggrieved blaming each other. By then the citizens of both countries might have incurred huge losses.
Take for example Wars on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and other conflicts happening around the world, the citizens of the world were kept in the dark and hardly been divulged what was true— truth. The leaders usually whip up the emotions of the people—patriotism/nationalism and twist the reasons and purpose of the conflict to satisfy their egos. Nowadays, it is hardly to get the truth from the leaderships. The United Nations and other international agencies created for specific purposes are not in positions to discharge their responsibilities or whatever is mandated to them fairly and justly. Those powerful nations with their economic and political weightage bulldoze or even tend to influence others—‘we are watching you’, ‘fall in line’, otherwise /you will face the consequences. In order to satiate their constituencies they go all out by not taking the others into consideration. The levels of arrogance, haughtiness, intolerance and lust for power have crept into their psyche. Most of the leaders of the world have tasted power and now enjoying absolute power in absolute terms.
Leaders have bloated egos and the cronies/sycophants keep inflating their egos. Nowadays most of the leaders till they get elected their parties becomes the most important entity. After the elections and assuming the highest office, they tend to claim that they are more than the party. Party becomes just a ‘take-off’ pad for them. Twisting the facts, turning the truth upside down and engaging in all sorts of concoctions by which they fool the people of their countries and the world. Lies and absolute lies happened to be their ‘morals’ of these leaders. Somehow they manage to consolidate their powers and protect their regimes and thus keep going. How long can they hoodwink the people and the world at large? I am reminded of a saying: “One can fool some for all the time, many for some time and not all—all the time.” So, people should wake and make their leaders to be responsible, accountable and transparent in their governance. They should be made to govern their respective conscientiously.
