Challenges + Opportunities in the 21st Century

 Report of  the

Hague Peace Conference 1999

 Vijay Mehta

Eight thousand people from one hundred countries attended the peace conference in Hague. About four hundred workshops took place on different subjects. World leaders Arch bishop Desmond Tutu, Kofi Anan and Shekh Hasina gave inspiring lectures. The concluding agenda of the conference is going to be discussed by the United Nations later in the year. I am highlighting some of the challenges and opportunities which were taken up in the conference.

Global problems of today are far reaching , complex and daunting as we enter the new millennium . War is being fought in forty different parts of the world . There is ethnic cleansing and genocide practiced in many parts of the globe today. There are inequalities, disparities and lack of  opportunities for around one billion people in  Africa, Asia and Latin America. There are gross violations of humanitarian law and human rights taking place every day. There is threat to environment and ecology imposed by government and multinationals . The rapid growth of population and migration is creating problems worldwide. There is loss of transparent and accountable leadership which is creating a vacuum for any clear direction at the top.

At the same time there are tremendous opportunities ahead of us . The growth of internet

and communication high way , the advance of technology in agricultural production , progress of medicine in elimination of diseases , the rise and power of  NGO’s in creating new diplomacy , establishment of international criminal court , treaty for a ban on landmines are a few successful examples of the power of civil society .

The greatest threat to the existence of the world and civilisation is from the military industrial comlpex  . The stock pile of nuclear , biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction is the biggest obstacle to disarmament and prevention of war . The US and western nations keep manufacturing and supplying arms and weapons to countries at war .

As a result there are  at  present forty wars around the globe including terrorist, civil , ethnic and tribal wars . Some of the countries like India and Pakistan who can hardly manage to feed there population are busy making nuclear bombs .

It is for the civil society to over see the abolition of all weapons from small arms to nuclear arsenal including demilitarization of forces . The realisation of the fact that war is a  failure of mankind and there are no military solutions to any conflict should make it possible to change the role of armed forces and bureaucrats to peace keeping .The glorification of war and soldiers should stop. The military budget of trillion of dollars should be utilised for peace education and development of poor regions of the world .

The economic disparity and lack of opportunity between the rich and poor countries poses the greatest danger to peace and stability .Around a billion people suffer from hunger , malnutrition , lack of clean water , shelter , education and lack of access to health services.

They are trapped in a position of disadvantage and neglect . The rapid growth of  population and migration has resulted in slums and shanty towns in different parts of the world creating tensions and conflict among different ethnic communities .

A radical investment program should include debt relief for poor countries , empowerment of disadvantaged groups , innovative policies of NGO’s , food security , preferential

treatment of trade , transfer of technology and the deprived regions of the world should become part of the global community.

The gross violations of humanitarian laws and human rights in the form of genocide, war crimes , crimes against humanity are a vivid example of the exclusion of economic , social,

cultural and civil rights of the people.

The compaign for the ratification of the international criminal court reform and expansion of the role of international court of justice are important steps to be taken to bring rogue states , war lords and terrorist to account .The users of small arms, child soldiers and landmines would be under the jurisdiction of the above courts and would be brought to justice .

The exploitation of environment and ecology by affluent governments and multinational organizations to the detriment of the rest of the planet has to addressed immediately. If we wish to keep the world as it is for us and our future generations , the present trends of over consumption , increased use of transport and over production has to stop .Otherwise the depletion of the resources of nature will destroy bio- diversity which is the product of million of years of evolution . A program of sustainable development suitable for developing and developed countries have to be adopted to live in a clean and healthy environment .

To counter the adverse affects of the above , the civil society should unite to take the following measures to turn the challenges into opportunities .

1. There should be more democratision of all international institutions specially the united nations . No government of the world should be allowed to wage a war without UN authorisation . The civil society along with UN must insist on the gradual abolition of all nuclear , chemical, biological weapons and demilitarization of all forces . To prevent the development and use of new weapons including depleted uranium and the deployment of weapons in space . To stop military expansion of NATO and other military alliances .

2. There should be a wide spread program for education people in peaceful resolution of conflicts , prevention of war , and respect for human rights , justice and democracy. The education training should take place in schools , universities and become a part of the popular culture.

3. There should be a cancellation of debts for poor countries. Civil society in co-operation with governments should implement proposals for the betterment of developing countries so that in time they can get rid of poverty , starvation and diseases.

4. To encourage responsible role of the media in presenting balance and transparent views of wars and events . The double standard and hypocrisy of rogue governments and individuals should be exposed to the full .

5 . To bring peace and development issues to the fore front of the agenda in politics. To    help start dialogue with the decision makers to get results .

6. To ratify the establishment of international criminal court for the  prosecution of crimes of serious nature .

7. To use science , medicine and technology for peaceful purposes .

8. UN and civil society should work towards bottom up globalization .To eradicate poverty and empower people with economic, civil and democratic power.

9. To eliminate colonialism and neo-colonialism. To give back the rights of self- determination and freedom to the suppressed and unrepresented peoples of this world. 

Let the creative energies of our multi-cultural society guide us and our future generation in achieving total world peace and eliminating poverty from the face of this earth . Let co- existence , co- operation and tolerance become a way of life .

The civil society is the new leader .Whenever people decided to unite and take action , they succeeded . It is evident in the abolition of slavery and end of apartheid . We should all engage in active non violence to realise the vision of a free, just and peaceful society .