Learning the lessons of peace

Sucheta
Indus International School
India

What is global peace? How do we achieve it on planet Earth?

Some people think global peace is just about public security; others think it is the absence of war all over the world. Martin Luther King Jr. said that, 'Peace is more than the absence of war, it is the presence of justice'. This is true because peace without justice is like a volcano waiting to erupt.

There are two ways to achieve peace on Earth. The first is that you have a war, if it is necessary. This is, however, violent. The other way is by using non-violent means to restore peace around the world. One way you could find out if it is necessary to have a war is to ask the people in that country or community if they believe it is necessary or not to have a war. This would also help the government to make a wise decision on whether to use violent or non-violent means.

What are the conflicts or issues that have happened, are happening now and will happen in the future?

Recent conflicts on Earth have been about colonial rule, and discrimination based on religion, caste or colour. The American War of Independence and the American Civil War are examples of violence being used to resolve conflict. On the other hand, India's independence, the fight against discrimination based on colour in the USA and the fight against apartheid in South Africa were all achieved through non-violent means.

Discrimination based on religion or caste is when a person is treated badly because he/she is, for example, a Hindu, Muslim or Christian, or because of their caste in the Hindu religion, such as Brahmins or Arya Vsysa. For example, if you are a Hindu, a Christian might talk badly about you and your religion or say something offensive about you or your religion. In the Hindu caste system you might, for example, have people of a higher caste saying or doing offensive things to you or your caste. You can also be discriminated against if you are black or white.

India gained its independence from the British rule in a non-violent way. The Indians followed Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated Satyagraha (truth and firmness), Swaraj (self-governance), Ahimsa (non-violence) and civil disobedience.

Martin Luther King Jr. tried to stop discrimination based on a person's colour in the USA. He believed that everybody should be equal. Nelson Mandela campaigned against apartheid in South Africa and eventually won. This was achieved through non-violence.

Which individuals or groups of people in the past have helped in bringing peace?

Some of the people who have helped spread peace throughout the world include: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi), Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and many others were associated with making India a democratic country and freeing India from the British. Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. were both inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and followed in his footsteps of non-violence. Mother Teresa, on the other hand, helped in looking after ill people and saving people in danger.

What did these individuals do to become well known throughout the world?

When Mahatma Gandhi went to South Africa he saw a lot of people who were badly treated just because of the colour of their skin. In South Africa the fair and dark people were strictly separated. Mahatma Gandhi wanted to make everybody in South Africa equal. He wanted to achieve this by non-violence. When Mahatma Gandhi returned to India, he fought the British to make India an independent country. To achieve this, he began movements, such as Satyagraha, Swaraj, and Ahimsa. He also fasted. He also wrote letters to the British, proving that 'the pen is mightier than the sword'. Many people believed in and supported Mahatma Gandhi because of his philosophical and non-violent ways to gain independence. One person who wanted to face the British violently was Subhas Chandra Bose, but the majority of Indians did not subscribe to his views.

Martin Luther King Jr. followed in Mahatma Gandhi's footsteps by using non-violence as a technique to make black and white people equal. The law of segregation on buses was repealed because of Martin Luther King Jr. He was always a strong worker for civil rights. He was, by this time, a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, which was the leading organisation of its kind in the nation.

Nelson Mandela also followed in Mahatma Gandhi's footsteps. When Nelson Mandela was in prison his reputation grew steadily. He was widely accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa and became a potent symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to compromise his political position to obtain his freedom.

Mother Teresa was very different to Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. She cured, helped, saved, and healed people who were in danger, or who were ill. She also helped the poor people in Calcutta/Kolkata, India.

All these people went through many difficulties and solved those difficulties through non-violence.

What happens after a conflict is solved?

After a violent conflict ends, there has usually been a lot of damage and so it will cost a lot of money to repair everything. If a conflict were solved by non-violent means, the damage would be a lot less. Hopefully, after reading this essay the people of the world, will come to their senses and chose wisely before making a big decision. In the immortal words of Mahatma Gandhi, 'There is no way to peace, peace is the way'.

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