Youth for global peace

S. KULANDHAISAMY

The importance of our religious books is more important now than ever before. The lesson learnt after the recent bombing in the U.S. is that "Terrorism cannot be quenched by organised terrorism".

A man asked Rabbi Israel Ba'al Shem, "My son is estranged from God; what shall I do?" The Rabbi said, "Love him more". (quoted from the book Words to Live by by Eknath Eswaran).

Have you calculated the price of war. Here are a few points -

* From 1864 to 1870, Paraguay waged a war against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Paraguay's population was almost annihilated. From 1.4 million people, it was reduced to 2,20,000 of which 30,000 were adult males.

* During World War II, 25 million people died in the Soviet Union more than the combined present population of Sweden, Switzerland and Norway.

* Poland lost more than 17 per cent of its population, or more than six million people, during the Second World War.

* Total deaths during the World War II was estimated at 54.8 million.

* The largest number of people killed because of the use of chemical weapons was 4,000 Kurds when President Saddam Hussain used them against the Kurds in 1988.

Are we ready for war? Or are we ready to resign ourselves to a reign of terrorism? What next? In the Youth for Peace Workshops, organised by the Gandhi Peace Foundation, children between the ages of 12 and 14 made these suggestions * I would try to mediate and spread peace.

* I would send letters to all heads of States asking them to co- operate to bring about peace. And rise above the discriminations of race and caste.

* I would try to advise the American President George W. Bush to oppose terrorism non-violently. In the same way I would also write to Bin-Laden and advise him to meet with Bush and try and solve their differences, instead of killing so many thousands of people.

* Prayer brings peace - peace for the souls of the departed and strength for the living.

* Following the teachings of Gandhiji, I can neither talk to Bush nor can I advise Osama Bin Laden. But I can pray and ensure that for my part I will not hurt any one.

Did Gandhiji stop with sermonising? His thought expressed in word took the form of constructive action simultaneously. He could get things done solely by non-violence. And this proved more powerful than violent means.

What was his weapon? Truth and truth only. And the means to achieve this was only non-violence.

It is time that children learn to meet the problem at its root, develop one's soul-force to root it out, break the barriers of caste, race, religion and learn to love one another, share the wealth of the earth with the needy, accept truth as our common religion, adopting a life of simplicity would be the prescription for anyone on this earth for global peace.

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