Asia Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) in collaboration with IPSA 

International Conference on " Redefining Peace Towards a Just, Non-violent, and Sustainable Future of the World"

10-12th October, 2022.  

USTM, Meghalaya - India

INAUGURAL MESSAGE

Christine Atieno,

Secretary General, International Peace Research Association

www.iprapeace.org

Namaste! Greetings of Peace!!

Your Excellencies,

Hon. Chancellor and Vice Chancellor-University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, President and General Secretary-Indian Political Science Association, distinguished colleagues APPRA Co-Secretary Generals, Esteemed Dr Aslam Khan-Convener APPRA 2022, guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,……..

May I express my sincere gratitude and great honour for the invitation to address this significant event organised by Asia Pacific Peace Research Association APPRA.

It was my desire to be present physically and celebrate with you but due to circumstances beyond me my movement was curtailed. Please, therefore, accept my audio-virtual presence to honorably share my peace with you on this auspicious occasion.

Foremost, May I congratulate, Her Excellency Mama Droupadi Murmu  for her election as the 15th President of India in July 2022. In Africa, the Swahili word ‘Mama’ is used in respectable terms to mean ‘Our Mother’. My best wishes to H.E Mama Droupadi and her administration as she diligently serves the people of India.

Respected Colleagues,

‘Redefining Peace Towards a Just, Non-violent, and Sustainable Future of the World’ builds on years of deliberations peace scholars have had since the establishment of Peace Research in the 60s. Peace Researchers across the globe in their findings and numerous publications have empirically highlighted distinctive impacts of wars, causes of conflicts on humanity and the environment. It is therefore imperative to redefine peace sustainability in a multi-dimensional scope.

Amongst these, the vulnerable nature which is now resisting and fighting back constant degradation and destruction of the ecosystem by you and me – HUMANS!  Humanity, we should brace ourselves to suffer more brutalities resulting from OUR actions in destroying the environment. Choices have consequences. Food production is under threat and therefore promoting viable integrated systems for land use and water resource management is pivotal in building resilience to vulnerabilities.    Fellow Peace researchers, we need to explore this theme intensely and add our voice to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. There is no better way to understand this than by recognizing the active role Women in Asia have always played in nurturing and sustaining the future. Their driving force of development has been exuded in various fields and households ensuring food is provided to generations. Their increasing partaking of leadership roles and political participation has enhanced their sense of self-worth, access to opportunities and ability to influence social change from grassroots to international levels.  

In 1992 during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted. It came into force in March 1994.^[1] As at 2022 the treaty has 198 parties to the convention. Despite the ratifications, industrialized countries continued to emit greenhouse gases subsequently affecting negatively the climatic patterns and weather conditions in most parts of the global South. The extreme and intense climate changes are causing death and environmental destruction at large-scale coupled with social and economic challenges.

Populations are already experiencing severe food insecurity which if not addressed urgently may deepen the food crisis. The economic crisis in Sri Lanka^[2], for instance, with inflation currently at 69%, is the worst in seven decades. A number of other Asian countries are on the brink too. Households are sinking in debt^[3] due to the ongoing economic meltdowns and currencies are plummeting because of rising inflation costs. Debt-distress, fuel shortages, plunging currencies, heavy borrowing are factors harming countries in Asia and Africa. Not to mention the geopolitical dominance and tensions between world lenders financing middle-income countries, also influencing economic instability of emerging markets. Peace researchers, the signs of desperation are knocking at our doorstep. Let us not ignore the fact that we are faced with tough economic times ahead which certainly is a recipe for instability and threatens the harmonious co-existence of humanity thus threatening PEACE and SECURITY.

As we derive remedies to global food crisis, let us also examine the important role media and broadcasting previously played in announcing breakthroughs and milestones in peace research having always been guided by verified facts. Media broadcasting is an ancient practice and an antidote of news dispatch aimed at sensitizing the mass on credible information. The ‘truth-spreaders’ as termed by professionals, should be unbiased in news coverage and analysis. Principles of journalism outline, ‘to frame news on a balanced scale and context’ inorder not to threaten peace. However, in the vast expanding social media and technology era this has come with its criticisms and challenges. The ethics and practice of professional journalism under current global waves is under scrutiny. Misinformation, propagandas, false news are driving the day. There is laxity in review standards and processes which previously were emphasized and adhered to by editors and reporters before publishing content en masse. Noticeably, is the hypocrisy of western-backed main stream media in aggravating violence and undue aggression in their news coverage, especially, of events happening in emerging economies. In a capitalist society that we live in today, war mongering sells more than peace news. In our morally decaying global society, the media platforms have also found their space to be used as propaganda vehicles to continue suppressing the weak. It is upon us as peace scholars to advocate for equal and rules-based reporting in international news.

On multilateralism, militaristic interventions to peace and security are increasingly becoming the order of solving aggression. The UN Charter of 1945, which also serves as the Statute of the International Court of Justice, is under constant threat. The preambles emphasis, ‘to practice tolerance, live together in peace and establish conditions where justice and respect prevails’. Respected colleagues, is this what we are witnessing in the world today?

Nuclear weapons continue to be a ‘dangling’ threat amongst global economic giants. We should continuously question WHY, the large percentage of countries that have signed and ratified the Nuclear Ban Treaty are mainly from the global South – that is to say, Africa-Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and South-Central America. Unless the global powers harbouring nuclear warheads care less about humanity, the humanitarian consequences that awaits usage of these abolished weapons should be a cause for concern to any country maintaining nuclear stockpiles and to us as peace researchers.

In conclusion Respected Colleagues,

As we ‘redefine Peace’, it is essential we dissect systems that restrict this definition within the confines of ‘monetary poverty’. We need to explore Multi-dimensional outlooks and approaches that will systematically address the multi-level crisis in Asia and the globe at large that will endeavor to serve a sustainable equitable future.

A world of exceptionalism is a decaying order in the 21st century. The rule-based principles enshrined in the UN Charter and Geneva Conventions must continue to guide international law. In recent times, the world is observing a clear breach of these statutes, and of regional sovereignty, by ‘global powers’ acting with impunity. We ask, who will sanction global powers provoking global unrests whether ‘economically’ or ‘militarily’?

The unending traumas associated with conflicts, economic inequalities are creating mental health crisis in communities and damaging generations after another. The rights and dignity of women who nurture life are being violated. Discrimination against race, religion, is rampant around the globe.

Asia-Africa relations, more so with India, dates back centuries. And so looking at the inter-sectionality of peace and security challenges insurmountable in Asia, and Africa to an extent, we begin to understand the precipice awaiting several emerging economies. It is important therefore for the two continents to strengthen economic ties and enhance inter-exchange of ideas and eco-friendly technological transfers to boost food production.

Colleagues, Peace begins with you as an individual hence projected outwards. If you are not at Peace with your inner self, you will not share it with others. In simple terms, ‘I cannot give what I do not have’. The world cannot give what it actually does not have. At this moment, THE WORLD HAS NO PEACE! I reiterate that Asia and Africa share long histories with similar economic prosperities and dysfunctionalities, peace instabilities which ultimately calls for reinforcement and strengthening of regional collaboration amongst peace research scientists from the two continents.

“Redefining Peace Towards a Just, Non-violent, and Sustainable Future of the World” is a call towards pragmatic actions. Not just talk, BUT, WALK THE TALK! We cannot turn a blind eye to the militaristic solutions being applied around the globe to solve conflicts. The geopolitical tensions are conspicuous. Ukraine-Russia conflict and the forced displacements, expansion of NATO, the China-Taiwan-USA provocations and many others. Are these inevitable? I leave that to your critical thinking, impaired analysis and amicable solutions.

As global Think-Tanks, we urge one another to indulge in the realism of the existing but rapidly changing world order and derive realistic solutions to conflicts and to the ever increasing militaristic approaches to international peace and security.

My brothers and sisters, I once again thank you for the invitation to APPRA 2022 conference!

Let us ALL CARRY THE TORCH OF PEACE!

Dhanyavaad ! Asante Sana!