Is Gandhi still relevant?
By Kamala Sarup
The 136th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was
celebrated in Washington DC on Sunday.
India's envoy to the U.S., Ronen Sen, recalled the role played by Gandhi in inspiring the freedom movements in countries under the yoke of colonialism. The admirers of Gandhi's life include citizens of a variety of countries,
including America, who are studying his life's work.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in the town of Porbander in the
state of what is now Gujarat on 2 October 1869. Throughout his life,
Gandhi struggled to ensure freedom for his oppressed countrymen and to
spread his heartfelt belief in nonviolent resistance against repressive regimes wherever they are.
After spending 21 years in South Africa Gandhi
returned to India to fight for Indian independence from Great Britain. He inspired countless individuals, such as Reverend Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela and his indomitable spirit lives on even today.
Gandhi's message was one of peace and compassion: that one's actions
profoundly affect the world in which one lives. In today's world
fraught with tension and conflicts, the universal teachings of Gandhi
including non-violence, love and fraternity have an enduring relevance.
Humanity as a whole could benefit immensely by following the path he
illuminated: peace, friendship, tolerance and primacy of humane
conduct.
What few today celebrate is Gandhi's great courage. By deliberately
choosing the path of non-violence, a revolutionary concept in his day,
Gandhi knew that both he and his followers would surely encounter
persecution, suffering and even death. Yet he never changed his
beliefs, and indeed led from the front, showing his followers the
ultimate way. Because of his unflinching courage and determination,
Gandhi changed both India and the world.
Gandhi believed that the edifice of lasting peace could be erected
only on the foundation of love, compassion, tolerance, coexistence and
non-violence. Peace and non-violence are the only sane choices in an
increasingly violent world.
To honor Gandhi's memory, we Nepalis must work for
peace. We should join hands across the political divides in order to
develop a truly nationwide consensus for peace. Violence begets violence. Breaking this cycle and discovering solutions that actually
work is, perhaps, one way to truly honor the memory of Gandhi.
One way is to educate the media about the root causes of
conflicts and resultant violence. Superficial analyses by
journalists to grab a quick headline or audience share cheapens the
sacrifice of those who have devoted their lives to finding solutions
and ending conflicts. Someone once said that all conflicts are
ultimately about economic power: who has it, who wants it, and who
ultimately gets it. There can be little doubt that poverty and the
misery it creates spawn both conflict and violence. To actually solve
conflicts, issues of poverty and a society perceived as just by
all must be taken into account.
The ultimate losers in conflicts between powerful interests are the
innocents caught in the middle. The slaughter of innocents is a sad
story in all of the world's conflicts and wars, no matter how
well-meaning the combatants may have been to begin with. Gandhi clearly showed us all
this eternal truth.
Since powerful people all over the world are arrogant,
acquisitive, and ignorant, wars will always occur. But
perhaps the best we common people can do is to foster conditions
for increased communications and more trade between different countries so
that they stand to lose economically by resorting to war. One of the reasons A. B. Vajpayee government of India avoided war with Pakistan was economic.
More education promotes better technical skills, foreign languages,
and a deeper understanding of other cultures, which combine to reduce chances of misunderstandings, violence and war.
Journalists and writers can greatly help to propagate the message of peace by
writing convincingly for the general public in newspapers, TV, radio
and the Internet against war and in favour of peace. Changing people's attitudes
through media is the way to ultimately win the war on violence.
(Sarup is a research scholar based in Washington D. C. Please post your comments/feedback to kamalasarup@gmail.com)
(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article. Please send your write-ups to editors@mos.com.np and your comments/suggestions to feedback@mos.com.np)
