NEW YEAR MUSINGS

Another year had gone by. Like the year before, many things had happened in the Year 2007 too. The end of 2007 was pretty gory. The year ended with the stamp of strong terrorist action. The high profile former Pakistan PM, Benazir Bhutto was killed by terrorists during one of her public contact programs. After being away from the country for a decade, she had come back home to take part in the country’s election process with an aim to restore democracy in Pakistan. What a pity!

Sometimes one feels that there is no hope. Seemingly, world is continued to be controlled by terrorists, mafias, thugs, mercenaries and the dons. A group very unreasonable, self-centered, narrow minded and of course, not really bothered about fellow human beings. The mute question is how long will the world continue like this? The victims of every such devious act is mostly women, children and the under privileged.

At the personal front too, life had been tumultuous last year, particularly at the end. Losing the dear and near can be pretty bad for anyone.

Mr. Wolfgang Hoeltgen, a German friend of mine, during his presentation at Kerala Management Association, stated that there is hope because, the percentage of countries that are democratic had increased to almost 55+ (all time record), people below poverty line (BPL) had reduced over the years and literacy is increasing world over. These are very promising developments indeed.

I believe literacy is the key. The ability to read and write opens up the knowledge horizon of people and this would inculcate a sense yearning for a better life. This yearning will lead to man working towards achieving the same and that would result in reduction of poverty in the households and society. Also, countries upholding democratic values will improve the quality of living of its citizen. A lot many nations need to understand it and work towards this goal.

It is also time terrorism subsided. Political terrorism in Srilanka, Kashmir, Palestine is still going big. Northeastern part of India looks vulnerable too in this front. Added to this is religious terrorism. Though aimed at the rich and powerful, the victims of terrorists’ acts are always the women, children and the innocent people who get trapped in the crossfire. The terrorists are aware of this but still they continue with their gory acts.

All of us need to think now on what each of us can do to make the world a better place to live. One important element of this is conflict resolution. After setting aside individual and group egos, we humans need to empathize with each other. To accept the diversity that we represent, we need to practice tolerance. We need to take the vow that we would provide all that we can, to give as much as opportunities to our children who can live a better life, in time to come. Indeed, for all the misdeeds that man had done so far, we really owe to the generation next, to provide them a good tomorrow.

Please join me in welcoming a problem free, trouble free, calamity free, terrorism free and opportunity abounding YEAR 2008.