Global Peace and Conflict Management

After more than eight months into warfare and several millions of forcibly displaced refugees, there is no proactive leadership vision and workable plan on table to change the course of contemporary tragic events, massive deaths and destruction as morality and human intellect continue to decline for a navigational change – and for an immediate ceasefire and workable peace. Most leaders are billionaires and are supported by the corporate entities selling weapons. These are devoid of reason and futuristic imagination to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and to reverse the picture of utterly indescribable shadows of entrapment for a looming Third World War.

A rational conflict analysis and search for peace involves listening to and learning from divergent viewpoints and finding a common place of reasoning without agreeing or disagreeing to halt the animosities. This is effective communication and enlightened leadership traits. The mankind is fraught with sorrows, fear of unknown animosities, daily killings and displaced thinking process. Members of a society – no matter how normal they claim to be – cannot function as normal beings to coexist with their own self, the surroundings, in human culture and make any positive contributions to sustainable change and progress. The US, NATO, the EU, Russia and Ukraine are stuck in this seamless yet vicious entanglement. Ironically, desperation could aggravate anyone to use nukes unilaterally with global catastrophic consequences.

This state of affairs depicts complete societal breakdown and a march towards self-annihilation. We are witnessing and living in that delusional culture of human degeneration. Actions result in reactions. Russia is taking control of conquered Eastern towns in Ukraine, and leaders of NATO and the EU are imposing new sanctions as if it will resolve the urgent energy supply crises of gas, oil and Nord Stream pipeline from Russia. The rupture and leakage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline could have catastrophic environmental problems. Political condemnations and economic sanctions will not change the course of history but a reasoned dialogue of direct talks could produce desirable outcomes for peace. If there are any proactive intelligent leaders, they should initiate direct peace talks between the warring parties. All human acts are subject to change and reformation. 

We, the People and global leaders are in conflict with the nature of things
We the People of the globe believe in human unity and peace, and the leaders need to learn how to coexist in universal harmony and be at peace with others on this Earth. Bombs and ballistic missiles hit the Earth and destroy all living things. Earth was meant for life and human progress, not destruction by human wickedness towards the nature of things. The Earth is a living entity and is meant for us – the human beings. The Divine warning is self-explanatory: 
“And do not make mischief in the Earth after it has been set in order, and call upon Him with fear and longing. Surely, Allah’s mercy is close to those who do good.” (Al-Quran; 7:56)
In all ages, people and nations claiming to be most powerful and transgressors manipulating the Earth and humanity were destroyed by the laws of God – natural causes. Many empires and egoistic leaders went this natural route of meeting their fate. We the conscientious people of the globe possess rational understanding of an equilibrium and balanced relationship between man, life and God-given living universe we all reside in. We the People of knowledge wonder who else except God created life, the Earth and the living universe floating in space well balanced and functional since time immemorial. Who else other than God determined the Earth’s spinning at a speed of around 1670 km per hour? Who else than God ordained this planet to orbit the sun at 107,000 km per hour? 
Be aware that Earth’s average distance from the Sun is about 93 million miles (105 million km); the distance of moon from the Earth is currently 384,821 km equivalent to 0.002572 astronomical units and if the Earth-Sun distance and that between the Earth and the moon were ever to change, there would be no sign of life, human civilizations or habitats left on Earth. We as human being, as One Humanity, have one origin – why can’t we coexist in peace and harmony? Do people ponder and realize how human beings are created by God and how societies have flourished since the time immemorial.
He is the One Who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then ˹developed you into˺ a clinging clot ˹of blood˺, then He brings you forth as infants, so that you may reach your prime, and become old—though some of you ˹may˺ die sooner—reaching an appointed time, so perhaps you may understand ˹Allah’s power.” (Al-Quran, 40: 67)
This understanding is critical to peacemaking and ensuring peaceful coexistence within the universe. The continued bombardments and missile attacks on civilians will increase tragic tensions, not the unity of the masses targeted by war machines. 
Witness to human tragedies – are we waiting for the Third World War?
We the People, We the Humanity are reliving the unthinkable horrors, bloodbaths and massacres of innocent civilians watching daily news about sufferings in Ukraine and what happened during the two European World Wars – still fresh on human slate of memories. The NATO, the EU, the US and Russia created strategic divides and still breathe in perpetuated animosities. What a human catastrophe and ignorance; they cannot think outside the mindless box. They all invest in military campaigns and military solutions. There is no check-and-balance strategy open to international accountability – no international law and no so-called preservation of the Geneva Conventions. Contrary to the official statements, the daily killings of the civilians go unabated across Ukraine–Russia conflict theatre. The UN Secretary-General and the NATO Chief react in confusion to Russian annexation of the Eastern regions as if NATO is not in conflict with Russia and is only providing assistance to defend Ukraine. They all watched from distance what was happening in Crimea since 2014. The Western leaders demonstrate moral perversion, lacking confidence and intellect to deal with unusual emergencies and crying wolf being unable to find workable solutions. They faltered to challenge Russia directly, yet they claim to be fighting against ‘aggression’. To make peace with Russia and between Russia and Ukraine and the West, they needed new creative initiatives to talk and discover ways and means to end the regional hostilities. When ignorant and wicked leaders transgress the limits of the laws of God and target the innocents, they are often punished for violating the basic covenant of human life on Earth. We call it change in historic landscape.
Every beginning has its end. Those looking for military confrontations and solutions are mindless figures. The few obsessed with invincible armies and political powers – the self-centred maniacs – all causing massive death and destruction to endanger life, human habitats and the sanctity of planet Earth. The need is urgent to understand how to change the egoistic and embittered insanity of few warlords into equilibrium of balanced relationship between man, life and God, given living universe in which we all live. If we remain bent on ignoring the living time and opportunities for peaceful change, our commonsense could lead to a cataclysmic ending. We the People of conscience invite you to rethink who you are, your origin and what life and death mean in the real world. To make peace and resolve the conflict peacefully, this author proposed a rational framework of direct communication between President Putin, President Biden, NATO, the EU and Ukraine leadership at the earliest in a piece “Why Russia, NATO, the EU and Ukraine cannot Make Peace?” 

Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international affairs-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including the latest: One Humanity and the Remaking of Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution. Germany.