IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERVCIFUL
WHERE THE WORLD IS HEADING?
[Shamim A Siddiqi, New York]
Where the world is heading? It is a meaningful loaded question for each
of us to think at the end of a “troubled” year that had just ended and the beginning
of the “promising” New Year that was born last night [December 31st, 2003]. I
invite you all to resolve: Is the world heading towards: peace or war, liberty or “slavery”, success or failure, gains
(Falah) or losses (khusran), free from wants, hunger, exploitation or growing into
a symbol of perpetuation of the old game of “bondage” under new “World Order”
marked with “globalization”,
“liberalization” and introduction of alleged “accusation” of possessing WMD,
providing false “pretext” to attack on the “axis of evils”? Has the human abode
become a place more secured for our future progenies or is it becoming more
explosive, vulnerable and uncertain both at home in the USA and abroad?
Is our future and that of humans safe or has it been put at stake by
war-mongering attitude of “preemptive” attack by the world “greatest power” that has rendered the World
Organization to act like an impotent body, a trash good for nothing?
This is the time to take stock of
the situation prevailing devastatingly within the four walls of our homes and
hearths. The life of the common American is unsecured, lying “terrorized” by
war-like hysteria campaign against a self-imposed “fear” or “speculative”
terrorist “attack” due to foolish and “unimaginative” foreign policies of the
people sitting in the Whitehouse who are bent upon to create only enemies not
friends around the world. They are just creating problems day in and day out
with no solution of any issue that were erupted during the last 60 years and
are boiling in Palestine, Kashmir, Chechnya, Balkan states, Cyprus, Korean
Peninsula, Afghanistan, Iraq and the entire region of the ME and Far East. The USA in spite of
its huge diplomatic efforts could not resolve any single issue. Everyone is
bleeding and causing threat to ours as well to the world peace and security.
The United Nations that was
organized for the protection of small nations, human rights, delivering justice
to the oppressed and have-nots, eliminate race, color, religious and language
discriminations could not manage to get the world rid of these crimes against
humanity. It is just serving the interest of the “big five” permanent members
and has become the “mid-wives” of the USA, impotent to get its decisions
implemented if it pertains to Israel, India and America, Britain, France, China
or Russia. Its Charter stands violated everywhere except if it is against some
week and underdeveloped countries of Asia, Africa or Latin America.
It has become subservient to hegemonies of big powers, promoting their agenda
of liberalism, abridging the gender gap in Asian countries, enforcing their
policy of “mass killing” through family planning. On the other hand the World Fiscal
Organizations are busy in “enslaving” the poor countries of the world by
“providing” loans on “dictatorial” terms that are always against the interests
of debtor countries. These world organizations have, thus, lost their utility
and need undignified burial like their predecessor, the League
of Nations.
What a shameful tragedy it is
that the organization that was built to restore and protect peace, human
rights, national sovereignty and deliver justice to suffering humanity could
not produce any sanction against its members who are violating UN Charter by
ignoring its Resolutions, attacking and “occupying” its member’s countries like
Afghanistan, Iraq and “Pakistan” and are keeping symbol of “occupying forces”
in different pockets and countries around the world. About one third armed forces
of the USA
are stationed at strategic points of this globe for decades together and the “World
Body” is keeping “mum” over its affairs. The human society now needs another
organization of the people and by the people who are just, God-fearing and
trustworthy human beings. Till that time, humanity will only lament and
accumulate problems after problems due to impotency of the so-called United
Nations,
Ecologically, world is fast
approaching to the point of disaster or point of no-return due to obstinacy of
President Bush who rejected the agreement of Kato and is bent upon to disturb
the natural environment of Alaska and elsewhere for his oil-hungry supporters.
The human tragedy does not end here. Both the USA and European countries are
determined not to give up or reduce the huge subsidies they are paying to their
farmers and agriculturists in hundred of billions every year, thereby depriving
the poor peasants of Asia, Africa and Latin America to compete in the open
market with their products like cotton, wheat, gram, sugar and other
agricultural items. The poor are so much suffering at the cost of these
subsidies that according to the World Bank’s estimation: “an end to
trade-distorting form subsidies and tariffs could expand global wealth by as
much as a half-trillion dollars and lift 150 million people out of poverty by
2015.”
Equally, the poverty level of the
have-nots is fast dwindling to an unprecedented low level. The number of poor
in America
alone has risen from 32.4 million to 34.6 million during the last decade. In India, nearly
half of its population hardly gets only one square meal a day and very often it
is of subhuman standard. The condition of masses in Bangladesh, Burma, Far
Eastern countries, Africa, especially of Sahara region, Latin American countries are beyond
description. On the other hand, the life standard of the developed countries of
Europe and America is spectacularly rising by
leaps and bounds. This gulf of difference is causing burnings in the hearts of
the poor and the deprived and their anger is let lose against the USA who is
“sustaining” the undemocratic regimes of most of these countries, controlling
the resources of world bodies and exporting its liberal values to these poor
and oppressed people who do not see eye to eye with the values that are against
their custom, tradition and religion. But the USA and its allies do not care at
all for the smoldering lava that is bubbling under the “calm” but agitated
surface of these countries. One day it will burst up. Only the USA will suffer
most and that day may not be far off.
Still, there is a chance for America to save
its skin from the “wrath” of the poor and suffering humanity. We must start championing the democratic, the
family and human values that we, Americans cherish most. If we start supporting the freedom fighters
around the world, withdraw our support from the undemocratic regimes and the
usurpers of human rights, start containing the “bullheaded” policies of Sharon,
help in establishing true democracies in our “occupied” lands, promote the
moral values that are the sheet-anchor of Abrahamic faith, world trend of “hate
and revenge” against America may soon change into friendship. The year at hand
is for the realization of these hard facts of our existence on this earth. If
we do realize the follies that are committed by the present and the past
regimes of Washington,
we can make this world a cradle of peace and tranquility for the poor and the rich,
a world worth living both for the haves and have-nots, the affluent and the
deprived. Let us make this year as the year of assessment, re-evaluation and re-dedication
towards the cause of the oppressed and the exploited people. Only then we can
reap the harvest of peace in our homes in the USA and hearths around the world.
During the year 2004, we can pack up from Afghanistan and Iraq by introducing
true democratic system of life to serve as model for others in the region and
get the road map of Palestine honestly implemented howsoever it is averse to
Israel, the world would present altogether a different image when we will be
turning the new page of American history for the ensuing year 2005..
In the forthcoming Elections
2004, American people must judge the candidate from his program of “peace for the world, upholding of human
values both at home an abroad and advocating only justice in foreign policies
with favor to none.” This is the only way to restore the lost prestige of
American values and traditions that we all love from the very core of our
hearts. This is the lesson that we could learn from the “troubled” outgoing
years and it is the legacy that we can transfer to our future generation to
cherish.
Shamim A Siddiqi
January 1, 2004