A world in need of unity and peace

THURSDAY’s terror outrages in London have shaken the security of the world as did the September 11 horror in the US and the Madrid bombings, which took such a toll – and ended Spain’s involvement in Iraq. For the British, now, the instinct is to go on as before, to increase vigilance, to encourage people to be observant and report suspicious circumstances – and to refuse to surrender to the forces that spread confusion, terror and mayhem.

What can the British or aligned nations like the US do in the face of such an outrage? Despite elaborate intelligence operations, these bolts come as total surprises, designed as they are to emphasise the vulnerability of even the world’s seemingly most powerful nations.

The general reaction to such mayhem, as in New York, Madrid and now London, is outrage and anger, and a widening in the yawning gulf of understanding between the victims of such acts of terror and the unknown people who plot, plan and then carry them out.

Instead of respect among the nations and different faiths, there is a danger of a hardening of attitudes and an understandable desire to strike back. But something more is required. Ordinary people everywhere react with revulsion to the killing and maiming of folk, like themselves, going about their lives. What is needed now is to find unity against the forces of anarchy.

Here, perhaps, South Africa might be able to help. From being a divided society, stratified on grounds of race, we have, thanks to leaders like Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu, moved forward into a nation whose people have already taken impressive strides into achieving mutual respect.

Children from different backgrounds and faiths go to school together, and begin to understand that each others’ cultures, needs and aspirations have much in common.

Deeds like those witnessed in London this week are born of a lack of understanding, hate and resentment. A coming together of the nations, right now, is clearly impossible. But a way must be sought to let ordinary people everywhere put pressure on their leaders to unite with them against the scourges of intolerance and prejudice wherever they might be practised.

We need a world in which children can grow up in safety, in which neighbour learns to consider neighbour and one faith makes the effort to respect another.

Strong nations must keep their weapons in check and use their wealth to advance the less fortunate, weaker factions and ensure that their cultures are understood.

The UN was one initiative in this direction but that has been weakened by the crisis in Iraq – an act of terrorism in the eyes of much of the world.

An end to terrorism must be the beginning of true peace.

The wrath of Mugabe

THERE is a certain irony in the fact that Pearson Mbalekwa, a former loyalist of Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe is now experiencing first-hand the excesses of the man he once supported.

This week Mbalekwa, a central committee member and Zanu- PF MP, resigned over his government’s Operation Murambatsvina which has left tens of thousands of urban Zimbabweans homeless. It was a brave action from someone who probably supported Mugabe’s disastrous policies over the past five years.

Retribution against Mbalekwa was swift. Zanu-PF thugs swooped on his farm and made off with his farming equipment leaving him to wail: “My farm is being laid bare. This is all political. They are attacking my source of livelihood.”

The irony is obvious given what has happened to white farmers under the Mugabe regime but we nevertheless salute Mbalekwa for his courage. If only the leaders of African countries who still ignore the current human tragedy caused by Operation Murambatsvina would display similar moral fortitude.

Opinion