ChristineMarie
November 6th, 2007, 11:09 PM
On the International Day of Peace which falls on Sept. 21, we are reminded of the fact that peace continues to be a major challenge in our times. But destroying human life and making war do not solve any problem. As the saying goes, “violence begets violence”. Unfortunately, in our increasingly interconnected world, violent conflict is witnessed almost in real time and every day, images of human suffering are being brought into our living room. At the same time, the diversity of factors that can lead to war or civil strife is put into sharper focus.
Territorial ambitions, geopolitical interests and political rivalry are only some of the causes of violent conflicts. Competition for natural resources, economic instability, social injustice and inequalities also increase the risk of confrontation, both within and between countries. And in a world of uprooted identities, shifting values and clashes between tradition and modernity, fundamentalism and extremism take prominent place whereas voices of moderation and rationality are marginalized. The language of “us and them” and the politics of fear tend to polarize perceptions and deepen divides, making ethnic and community-based conflicts more likely to occur.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=101520&d=22&m=9&y=2007
http://www.unaoc.org/aoc.php?page=12
Territorial ambitions, geopolitical interests and political rivalry are only some of the causes of violent conflicts. Competition for natural resources, economic instability, social injustice and inequalities also increase the risk of confrontation, both within and between countries. And in a world of uprooted identities, shifting values and clashes between tradition and modernity, fundamentalism and extremism take prominent place whereas voices of moderation and rationality are marginalized. The language of “us and them” and the politics of fear tend to polarize perceptions and deepen divides, making ethnic and community-based conflicts more likely to occur.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=101520&d=22&m=9&y=2007
http://www.unaoc.org/aoc.php?page=12