Peace Dividends, War Profits
The Perdana Global Peace Forum 2005 organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation on December 15 -17, 2005 at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia intends to provide an international platform for the discussion of current world problems and, through comprehensive discourse, provide ideas to make our world a better and a safer place. The Forum bring together a diverse and select group of current and former heads of state, business leaders, prominent academics, community leaders, other stakeholders and key NGO representatives to collectively brainstorm on the practical way forward to achieve global peace.
16th December, 2005, 7.00 p.m. Merdeka Hall, Level 4, PWTC.
Almost 2 days into the forum, at last I found myself being seated in the grand dining hall. The room was cool alright, and I thought its a good way to start the conference served with really fine dinner. But I can't help asking myself this question: Did I MISSED anything? Nah, those guys were just talking, anyway.
Source: Brand Malaysia
Flipping through the agenda while waiting for my appetizer, I suddenly saw something amiss...or whom ‘those guys’ that i've missed. Let's see...The Hon. Bob Hawke, Former Prime Minister of Australia, H.S.H Prince Alfred Von Liechtenstien, Chairman, Advisory Board of the International Peace Foundation Austria, Michael Carmichael, Founder, Oxford Centre Public Affairs, UK, Dato Dr Ronald McCoy, President, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Malaysia, Dr Chandra Muzaffar, President, International Movement for a Just World (JUST), Malaysia, Peter Schier, Representative, Konrad-Adenauer Foundation to Malaysia....
Wow.
Even the Chairman for Perdana Global Peace Forum and also our beloved Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself, was surprise by the overwhelming positive response from the global community leaders, business leaders, prominent academics other stakeholders and key NGO representatives. As a small country with little political influences at international level, we are actually waiting for some big guns to initiate similar peace forum, but no prevail. Take it from Tun, we must always be humble but there is a time that we must believe in our capacity to excel, that ‘Malaysia Boleh’.
The BB (Bush and Blair) Brothers are not included in the speakers list, im not sure if they were actually invited. The truth is, if they were here, they will probably found themselves sitting in ‘cool chair’, that they will now listen with their mouth closed as the world speaks...Its not a surprise that the Bush collisions were under heavy bombardment yet again for their endless effort initiating so-called War for Peace. They couldn't care less about Sudanese warfare, but I guess Iraq was in their dreams even when they are not sleeping. I would say War for Oil.
The earlier part of the forum evolves pretty much on HOW, WHO, WHEN, WHERE and WHY (wars). Some fantastic talks were given on war economy, war and weaponry business (USA Boleh!), real truth behind the terror of wars, importance of inter-faith dialogue, critical role of mass media and most importantly, the peace economy. There's a saying in Chinese that money is not everything, but sometime there's nothing much that we can do, without money!
I considered myself lucky since I manage to participate in the last plenary session (7), An Action Plan For Peace. Of all the talking, all the discussions its crucial that the real actions finally kick-start, where serious attentions will be given to of that's most urgent, like peace within ourselves. You actually believe that every tiny cents given by hundreds of passerby to some ‘full-time’ beggars everyday, months and years will eventually made them super-rich, please do the same math, shall we? Contrary to general disbelieve, what we learned in primary school actually helps improving our later lives. One plus one is always true (two), here on earth.
Interesting thing is apparently some bloggers are given media pass to record, write and blog about the forum. As I write, I think there must be dozens of them posting daily updates and discussions, full coverage of forums progress and photos included.
Thats reminds me of leaving the camera with my sister, who was traveling. Well, I miss my camera, especially when hold Stephen's Nikon like using an unproven armor in the battle fields. And yes, if you ask me, sometimes I was holding my camera as if I was holding a gun or something. Else what makes you think that more and more journalist and photographer getting killed in combat zone?
Feel fear for the truth of wars, as we should!
I should be sharing more of my opinions and findings for a laymans point of view, but I really need some time to go through the stockpiles of notes and facts. For a starter, WHO the h*ll is Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf? I know nothing about him other than experiencing his soft-spoken tune, seemingly weak but powerful speech, so much so that I almost convert into Islam! It's a compliment, of course. Peace, my brothers (and sisters)!
As a matter of fact, i'm not sure if can believe everything ive heard so far. I'm not sure if all the speakers and participants are doing all this, on behalf of their own agenda and interests or for the eventual peace on earth. I grabbed the Peace Workcamp brochures, and carefully read it again.
That, is for sure.
Related Links:
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
JUST Malaysia
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Blog Jeff Ooi
Blog Yvonne Foong
14 Comments:
To give you an idea of the mindset of the W. Bush administration, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was recently interviewed on NPR (National Public Radio) about the situation in Iraq. About two-thirds of the way through the interview, he suddenly went crazy and started railing, "All you want to talk about is the problems! Why don't you focus on the good things? Any Iraqi will tell you that things are bad, but they're still a lot better than they were before we liberated them!"
Tell that to the popular resistance.
He then went on to explain that Iraq is the "central front" in the "War on Terror" by saying, "The Islamic extremists want Iraq, because they want to set up a pan-Islamic caliphate. If they succeed, the world will be a darker place."
Of course, what he didn't say was that the extremists weren't there until after the U.S. attack. In other words, if Iraq really is the "central front", we created it ourselves.
Oh, shyte...I'm talking about politics again! Sorry!
How did you get to participate in this thingy?
Moody...
Thank's for sharing! Well i'm not much of a political guys myself, but learning some new general knowledge certainly won't be harmful :)
Bush is slowly loosing his popularity, but there's much for fellow Americans to think about before voting him down. Amazingly USA is the answer to many problems, like, let's say Kyoto Protocol? Oh, and when the fellow speakers are cursing Bush Juniors, Mr. Rumsfeld was not far behind from the like of Rice, Cheney, etc.
I find it interesting to finally see everythings are related to each other in the end. If we thought that Singapore is not that big, earth is not that huge, anyway!
lrong...
What a coincidence - - you met our Boleh-man weeks before this and now he chaired the forum i'm attending! :)
If you follow my stories earlier on, i'm actually much involved in a peace organization, Service Civil International (SCI). We approach the forum's organizer since participation is via invitation only. Of course, seats are given and no fees required!
"There is no way to peace. Peace is the way."
-A.J. Muste
To add on to panda's comment
"There never was a good war,
or a bad peace."
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
It's easy to say "give peace a chance," but why is that so hard to do?
Because peace is boring and unprofitable?
Dear Low
Conference, preceedings, talks, discussions etc... have u ever wonder whether all of those being disucssed, agreed upon..blablabla... are carried out? whether it will benefit the those people who are really affected. For instance Bangladesh have the most number of NGOs in the world. But their poverty rate is still more than 60%. Where did it go wrong?.... hehehe... juz some thots...
Dear nisa
There is always this debate about whether there are too many or too little NGOs in the world.
Looking from the perspective of raw numbers, it seems we have too many. Also, looking from the perspective of big countries like US n UK, the supply seems exceeding what is needed.
But my personal opinion is that we have looked at the wrong side of the economics. We should look at the demand side (well... i do sound a bit keynesian), and the appropriateness in allocating the RELEVANT resources to the needs.
Looking from the perspective of needs/demands, it is interesting to find China, such a big country, has far too little NGOs around to do the work. Similar situations arise in other third world countries. We see lots of imbalance and mismatch of demand and supply of service, just like the misallocation of 20:80 resources in the wealth of nations around the world.
You are right in pointing out the difficulties in carrying out the fruit of discussion and targeting the correct recipients. Transforming words into actions is alwys not easy, and there seems to be a large gap between the people who is talking up there, and those who are suffering down there. but there is alwys people, like you, like Low, like many others, who realize this fact. And perhaps we can think about what WE can do to bridge the gap? Through our local service, through our community participation?
Pandabonium & yd...
Nice quotes! Let's spread the words! :)
robin...
It's like you son's saying "Give me a chance, daddy?" after breaking your favourite vase few times, again and again??? We are still largely, in war-peace-war-peace-war-peace...cycle...evolution?
Maybe our believe (ultimate peace) are getting weaker, that we need to stock more weapons (ultimate Nuke) instead.
some idiot...
Maybe that's why they started to think about "War Dividends, Peace Profits" Let's face it, people will become interested if it's profitable.
Or the war is already at your doorsteps.
Nisa..
I hope there is one day, i can answer your questions. 100 %.
As for now, we can only do our part. And yes, we will have to start talking, again...
yd...
...people like you, yd! :p
Demands and needs. Don't forget that people makes money out of the unbalanced equilibrium. Like peace, fully functional NGOs comes in certain price tag. When normal people talks about changing the 20:80 resources in their low-cost apartment, some people made decision on possible 10:90 in their bullet-proof BENZ, drinking top class wine.
Just like how President Push and his juniors control and determine either WAR or PEACE, most warm-hearted volunteers are basically in passive positions. If we still busying fighting for "who drives bigger car" and such, no one have time to understand their neighbour, let alone global peace!
Maybe we can start keeping the talk/do equilibrium first. Hey, i think President Push decide to have war first, before he finally decided everyone else also decide to have war!
Another quote on the topic which I also find moving and highly relevant -
"...But peace does not rest in the charters and covenants
alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all
people. And if it is cast out there, then no act,
no pact, no treaty, no organization can hope to
preserve it without the support and whole
hearted commitment of all people.
So let us not rest all our hopes on
parchment and on paper, let us strive to build
peace, a desire for peace, a willingness to
work for peace in the hearts and minds of all of
our people. I believe that we can. I believe the
problems of human destiny are not beyond the
reach of human beings.
Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process,
gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding
old barriers, quietly building new structures.
So let us perserver. Peace need not be
impracticable--and war need not be inevitable.
By defining our goal more clearly, by making it
seem more manageable and less remote, we can help
all peoples to see it, to draw hope from it,
and to move irresistibly towards it." -John F Kennedy
The use of force is widely glorified in our media today. It is presented as the expedient means, a short cut solution to problems. Not just war, but any use of force, from the policeman using mace or a Taser, to bombing defenseless countries with high tech weapons.
Politicians and power brokers are masters of deception and propaganda and make sure the message stays the same. We need to un-plug from their messages and open our eyes, and read and listen to the words of those who are more wise. There is no short cut, quick fix. If we wait for those who live on power to bring us peace and lay it at our feet, we will die waiting. That is what they expect us to do.
It all starts with us, individually. We have choices every day, and they all matter. The decisions are sometimes tough and the inducements to give up and support the status quo (war) are many and seductive. That has always been the case. If you are one who believes that it is hopeless, that peace in unreachable, then why even engage in the discussion? That only serves those who resist peace, doesn't it?
We can give in, and live in quiet shame and lament what might have been, or we can make the right choices and even if we do not succeed in our lifetimes, find an inner peace in having contributed to the hope for a better world for those that will inherit it from us. We will be able to look into the eyes of our children and speak truth rather than platitudes.
Keep up the good work, Low, and keep looking for answers.
That was a wonderful quote from Kennedy. He was truly a visionary. I guess that's why he wound up getting shot...
Merry Christmas, Low and EVERYONE!
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