By Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

The end picture of the 2019 is not peace, harmony and global unity on these critical issues. These trends represent sadistic tendencies in democratic norms and a system of politics without any accountability and remedial action. Fear of the masses and hatred appears to be ingrained in the mental microscope of many political leaders. All authoritarian political leaders lack the imagination of moral and intellectual traits that should have been at the core of effective leadership. Be it the UN-the chief organ of global peace and security or the US, Russia and other EU nations, the sense of reality is missing in policies and practices. Millions and millions are bombed, charcoaled by chemical attacks, civilian unprotected by the Geneva Conventions, and the noble intents of the UN Charter, The US Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights- all sound like insult to the “Common Sense” and to human intellect and political observations.

Is the UN Meant to Protect the Mankind from the “scourge of wars”?

Despite the UN and the global institutions of peace and security, We the People, We, the Humanity are strangled by well-planned warfare against our existence and survival on this planet.  The perversion goes on unchallenged for long in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Kashmir. To discard the indifference and insanity of the global leadership toward human protection and survivability, all concerned global citizens must think to avert the ultimate impending cataclysmic destruction of mankind and Planet Earth.  In all wars, mankind is the net victim of cruel acts of few warmongers. The news media plays pivotal role in manufacturing and transforming unspoken myths into thinkable notions in situations of unusual emergencies and societal conflicts.  Despite knowledge and advanced intelligence networks, the industrialized nations fail to find workable protective measures from societal upheavals and extremism.  Everywhere mankind is victimized by the unknown consequences of the few sadistic egoistic leaders, be it in Syria, Iraq, Bolivia, Kashmir, Chile, Palestine, India, Venezuela, Egypt and elsewhere.

Did the UN or the international community realize the immediacy of the critical humanitarian crisis and daily bloodbath going-on in Syria, Iraq, South America, Yemen and elsewhere?  Was that reality transformed into a living consciousness transcending momentarily the self-actualization for the collective goodness of global humanity?

Living with fear and hatred drains out all rational human thinking for life and whatever values and concepts it claims for human rights, civility and the future. The long shadows of deaths and destruction of human habitats daily converge on the tv screen showing several thousand displaced refugees moving from nowhere to nowhere. The UN, its Security Council and the global humanity (if there is such a living entity) were supposed to prevent the forcible massacre of the innocent civilians and extend some sense of concerned humanity to the victims. They do not! So, it becomes a routine of aerial bombardments, deaths and displacement of people. Are We, the People, We the Humanity that ignorant, that blindfolded not to realize what is happening in our surroundings?  Was it not the same historic reality that led to the Two World Wars by the few against many?

Ignorance and Arrogance are Destroying Humankind

We, humankind live on One Planet, whether you believe it or not, We are One Humanity. Looking critically at the 21^st century global geopolitical affairs, it appears as if humanity and all the working notions of thinking and actions are at crossroads in search of peace, harmony, security and sustainable future. To imagine a common mathematical orderly manifestation, it is incumbent to have sustainable co-existence and harmonious collaboration between all the converging factors to emulate the end purpose for the good of all humankind.

Few days ago, President Trump announced to set-up a “Space Force” – a galactic force to ensure the American security in space. Have these leaders solved any humanitarian problems on Earth? What rational criterion is implied to move the fear and hatred from the Earth to the Space?   From Planet Earth to the outer Space, people are wired with unknown secretive and sophisticated weapons – the ticking time bombs of scientists and space experts.  Man and ignorance continue to intervene and change the Nature of THINGS operative within the living Universe – why is it that humans cannot co-exist with humans on Earth – the Living Earth?

The UN and the World Order –  the Lost Reality of Humankind

Since its inception, the UN is viewed by the global community as an institution to “protect the mankind from the scourge of war” by evolving and implementing a systematic approach to crisis analysis, conflict prevention and to ensure the security of the global governance and peaceful future for the humanity. Its major organ –The Security Council is seen as body of systematic mechanisms to deal with global issues of peace, security and prevention of war while facilitating the necessary framework through diplomacy, laws, procedures and directives based on the UNO Charter. Often the members of the Council fail to define their own role and responsibilities toward global humanity. Most often, they disagree with their own perceptions, statements and values during the deliberations.

The survival of deprived humanity, the United Nations, international peace and harmony are everybody’s concern and priorities. Throughout the world, the educated and responsible intellectuals must address the question: how to develop a New Global Institution of functional relevance and credibility?  As members of One Global Humanity, we must think how to construct a New World Organization accountable to humanity, and not to nation states?  How could the UN be freed from the clutches of so-called superpowers? How can voices of reason and honesty be heard at the forums of international organizations? How 21^st century’s challenges be met with innovation, responsible and timely governance and concrete responses to crises across the globe? How can human rights, human dignity, peace and security be assured to concerned humankind? How can humankind – the global community be represented in all of the participatory deliberations of new global institutions?

Could We, the People and We Humanity be optimistic for the coming of 2020?

Unless the elite and corrupt systems of so-called democracy change, there is no hope of any formidable political change for the next year. Learning from the unpleasant facts and making changes in perceptions, policies and strategic direction is a rational choice to intelligent leadership. We do need men of new ideas and creative strategies to safeguard the future of mankind from ignorance and arrogance of fellow men. One could propose a workable solution to the bewildered global leadership’s mindset if the leaders could be sent on a space voyage to see Planet Earth as is from the above and try to understand its operational existence – who is governing the universe – what Majestic Power facilitates all that is essential for life and growth;  how the earth rotates against the sun, how the water, seas, mountains stand in obedience to their Creator – the Lord of the World- the Creator of life and death; how the universe and human species are connected together and the imperatives of living in co-existence with the rest of mankind. Perhaps, such an exploratory visit to space will help to melt down some of their inborn arrogance, indifference and cruelty to the fellow human beings. The outcome could produce human optimism and pave the conducive opportunities and means for peacemaking and co-existence. Indeed, leadership adaptability to change in democracy is a mark of intelligence and responsibility.

Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international relations-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including: Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution: Approaches to Understand the Current Issues and Future-Making, 2017. His next publication is soon to be released: One Humanity and the Remaking of Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution, 2019.