Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

The Pessimism and Optimism Over Loy Jirga and Its Outcome

Peace remains a fragile issue around the globe. Serious threats are posed against human societies in one way or another. All nations are likely to fluctuate between hope and fear regarding peace and stability. Life-threating issues increase on day-to-day basis that inflict sufferings upon nations and take its toll on human societies. The world is in the midst of social and political crises and strategies do not bear the desired result.
There are many statements about breaking political deadlocks. However, strategies move back and forth at international level without fruitful result. The history of human societies is replete with bloody wars that rooted in social, cultural, political and ideological issues. This history still records the world’s wounds and anguish. The cycle of political conflicts and ideological tensions never comes to an end. People pursue their interests at the cost of others’ life. To put it succinctly, the cycle of violence does not end and human societies keep on claiming racial and religious superiority which has constantly triggered public sensitivities. History, the infected wound which continues bleeding, has not been an eye-opener for the world.
Political stability is in a state of flux since nuclear arms, terrorism, religious-ideological differences, racial superiority, and atrocities rule the world. The serious challenges leave the past simple life as nostalgia for many individuals when pressing a switch could not kill thousands of people or air pollution did not threaten their life.
Currently, there are serious threats before human societies. For instance, the issue of terrorism, nuclear arms, air pollution, bomb blast, racial and religious discrimination, human casualties, etc. are making the news at national and international levels. The merciless killings of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, which stems from racial superiority, the hydrogen bomb test of North Korea, the bloody war in Syria, the Qatar-Saudi diplomatic conflict, the Israel-Palestine conflicts, the violent acts of terrorism, etc. result in deep political gaps, human casualties, and sense of hatred and revenge. It is an unmistakable fact that in this ‘global village’ all nations will be affected by a threat occurring in a corner of the world, at least mentally, if not physically.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced sectarianism in Myanmar on multiple occasions and issued a call to ‘get serious’ on climate change after unprecedented natural disasters spanning the globe. He said that ‘the solution must be political,’ and warned, ‘the potential consequences of military action are too horrific.’ Stemming the tide of the persisting crises is a great obstacle before the world and challenges continue unabated despite being debated hotly for adopting a fruitful strategy in this respect.
Contrary to hot discourse about a peaceful life and ‘spirit of brotherhood’, political threats, terrorist networks and human casualties increase. Ideological conflicts have led to the establishment of many fundamental groups. 
Martin Luther King rightly pointed out in his Noble Lecture that ‘in spite of these spectacular strides in science and technology, and still unlimited ones to come, something basic is missing. There is a sort of poverty of the spirit which stands in glaring contrast to our scientific and technological abundance. The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.’
Extending the spirit of brotherhood – which will necessarily minimize violence and bloodshed – is believed to be the lifeblood of peaceful life in human societies. A hostile approach or violent strategy towards a nation or individual on the basis of their race, color, or creed will not remedy the ongoing challenges of human societies. Indeed, the armed conflicts will continue unless the world learns the ‘art of living together as brothers’. Similarly, to mitigate political conflicts and ideological tensions, the world needs to respect territorial integrity and exercise religious tolerance – lack of both is the root cause of bloody wars.
After all, the world, including the international community, must not remain indifferent to the outrageous violation of human rights. The international community should seek to bridge the gap between nations and place emphasis on non-violent strategy in the event of challenging issues.
It should be taken into consideration that violating the rights of an ethnic minority, segregating or discriminating a group based on their racial or religious backgrounds, and murdering one due to their color of skin will have serious repercussions rather than resolving a problem. We are all ‘members of the human family’ and have to respect the rights, dignity and liberties of one another so as to promote peace and stability around the globe and stop the relentless cycle of violence and brutality.