Archives

Channelling people's power for positive change

by Lynn Ockersz

Less than two years ago, in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy in New York, the moral conscience of the world was with the victims of terrorism. Having awakened to the full horrors of terrorism, a significant section of world opinion rallied round the US in its efforts to see an end to terrorism, although there may not have been any unanimity on the adoption of military means to see an end to the blight.

Supporters of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an alliance of six hardline Islamic parties, take part in an anti-war rally in Khyber agency in the tribal area, near the northwestern city of Peshawar, on March 23, 2003. REUTERS

Today, with sections of Baghdad already being reduced to rubble, through the unleashing by the US of some of its deadliest and most devastating of military arsenals, the unprecedented wave of world sympathy which the US and its allies had garnered in the wake of September 11th, runs the risk of evaporating. On the other hand, it is the hapless Iraqi people who are stirring the conscience of the world today, through their unwarranted suffering.

As mentioned in this column before, this is an unique triumph for humanity; the unprecedented anti-war sentiment sweeping almost all parts of the world registers a high-water mark in the development of the modern moral conscience. The collective moral outrage welling in the hearts and minds of women, men and children all over the world over the onslaught on Iraq is a measure of the great abhorrence with which the use of brute force in the resolution of international conflicts is being viewed.

The overwhelming anti-war sentiment also constitutes the biggest political cost incurred by the US and its allies in their hazardous misadventure in Iraq. No longer will they be in a position to occupy the moral high ground in their campaigns against "terror". Needless to say, all this will have the effect of weakening the world's campaign against extremist political forces, including repressive, dictatorial regimes, some of which have been at the helm of their states for decades.

While nothing is likely to deter the US and its allies from achieving their military aims in Iraq, world opinion should perhaps press ahead with its anti-war agitation until Western governments in particular are sensitized into thinking of ways of strengthening the UN system. What is glaringly obvious in the Iraqi tragedy is the inability of the UN to prevent its strongest member and its allies from sidestepping it and acting in defiance of its collective wisdom. Circumscribing and containing the power of the strong is one of the most effective ways of guarding against precipitate, unilateral action by it. Besides, the powerful need to be made to pay a heavy price for violating international law and the norms of responsible conduct.

These are urgent tasks that cannot be postponed. While, no stone must be left unturned in the world's efforts to bring relief to the Iraqi people, the UN system needs to be suitably modified or changed to guard against any repetitions of the Iraqi tragedy. The key to success in these initiatives by the world community is popular pressure.

Western governments in particular should be continuously pressurized by their publics until the tasks at hand are accomplished. Any efforts by Western governments to sidestep these issues should be proved to be politically costly. By withholding support for recalcitrant governments, for instance, the publics of the world could speed up the process of reforming and even changing the world system to be in tune with the vital aims of humanity.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager