THIS has been a deeply worrying year so far for all those who care and yearn for peace in our deeply troubled and highly threatened world. However, one of the few good things that has emerged this year is that the hostile actions and attacks involving India and Pakistan could end very early.
Both countries are heavily armed, and whatever Pakistan could have lacked was more than compensated by heavy supplies of modern weapons from China and, increasingly also Turkey. Both are also nuclear countries; both are densely populated. Very densely populated cities also exist quite close to their borders.
Hence, any prolonged war between them could be very highly destructive, involving a heavy loss of life at both sides. In addition, both countries face huge challenges of meeting the needs of the precariously placed millions of people, and the heavy financial costs of a prolonged war would have taken away badly needed funds from essential development tasks and schemes.
Yours very truly, and all those who yearn for peace had pleaded from the very beginning of the hostilities for an early ceasefire. Thankfully, our pleas and prayers were duly rewarded.
What made us particularly happy and thankful was the fact that a ceasefire was achieved in the middle of a difficult and adverse situation arising from the fact that there were significant war-mongering forces on both sides, and those in the ruling establishments had to be cautious regarding them. This is one reason that I hastened to praise the governments of both sides for agreeing to an early ceasefire, despite my frequent criticism of their other actions.
However, I was shocked at that time that the ceasefire had been criticised not only by the war-mongering forces but at times even by some of those who normally identify themselves to be voices of peace.
What is even more deeply troubling is that the criticism of an early ceasefire continues. This is highly unfortunate, and there is hardly any rational basis for this. One of the wisest agreements on the part of both governments at just the right time should not be the subject of prolonged criticism, as this increases the chances of new hostilities.
On the one hand, one can argue that there are many historical and complex reasons why India and Pakistan have not been able to co-exist peacefully. On the other hand, it is equally possible to argue that despite all these complex and historical reasons of hostilities, it is nevertheless eminently possible for the people and governments of the two countries to live in peace with each other.
A time must come at some stage to rise above all the past bitterness and tragedies. If one refuses to do this, then so many pending disputes and hostilities in the world would remain unresolved, piling tragedy upon tragedy. Once a new beginning of peaceful coexistence is made with deep sincerity by both sides, then to a surprising extent, progress towards peace can be rapid and ultimately, it is the ordinary people on both sides and the upcoming generation which will benefit the most.
A sincere and deep commitment to peace is the best gift that the present generation in South Asia can leave behind for the next generation.
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Bharat Dogra writes extensively on environment, development and welfare issues. The views expressed here are the writer’s own, and Clarion India does not necessarily subscribe to them. He can be reached at: bharatdogra1956@gmail.com
