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Kathmandu Wednesday February 20, 2002 Falgun 08, 2058.
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Call for another world
By DR SHREEDHAR GAUTAM
With the collapse of the Soviet Union and
thereby the end of Cold War, the paradigm of world politics has tremendously changed. For
America and its western allies the disintegration of Soviet Union symbolizes the beginning
of the only world, the capitalistic world. American and its allies have been tirelessly
repeating for the last twelve years that there is no possibility of another world emerging
once again. For them the revival of a socialistic society else where in the world is a
mere utopia. They have already declared the death of socialistic philosophy forever.
People in many parts of the world are divided on a communal line systematically to
engineer sectarian violence so that people could not be united on ideological lines.
Against this background it is heartening to
note that in parallel to the World Economic Forum’s (WEC) meeting in New York some
days ago, a very different global forum began its work in the southern Brazilian city of
Port Alegere, about 5000 km from the WEC meeting. Almost 10000 delegates from different
parts of the world underlined the need and possibility of another world. They held serious
discussion on alternative social, political and economic progammes. The Forum successfully
held more than 100 seminars and 700 workshops in which delegates from close to 1000
organizations from around the world deliberated on wide ranging issues like the control of
financial capitals, food security and social movement.
The establishment of the World Social Forum
has come as a counter to WEF, and so it ran alongside its rival in New York. Unlike in
2001, the number of participants grew this year and most importantly African and Asian
delegates also played an active role along with their fellow participants from South
America and West Europe.
The WSF has attracted the attention of the
entire world, and it has shown the potential of giving befitting reply to the western
rhetoric of a single world. It has definitely and distinctively painted a grim picture of
the future with a message that if the world continues to be dominated by global
capitalism, there is no future for humanity. The Forum, perceived as the counter summit to
the WEF, has come to grips with how September 11 has changed the world. The highlight of
the Forum was the total unanimity among the delegates over the question of growing threat
to the world community caused by all kinds of terrorism, including the terror tactics
applied by the only super power.
The concluding session of the forum expressed
the concern that the world is marching towards terrorism, and there could be many wars
over oil, water and then for food in future if corrective measures are not taken
worldwide. The main focus of the deliberation was on how to prevent wars. The renowned
American Professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Noam Chomsky, who was
the keynote speaker, outlined a bleak view of the future. He warned that the U.S could one
day use weapons of mass destruction, targeting the growing masses of have-nots that
globalization is expected to produce. He denounced vehemently the unfettered global
capitalism that is concentrating the world’s wealth in increasingly fewer hands. He
particularly mentioned the U.S plans to militarize space under President George
Bush’s Missile Defence System, which is bound to pose serious threat to our survival.
The Forum has shown that now there are only two alternatives before the humanity- either
to have world without war or there won’t be a world inhabited by creatures.
The message from Port Alegere has come loud
and clear, but there is little likelihood that the industrialized North and the U.S are
taking the warning seriously. If we judge the U.S attitude on the basis of the recent
decisions taken by the Bush government, there is no reason to hope for the better future
of humanity. The U.S does not seem to realize that terrorism spawns more terrorism. The
arrogance of the U.S is plunging America and the whole world into darkness day by day.
Some Americans have realized that if the terrorists get any chance next time, they will
cause greater damage to America than the terrorist attack of September 11. The American
policy makers are making more enemies with their senseless utterances and measures taken
in the name of combating terrorism. By bracketing North Korea, Iran and Iraq as evil
countries, President Bush has unnecessarily antagonized the world opinion. It is a sign of
sheer foolishness to see each country as an ‘evil’, if it does not support the
American line. Can America sustain this policy for long? The obvious answer is big NO. It
is bound to be counter-productive.
If Osama bin Laden, the creation of CIA,
could go against America, tomorrow Hamid Karazai or any other western supported leader
could be a greater enemy of the U.S interest. Similarly, killing Saddam Hussein or for
that matter leaders of Iran and North Korea, does not mean that American envisioned
‘world order’ will remain intact forever. America can ensure its security and
interest only by pursuing peaceful policies, not by following the aggressive stand as
advocated by the hawkish elements in the Bush administration. Defence Secretary Ronald
Dumsfeld, and U.S national security advisor Condoleezea Rice are quoted, as saying that
American ground troops will be welcome in Iraq. They think that the world will be a better
and safer place without "rogue" nations and their leaders. If America attacks
these nations, this will prove to be a suicidal mission. Because America can destroy a
nation, but not the integrity of its people.
Now there is growing realization among the
European Union leaders, especially after President Bush’s speech in his state of the
union address, that if America is not checkmated adequately, it will take unilateral
action in the global affairs. Even the NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson underlined
the need of the increasing defence budget in European countries. It is a declared American
policy: To take unilateral military action like in Afghanistan and to engage its allies in
political engineering so that if things go awry, other countries could be blamed for the
failure. It is worth noting that after the European leaders outburst against President
Bush’s Union address, there were big demonstrations in Belgrade protesting the
prosecution of Slobodan Milosevic in the Hague Court. The demonstration chanted
anti-America slogans and wanted an immediate halt to the humiliating treatment meted to
their fallen leader.
Now time is ripe for peace loving people in
America and elsewhere in the world to put greater pressure on the American government to
reverse its war mongering policies. We hope good sense will prevail upon the U.S leaders,
but at the same time we should continue our efforts to make them realize that the
‘American Age’ we are living in, is not an ultimate phenomenon.
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