Flights Of Fantasy
[ M Panging Pao ]
Despite much education, progress and development over centuries, it appears that human beings are not ready to learn or mature. Many violent conflicts are ongoing in several parts of the world. Ukraine and Russia are at war over the past one-and-a-half year with many western nations/NATO instigating and flaming the war. Recently, events have turned more dangerous with drone attacks on the Kremlin, the residence of President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Russia has blamed the western nations, led by the USA, and has threatened retaliatory action. Russia and the USA are the most powerful nuclear armed nations of the world. If the situation escalates, it may lead to a nuclear war between the two nations, which could lead to the end of the world. Just to remind the readers, today’s nuclear bombs are hundred times more powerful than those used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Major violent conflicts are also occurring in Sudan, Israel-Palestine/Syria, Armenia-Azerbaijan, etc. There is ongoing tension between China and Taiwan (supported by the USA and western nations). North Korea is regularly firing ballistic missiles and there is a tense standoff with South Korea. Tens of thousands of people are being killed, injured with massive destruction, and millions of people have become refugees.
International organisations like the United Nations are toothless and are turning out to be mute spectators.
Nearer home, we have regular violent confrontations with China and Pakistan. China recently renamed many places in Arunachal with Chinese names, and there were violent confrontations at Galwan valley/Pangong Tso in Ladakh, and Yangtse in Arunachal. There are frequent violent incidents caused by Pakistani supported terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir.
Within India, there are violent incidents due to Naxalite-related antinational activities. There are linguistic/ethnic confrontations in Maharashtra-Karnataka (Belgaum area). In the Northeast, there was a major flare-up of ethnic violence between Assam-Mizoram, Assam-Meghalaya and Assam-Arunachal. All these have been overshadowed by the ongoing extreme violent confrontations between ethnic tribes/races in Manipur.
In Arunachal, there have been violent protests over PRC, the APPSC imbroglio, and other issues. Bandh calls and protests are increasing day by day.
Violent confrontations and wars are caused mostly due ethnic/racial divisions, religious causes, extreme nationalism, power, economic domination, etc. Despite education, development and civilisation, have we become so intolerant, egoistic, racist, casteist, zealous, avaricious and megalomaniac that we are hell-bent on killing and destroying each other?
We must understand that humans have been divided into various compartments like countries, states, races, castes/tribes, ethnicities by a few people who want to grab power and rule by dividing us. It seems we all have fallen into this dangerous trap of hatred and bigotry.
It’s time to remind ourselves about our ancient teaching, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘One Family One World’. We must realise that all humans are brothers and we all are born from one father/mother and share the same blood groups. Hoping and praying that sanity prevails for a peaceful, stable and happy undivided world. (The contributor is retired Group Captain, Indian Air Force)
