Ajit Singh Nagra
Peace is the basic need of man to enjoy the basic facilities of life.In the hoary past, the cave-dweller man had to struggle hard against the ferocious beasts and brutes [for the security of his life and his family]and the appalling forces of nature to enjoy peaceful life.In the absence of peace, We cannot imagine our existence, trade and commerce cannot flourish, education cannot be provided to the new generation, industries and factories cannot work to produce enough to cater to the teeming millions, agriculture cannot be carried on to meet to the requirements our population, dying of hunger and starvation. Without peace, the whole world shall feel crippled, handicapped and paralysed and the wheels of progress shall stop moving and collapse shall become imminent to devour the whole mankind unmercifully. Our forefathers witnessed two world wars, the first world war[1914-1918] on 28th June 1914, the crown prince of Austria was assassinated by a Serbian and they plunged into war. Russia joined Serbia. Germany sided with Austria. England declared war on Germany on 4August 1914. The world got divided into two groups. Germany Austria, Turkey and Bulgaria were the central powers and England, France, Japan Italy and America were called Allies. The treaty of Versailles concluded between the Allied and the the central powers on 28th June1919 to end the war. That laid the foundation of the League of Nations officially in 1920 to establish world peace. It was the brain child of the American President Woodrow Wilson but it failed in its objective and the second world war [1939-1945] broke out and 70million lives were lost in two world wars.
U.S.A. President Franklin Roosevelt [1933-1945]proclaimed that four freedoms are essential to democracy: Freedom of speech, Freedom of worship, Freedom from want and Freedom from fear. U.S.A. President Franklin Roosevelt [devised the name United Nations] and British Premier Sir Winston Churchill signed the Atlantic Charter. Thepeace keeping organizationwas approved at Dumbarton Oaks [Washington DC] in Sept 1941. The conference met at San Francisco from April to June1945. Charterwas signed on 26 June 1945 and 50 nations signed. Poland signed it as 51 member. India ‘s representative R. Mudaliar signed it. UNO officially came into existence on 24 th Oct.1945, to save the mankind from the scourge of war in future and to promote International peace and security, Economic co-operation and total disarmament. Its main objectives were to preserve worldpeace and security toencourage nations to be fair in their dealings with other. To co-operate each other in solving problems and To serve as an agency to workfor peace. U.N.O. has six principal organs. GeneralAssembly is the main deliberative body composed of all members each with one vote. The president of General Assembly is elected for every session. There are six committees to carry on its work. Security Council composed of five permanent members- China, Russia, France, America and U.K. A vote is given to each member and it has power to impose economic sanctions and veto any decision. The Economic and Social Council [ECOSOC] The Trusteeship Council. The International Court of Justice headquartered at Hague with 15 Judges elected for nine years. The Secretariat. There are many agencies like ILO-International Labour organization to look after the affairs of the labour class. WHO-world Health organization promotes health matters worldwide and aims to raise medical standards and monitor diseases etc. UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was set upin 1946 to encourage countries to work for education culture and science. UNICEF- United Nations Children’s Fund was set in 1947 to improve thehealth and welfare of children and mothers indeveloping countries.After a long struggle studded with insurmountable vicissitudes, bloodshed, economic destitution, hunger and starvation, our forefathers renounced their bodily comforts, kissed the gallows, brave all hardships and succeeded in breaking down the shackles of thralldom to throw off the yoke of foreign rule and witnessed the dawn of Independence on 15th August 1947 that brought in its wake, murder,rape, and arson. Communal frenzy reigned supreme and unprecedented exodus took place that rendered millions of people homeless refugees rolling like dumb driven cattle in starvation , poverty and inhospitable conditions due to thoughtless and hasty divorce to satisfy the lust for power of a few. some knotty problems became chronic diseases and bones of contention but UNO failed to solve these issues to provide permanent respite and relief to the aggrieved nations. No doubt no world war broke out since 1945 but the clouds of war always remained looming on the horizons of the world and not single day passed anywhere,when some lives were not lost on the borders.Ideological differences prevail between the nations. There is Russian Block that subscribes to Communist philosophy and the western block headed by America espouses capitalist ideology with the slogan “Better be dead than Red.”There prevails deep seated rivalry between the two powers. China has emerged as a new power on the globe and poses a threat to the world. The whole world is suffering bitterly by the sporadic rise of terrorism in the Muslim countries and the whole world is its grip and no part of the globe is immune from its menacing danger. Cold war between USSR and the west has intensified the atmosphere in the world and nuclear powers get ready tolock their horns to establish their supremacy and hegemony upon each other.Indo-Pak wars were fought in 1947, 1965 and1971 and Bangla Desh came into existence. Indo-China war was fought in 1962 and China occupied India’s territory. Korean war was fought between South and North Korea during 1950and 1953. Vietnam war continued during 1961and 1973 and USA got involved. World Trade centre, New Yark was destroyed by terrorists in 2001, USA retaliated by invading Afghanistan.Iraq war was fought and Suddam Hussein was overthrown, killed but violence continued.
(The author is a retired Principal )
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