Never learning from history

Citation

(2006), "Never learning from history", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 15 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2006.07315eaa.001

Never learning from history

Never learning from history

Again the people of the world hold their collective breaths whilst the historic antagonists of the middle east slog out another conflict. Meanwhile, after several weeks of conflict, politicians fly around the world trying to seek agreement on whether or not to call for a total ceasefire and withdrawal, and that agreement is no closer to being achieved than it was at the beginning of the conflict and the UN is deadlocked and is again unable to reach a decision.

At the time of writing (mid-August) nearly one million citizens of Lebanon and Israel have been displaced and countless others on both sides are unable to reach sanctuary and safety from the fighting. Aid agencies are unable to reach those in desperate need as precision bombing has destroyed the major arterial roads and bridges. Without a ceasefire there is little hope of a humanitarian catastrophe from occurring.

I know that I am very much against the UN but this is because of the fact that when its action is desperately needed, be it as a result of conflict or natural disaster it doesn't matter which or how, it is never forthcoming in a timely manner. There is far too much politics involved and too little commonsense and even less human compassion in that austere body and it is high time it was taken back to what its mandate initially meant it to be. True, the UN has a small military force and one of its aid agencies working in the conflict zone, but they are in exactly the same position as the other international agencies who are desperately trying to help.

At the beginning of this conflict I felt that the initial response by the Israelis was too heavy handed and I could not understand why until I read a book on the daily life of the people in Jerusalem (which is reviewed in this issue) and that gave me a greater insight to that initial, and continuing, response by the Israeli government. Although the book is about Jerusalem many of the issues it raises can be applied to other major cities across the world. It is about living with terrorism and conflict and, although it is not a pleasant read, it is a book that can give those of us who live in a more secure environment an insight into daily life and living in a conflict zone.

If I was the Secretary General of the UN, I would make that book, and others of the same ilk, compulsory reading for all UN political delegates and perhaps then they would awake from their stupor and start to do what they are meant to be doing and that is help the inhabitants of this world in their hour of need.

The world needs a UN that commands respect such that when it calls for a cessation of hostilities the ceasefire becomes automatic. What the world does not need is a UN that is a talking shop – all words and no action, with politicians posturing around like peacocks.

Conflict causes enormous human suffering and while the politicians talk people all around this world suffer terrible atrocities and are in desperate need of our help. It is time to bring this situation to an end and if the UN feels incapable of fulfilling its mandate and role in this world then it should at least have the courage to vote itself out of existence.