Champions of humanity needed to build peace

Thomas Hidya Tjaya, Jakarta

During the past two weeks we have been inundated with news about increasing violence from all over the world. From the Middle East we hear about the escalating battles between U.S. troops and Iraqi insurgents, particularly in the cities of Falluja and Najaf.

The continuing bloodshed from the air and ground assaults of U.S. forces may make us wonder where this war will lead the world. Just few days ago, clashes between security forces and Thai militants broke out in southern Thailand leaving more than 100 people dead.

I'm sure all Indonesians are particularly sad about the return of violence to Ambon, which seems to have shifted from a political conflict to a religious clash. With the recent increase of violence everywhere, we may wonder whether the goal of building peace in this world can ever be achieved.

There is little doubt that each one of us wants peace and safety in our lives. They are the necessary conditions for living well and planning our future. Living in conflict-torn areas makes it impossible for anyone to have a decent life. Every day, people in these areas are engulfed with a fear their lives may be suddenly and pointlessly taken away. Even those involved in the fighting often realize death is coming too early. It is hard for people to plan for the future because what comes next is too uncertain to predict. They cannot even hope too much, fearing they will be greatly disappointed. A single day without fighting would bring smiles to their faces because it could mark the coming of a long-awaited peace.

If violent conflicts and wars always bring abominable conditions for all, why have we human beings so often voluntarily engaged in them or at least supported them? If peace and safety are fundamental to human existence and we desire them, why cannot we procure them? It is never easy to answer these questions.

The complicated circumstances that lead to conflicts often seem beyond our understanding. Yet we all know too well that human ambition, for material gain or for the love of an idea, often plays an important role in bringing about those horrible situations. It is not an exaggeration to say most wars and conflicts are politically and/or economically motivated. We may hear from those in power justifications for such situations and decisions they have made or are going to make. Yet, we know within our hearts the real causes lie much deeper than those public statements -- or at least that the situation is not as simple as what has been said.

We also know how unscrupulous politicians can be. That they often say one thing and do another is common knowledge. That they continue to make up excuses in order for their decisions and actions to look justified. However, politicians' real objectives remain political or economic. This is the reason why we tend to feel suspicious of what politicians say in public. We may often say to ourselves, "Hmm, they are up to no good."

What they may not realize, or stubbornly refuse to heed, is that their decisions and policies significantly affect the lives of many people. In peacetime we experience how the change of a particular law has an effect on the way people do things. In extraordinary circumstances the influence of such decisions is immensely critical, and therefore, the responsibilities of the politicians are significantly greater.

Starting an illegitimate war, provoking a conflict, or letting violent clashes continue to flare for the sake of a particular group's advantage, all these are irresponsible decisions because they put the fundamental interests of human beings, particularly their right to peace and safety, at stake. Such policies totally ignore the dignity of those people whose lives are fundamentally good. Violent conflicts always denigrate the very people involved in them.

We cannot know for sure the number of victims in conflicts happening in the world right now. At least 280 people -- including 24 women and 30 children -- have been killed in Falluja since April 5, excluding those who never made it to hospital. Victims in Ambon, Aceh, southern Thailand, and other parts of the world continue to add to the list of those whose lives are pointlessly taken. This is not to mention those who have been injured or have irrecoverably lost parts of their bodies.

It may be easy for most of us to enumerate casualties in a detached way like this. This is because we are far away from the victims -- we are not in their shoes experiencing horrendous situations.

Politicians are generally even farther from the victims, not only geographically but also psychologically, as they are protected from any possible harm even when they visit the troubled areas. Such protection is something the victims never enjoy, although they long for it. Unlike government officials, ordinary people have no privileged status. When a riot breaks out they are usually the first to fall. This is why people in a conflict always hope for peace, for only in a peaceful place can they rebuild their lives.

As we enter into the presidential election campaign, I think it is very important to elect leaders who are champions of humanity, those who are keenly aware of the importance of peace, both from within the hearts of each human being and peace in society.

We should avoid leaders who use force to achieve stability because this will only bring about a false form of peace. Rather, we should support those who promote peace in society and show respect and compassion for other human beings, particularly the defenseless.

We need leaders who actively protect their people from harm and injustice. Who always take sides with the victims and fight for their rights and well-being. In a fragile world like ours, it is incumbent upon all of us, and particularly upon political leaders, to build peace and to shun any idea or action that will destroy humanity.

The writer is Lecturer at Driyarkara School of Philosophy.