On World Understanding Day…

PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo has made a special plea for more understanding, by the big powers, of the interests of small States.

He made the appeal as the Guest Speaker at the World Understanding Day Dinner hosted by the Rotary Club of Georgetown, last Thursday night, in the Savannah Suite of Pegasus Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown.

It was part of Rotary’s worldwide effort to foster goodwill and peace among peoples of all nations during World Understanding Month, February.

Every year, in the Rotary international calendar, Rotarians commemorate World Understanding and Peace Day on February 23.

President Jagdeo noted that there are a few persons who are as noble and worthwhile as the search for global understanding and added: “It is the only true path that can lead us to a more peaceful, tolerant and united world.”

He commended Rotary International for pursuing the cause and, specifically, for institutionalising the series of talks aimed at exploring ideas and proposals for achieving greater understanding.

The Head of State put focus on a particular problem, which is the lack of understanding that has long effected the relations between developed and developing countries,
“…and has thus seriously inhibited mankind’s aspirations for a better life on Earth,” he observed.

President Jagdeo pointed out that, from time immemorial, powerful States have sought to dominate and exploit the small and more vulnerable ones, in furtherance of their own political and economic self-interest.

“Sad to say, even though most, if not all countries, are now independent and free, vestiges of that deplorable past still remain in the conduct of present day international relations, despite formal recognition in the United Nations (UN) Charter of the principle of the sovereign equality of States,” he admitted.
Equitable reform

President Jagdeo said the present international system, nonetheless, discriminates between countries in favour of an elite few and he cited the example of the operations of the UN Security Council, which, as has been acknowledged by all, is hardly representative of the majority of the Member States and is surely in need of equitable reform.
He also referred to current international trade negotiations which, despite the campaign by developing countries for special treatment, has, so far, failed to produce fair trading arrangements.

“Then there are the multilateral financial institutions, which are based on weighted voting and, thus, provide little or no say to developing countries in terms of decision making,” President Jagdeo contended.

He expressed his hope that the reform exercise, that is now ongoing at the UN and elsewhere, will soon see the emergence of new government institutions which are truly democratic and sensitive to the needs of small States.

President Jagdeo said there is much talk, by the developed countries, about partnership, people-centred development and special treatment for small economies such as Guyana but yet, at the end of the day when our economic and trade negotiations are over and one looks at the fine print of final agreements, these concepts are conspicuous by their absence.

“If we are to get off from the treadmill of endless and futile discussions, we must seek a reorientation of the dialogue with our developed partners,” he advocated.
President Jagdeo said future engagements must be premised, if they are to succeed, on such basic principles as equity and social justice.
“Those who have much must show magnanimity for those who have little. The lack of understanding on the part of the developed countries also manifests itself in other areas of international cooperation,” he argued.

International conventions

President Jagdeo said, for example, on the question of compliance with international conventions and treaties, where the big powers do not hesitate to use these instruments against States that do not adhere fully to their policy prescriptions, they, themselves, are often not without fault.
“These powers are quick to see imperfection in others and very little sympathy or understanding is showed for the target countries which may, in fact, have a reasonable explanation for the alleged non-performance of their obligations,”

he said, maintaining that more generosity of spirit could be demonstrated by the developed countries in their assessments of developing States.
President Jagdeo recalled that, at the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change last December, few industrialised nations, out of concern for their own prosperity, frustrated the efforts of the majority to arrive at a binding agreement on limits to global carbon emissions and assistance to small States to combat the negative impact of climate change.

“As we prepare for our next summit in Mexico, I trust that all countries big and small will come to the table with a greater appreciation of the urgency of our common responsibility to preserve our environment from further harm,” he hoped.
President Jagdeo said, not surprisingly, the absence of understanding in international relations is also noticeable in the bilateral relations between States.
“Contrary to the norm of mutual respect, on which inter-State relations are premised, some developed States are prone to interference in the internal affairs of small States,” he lamented.

According to him, history is replete with their interventions, through which they seek to impose their will on weaker States and make them in their own image.
“They fail to recognise the diversity which characterises humanity. Each country has its own peculiarities, its own concerns and interest which it must take into account in its overall development process,” he reminded.

President Jagdeo said external values cannot be imposed on people who must judge for themselves what is right and proper in their circumstances and he called for international relations to be based on a sense of morality.

“Given the deep seated divide which currently exists between nations, how can we achieve that greater global understanding which is necessary to the establishment of a more just and equitable international system?,” he asked.

President Jagdeo remarked that the world now seems to be witnessing a waning of uni-polarity which has prevailed within the global power structure since the end of the Second World War.

Better equilibrium

“A growing multi-polarity is now emerging to provide a better equilibrium between States, thereby lessening the threat of unilateralism to global peace, security and development,” he asserted.

President Jagdeo said, with the advent of the Obama Administration in Washington and its declared commitment to working with others, “we are encouraged to think that a new age of multilateralism is in the making.”
“Elsewhere, from among other nations, other enlightened leaders are coming forward with a shared vision of a new global dispensation that is founded on equality and social justice for all,” he posited.

President Jagdeo said the process of globalisation, which is still to prove advantageous to small countries, is, nevertheless, developing, at least in some quarters, a greater recognition of the interconnectedness and interdependence among people.

He said the rapid spread of information technology (IT) throughout the world has produced a diffusion of knowledge about the various cultures that make up global society and increased tourism and travel have led to a greater appreciation of the customs and lifestyles of other peoples.
“The world has, indeed, become a global village. As citizens of this brave new world, we need to develop a culture of understanding that allows us to cooperate fully with other nations of the world for our common good,” President Jagdeo advised.

“We have been made aware, from experience, that many of the problems we now face, such as rising trans-boundary crimes, the spread of pandemics, rampant poverty and environmental degradation can only be addressed effectively through dedicated international cooperation,” he declared.
“Unfortunately, though, we are yet to reach that level of solidarity that is required for life in a world now radically altered as a result of scientific and technological progress,”

President Jagdeo said.

Universal consensus

He said “there is an urgent need for universal consensus on new forms of governance that will enable us to transcend the barriers to global understanding and cooperative co-existence.

He said the UN organisation, which was created from the ashes of World War Two to fight the scourges of war and poverty, remains huddled in its efforts to instill, within its membership, a sense of unity and common purpose and the many conferences and meetings that are held remain clouded by suspicion and distrust.

He suggested that, only a profound attitudinal and behavioral change will transform this.

“Like human beings who wish to progress to a new stage of self enlightenment, States must also aspire to higher virtues if they, too, wish to achieve a more cohesive and functional world community,” he lectured.

He said not the least of these virtues is tolerance which, as has been aptly described as rare as the quality of mercy but, unfortunately, because the noun tolerance is often confused with the verb tolerate, some see it in a negative light.

President Jagdeo said the tolerance spoken of has a positive connotation and can simply be defined as an effort to understand another’s beliefs, practices and habits without, necessarily, sharing or accepting them.

“In showing tolerance, therefore, you do not just do so with any smugged self-righteousness but rather in a simple and sincere attempt to understand and accommodate the other person’s point of view,” he offered.

He said associated with tolerance is mutual respect, which has been beautifully summarised by most of the world’s religions in the words: “Do unto others as you would have them do onto you.”

President Jagdeo said, if every individual and, by extension every nation were to abide by this golden rule, there would be no room in this world for conflict or misunderstanding.
Selfish interest

“Unfortunately, there are those who choose to encroach on the rights of others in pursuit of their own selfish interest. The end results are often controversy and violence,” he said.

“What can we do to end this vicious cycle? If it is true as being said ‘war begins in the minds of men’, then it is there, too, that understanding must begin,” he said, concluding that mankind can be persuaded through education.

President Jagdeo said it is encouraging to note, in this regard, the increasing number of universities, schools and other institutions which are offering courses in conflict resolution and civic responsibilities, generally.

“Such training, if replicated everywhere, will provide a solid foundation on which global understanding can be firmly built,” he said.
“The values to which I have adverted, tolerance and mutual understanding are only two in a vast monopoly which mankind has created for itself to form a moral code for living.”
He said they are, however, the two norms that are most invoked in the practice of international relations and various other traits are priced by different civilisations, culture, religions and creeds.

President Jagdeo said Christianity seems to give pride of place to faith, hope, charity and love; Islam attaches the highest importance to submission to God’s will and compassion and, in Hinduism, moral duty (dharma) requires, among others, altruism, moderation and non-violence.

“We have only to look closely at each of these qualities to realise that they are all interlinked and serve a common purpose of elevating mankind to a higher level of morality,” he said.
He noted that the ideal of world understanding is not one that will be reached over night.

“The truth is that, both as individual and countries, we still know very little of each other. We must, therefore, consciously decide to remedy this deficit by broadening our minds to learn more about the world around us,” he said.