“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
-Albert Einstein
The International Day of Peace is annually celebrated around the globe on September 21. This day was conceptualized in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. It was in the year 2001 that the United Nations General Assembly had unanimously declared it a day dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace through observance of twenty four hours of non-violence and ceasefire. But achieving true peace involves much more than laying down arms. It requires building egalitarian societies where all members feel they can flourish. It is underpinned by prominent factors such as solidarity, compassion between different ethnic communities, need for established institutions that promote core values of democracy, secularism, tolerance for diversity, mutual respect and ethical dissemination of resources. It involves creating a world where people are treated equally, regardless of their race, religion, caste, creed, etc. In essence, peace is a fundamental prerequisite for human development.
The theme for 2022 International Day of Peace is “End Racism, Build Peace”. People are being forced to flee because of the growing conflicts across the world. As COVID-19 continues to grapple our communities, economies are contracting badly. We have witnessed certain racial groups being hit much harder than the others. Besides we have seen hate speech and violence directed at racial minorities. We all have a role to play in promoting peace. And fighting racism is a vital way to contribute. Racism is prevalent in various forms such as individual, interpersonal, institutional and systemic. It disturbs the overall peace and tranquility in the surroundings. To combat racism, the significant step involves identifying issues of unequal power and ousting racism by changing systems, institutional structures, reforms, attitudes and practices such that power and access is revamped and shared equitably. The need to incorporate procedural and social fairness, acknowledge and respect the differences and ultimately embracing a workplace with diverse backgrounds and promoting cross-cultural learning.
In addendum to racism, various factors such as Global Unrests, Population Explosion, Refugee Crisis, etc. affect global peace. It is well-known that violence is a menacing problem globally that impacts many people and has a long-term effect on future generations. Not less than twenty-five nations like Turkey, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Syria, Mexico, etc. are at loggerheads with each other for internal and external conflicts. The United Nations Refugee Agency had estimated that by the end of the year 2021 around 82.7 million people were displaced owing to reasons such as persecution, armed conflicts and other reasons. For the maintenance of peace, Global Powers like the United States of America, China and Russia are required to be harbingers of international harmony and uphold peace. On the contrary, they have been observed to fuel instability just to achieve dominance, geopolitical hegemony and supremacy. Regions in Central Africa have experienced decades of violence and instability even though it has been close to sixty-five years of their independence. This has resulted in severe deterioration of security infrastructure and heightened ethnic tensions. An approximate 5,75,000 people have been forced to flee to neighboring nations of Congo and Cameroon. The conflicts have also wreaked havoc on the economy, leaving nearly 75% of the population in poverty. The instability in the Middle East is not any shade better when compared with the Central African Nations. The main instability comes from the Muslim factions Shia vs Sunni. There are other smaller groups too which are led by warlords or fanatic clerics which are a cause of instability in the region. The world stands in solidarity with these troubled nations who are finding it difficult to maintain peace and normalcy in their respective regions. The same is evident by the fact that the United Nations leaves no stone unturned in sending peace warriors from various nations to restore normalcy in these countries. India is not far behind in sending troops as part of United Nations Peace Keeping Missions. As a matter of fact, India is the fifth largest troop contributor with approximately 6000 troops deployed in United Nations Peace Keeping Missions in eight out of thirteen nations. India as a rapidly emerging nation calls for bolstering its national security, participating in global peace operations and rising security needs that no longer limit to the sub-continent. Coming on to Kashmir Valley, the historic decision on Article 35A and abrogation of Article 370 has played a pivotal role in nation building and significantly helped in achieving equality in the Kashmir Valley. This was feasible by restoration of fundamental rights because equal access to various provisions and reforms were not accessible to Kashmiris due to special status. There is not an iota of doubt that Kashmir has most certainly seen the brighter side of life after 05 August 2019. Terrorism has been on the decline, agitational dynamics has been brought down to zero, absence of new terror-recruiting units especially in most parts of North Kashmir. The peaceful conclusion of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra is a testimony to the prevalent state of normalcy in Kashmir. One must also admit the commendable job being done by the Security Forces who are tirelessly working round the clock in a synergized atmosphere to keep the wheel of peace in a rolling motion. Peace is multi-faceted and multi-sectoral. It cannot be upheld only by the Security Forces alone. It is attained by the shared responsibility of all the stakeholders, including citizens who contribute to it. It traverses various levels of human organization from individual to societal level who must collectively work towards rendering sustaining peace. It is imperative that all the members of political factions, civil administration, etc. need to pitch in to exploit upon the gains achieved by the Security Forces in maintaining the state of normalcy in the region, ultimately peace will give a boost to investment, growth and prosperity in the region.
As we cogitate peace today, one’s aspiration is that we embrace to see it through a more progressive and holistic lens. Most importantly peace is much more than the dearth of war, conflicts and violence. In order to enhance conditions for sustainable peace and an equitable India, our primal outlook is to realize the promise, potential and power of carefully curated and implemented societal and developmental policies. The proactive policies which is being adopted slowly and steadily by the Government is starting to make a vast difference at the grassroots level. Infrastructure developments are in full swing, whether we are talking about connecting Srinagar by rail or an all-weather road connectivity from Kashmir to Leh, in terms of mega tunnel projects which are currently underway near Sonamarg and beyond. While there is a subtle negativity around because of few radical fanatics and associations in the guise of religion and sacrifice, but people have understood the nefarious agenda of the perpetrators of violence and conflict. The citizens stand in solidarity against the peace hating people of Kashmir. The prevailing sentiment among Kashmiris is where virtues of calmness, compassion, peace and unity have gained prominence. People have realized that stable communities contribute to global peace and treading the path of a peaceful future by means of engaging youth and embracing their leadership traits. It can arguably be observed that the white dove of peace has taken its course of flight and is sure to soar higher and higher.
