Wati Longchar Last week the whole world witnessed US election. Donald Trump won! Many people were shocked hearing Trump’s victory. All predictions, opinions and exit polls analyses proved to be wrong. Trump’s victory has not only stunned American political establishment, but also the entire world. Similar unexpected Brexist happened in UK in June this year. With the ideologies of hyper-nationalism, cultural and religious conservatism, we have seen political parties capturing in Eastern Europe, Philippines, Russia, India, China and some countries in Africa and Latin America, and now in US, one of the most powerful countries in the world, by the right-wing populist politicians. One economist commented that the resurgence of right-wing populist political movement is due to failure of globalization and free market system. A vast majority of working class, farmers are not left to struggle for their survival while a few have become very rich. All those populist political leaders advocate ideology of protectionism. Our race, our culture, our religion are superior and we must protect them. Some communities are branded as killers, criminals, drug pushers, terrorists and demonizes other religions especially Islam. We hear them speaking racist, sexist and exclusivist language. In India, some politicians said, “Christians should go back to the West” and given more importance to cow than human. Populist politicians try to project that people are poor because of immigration, corruption, wrong policy of the government. People are jobless because immigrants have taken over the jobs. Local people are denied of their rights. The populist right-wing political leaders project themselves as the “Messiah” and claim that they will fix the problems exploiting, abusing religious sentiment of the poor. We see denial of diversity, freedom of speech and violation of human rights. Even in the democratic countries dictatorship is coming back. It is a threat for future humanity. The assertion that my religion, race and culture is superior, my interest is first, have resulted terrible bloodshed in history. Claiming their racial superiority, Germans have slaughtered about 6 million Jews during the Holocaust under Hitler. Asserting the White race superiority about 80 million American Indians had killed and made thousands of people disabled. In Hiroshima and Nagasaki it is said that about 209 thousands were killed in a single day when American dropped atom bomb. Japanese troops massacred 200,000 to 300,000 in Nanjing in December 1937. Taiwan still remembers the massacre of more than 30,000 Taiwanese on 29 February, 1947. US invasion of Iraq have claimed more than 180,000 innocent lives and more than 500,000 soldiers. Still civil wars are going on in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and many other countries. We can add many sad stories of genocide and mass destruction happened in the past and happening till today. The world is bleeding because of our claim that my religion and my race are superior to others. The denial of diversity and respect of others have caused much destruction all over the world. We have heard protectionist and exclusive slogans towards immigrant, race, other cultures and religions in US election. Such attitude and action will make our world, a world of hatred and mistrust. We must protect and respect diversity. To bring peace and justice, we must uphold and practice the value of respect, openness, solidarity towards one another, caring and loving for others and for all of environment. This is the foundation of peace and prosperity.
