Pursuit of durable peace in West Asia

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2025/columnists/a-human-tragedy-on-the-brink.html Friday, 19 September 2025 | Pioneer "Either the world acts now to halt the genocide in Gaza, or it will be remembered as a silent spectator to one of humanity’s greatest tragedies In what looks like a final step to annihilate Gaza completely, Israel has made its final move. It is moving into the Gaza Strip with the tanks and all the might it can muster to flatten Gaza and smother its people. The tanks have rolled into Gaza City. Thick smoke billows over its skyline. Entire neighbourhoods, once filled with schools, marketplaces, and mosques, are reduced to rubble. Homes to tens of thousands of civilians have been flattened as they flee for their lives.Israel’s latest ground offensive, presented as a military operation to defeat Hamas and rescue hostages, is nothing but a calculated move to disseminate the entire area, home to some two million people. The Israeli Defence Forces claim that Gaza City represents Hamas’s “last stronghold.” The fact is that the entire civilian population there is being penalised. In just two days, over 150 sites were struck, forcing thousands to flee south in desperation. Families cling to overloaded trucks and donkey carts, inching along broken roads. Reports and images show the ordeal of the people: drones hitting water tanks, solar panels, and power generators; entire neighbourhoods flattened overnight. The humanitarian toll is staggering. Since the war began in October 2023, Gaza’s Health Ministry estimates more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, nearly half of them women and children. Over 150 people have now died from malnutrition in Gaza City, where famine has been declared. Israel defends its actions as a response to Hamas’s brutal October 7 attack. The horror of that incident cannot and should not be dismissed, but that does not justify Israel’s actions, which are nothing but systematic cleansing and large-scale destruction of Gaza on the pretext of punishing Hamas. The deaths of tens of thousands of civilians and the displacement of nearly an entire population are nothing but a crime against humanity. Unfortunately, no one is willing to do anything to stop the carnage. Aid agencies call the inhumanity “unconscionable.” The United Nations has warned of an “even deeper catastrophe” if the offensive continues. A UN commission has accused Israel of genocide. Gaza today represents a collective failure of the world community to act decisively and stop the worst human rights violations in recent times. Stopping this tragedy requires more than calls for a “ceasefire” as mere rhetoric. Israel must halt its indiscriminate offensive and allow unhindered humanitarian aid. Regional and global powers must move beyond condemnation and enforce accountability — through sanctions, arms embargoes, or international legal mechanisms. The international community must act now to prevent Gaza’s complete collapse. Those with the power to intervene but who choose inaction will be remembered as complicit in this carnage, judged by history as partners in crime." more  

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2025/columnists/forgiveness-as-ontology-of-human-survival.html Forgiveness as ontology of human survival Wednesday, 17 September 2025 | Asha Gupta "Today we live in a world edging toward collapse under the weight of violence. Every day brings fresh images of conflict, leaving us helpless. While intra-state wars have declined, armed clashes worldwide are escalating. In 2025, despite repeated ceasefire efforts in the Ukraine-Russia and Hamas–Israel wars, drone warfare persists, fuelling deaths, geopolitical tension, economic strain, and eroding basic trust. The looming threat of war undermines peace efforts and corrodes moral and humanitarian values. War and civil strife cannot be countered with more violence; only peace, non-violence, and dialogue can break the cycle. Resolving conflicts today requires seeking shared values. In a globalised, hyper-mobile, technologically driven world, it is no longer enough to merely “tolerate” differences — we must cherish them as natural and enriching. Against this backdrop, cultivating forgiveness from childhood has never been more critical. If world leaders focus only on retaliation, conflicts will never end. Forgiveness disrupts the cycle of revenge, fosters reconciliation, builds trust, and strengthens social cohesion. It promotes understanding and offers an alternative form of justice. The Jain tradition highlights this power of forgiveness. During the annual Paryushana festival, Jains observe Kshamavani (Forgiveness Day) — this year on 8 September — when they say Micchhami Dukkadam, meaning “please forgive my deeds done knowingly or unknowingly.” Rooted in self-purification and spiritual evolution, this ritual encourages people to release grudges and move forward. Seeking or granting forgiveness is an act of courage. We are all hurt, offended, or wronged at times — and we too hurt others, intentionally or not. The shared ritual of asking forgiveness removes hesitation and pride, replacing them with empathy and compassion. It eases anxiety and hostility while enhancing physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Jainism sees forgiveness as “doubly blessed”: The forgiver feels lighter and gains self-esteem, while the forgiven feels relief and gratitude. It reflects the belief that every soul is inherently noble and that mistakes arise from ignorance, circumstance, or past karma. Making forgiveness a way of life affirms the sanctity of every being and our shared place in the cosmos. Forgiveness is one among many virtues — alongside humility, purity of thought, self-restraint, austerity, and contentment. It clears toxic emotions like anger, pride, greed, deceit, and ego, enabling harmonious relationships at personal, familial, and social levels. Such a practice is urgent in a world scarred by violence, self-centredness, and apathy. Today our mental and physical health faces constant threats: Not only from war and terrorism but also from environmental damage, religious extremism, rampant consumerism, and pandemics. These crises spare no one, rich or poor. The principle of forgiveness aims at not only an individual’s physical, mental, and spiritual well-being but also the sustainable socio-economic development at the societal level and peaceful co-existence at the global level. Forgiveness under Jainism is unconditional, spontaneous, and emphatic, and not ‘self-oriented’. Although it is not easy to follow the principle of forgiveness in daily lives, it helps in understanding the multifaceted aspects of reality, cultivating objectivity and equanimity. It leads to higher spiritual growth and improved interpersonal, inter-group, and international relations." The writer is an educationist and former Director at the University of Delhi more  

Privileging Israels blood over Palestinians' sensitivities, the vanquished Palestinians, is a sure recipe for more violence. more