21st September 2006

Today, Thursday is International Day of Peace. In Stroud an evening in the Sub Rooms is devoted to talks, debate, music and more. Martin Whiteside, International Development Consultant and Stroud Parliamentary Candidate for the Green Party has written a Comment piece for Saturdays' Citizen.

Do we take Peace for granted? Thursday’s celebration of the International Day of Peace was a timely reminder of our good fortune in this country to have emerged virtually unscathed from the war’s of the last 60 years. But will we be so fortunate in the future?

The people of Darfur, Iraq, Lebanon, Rwanda, Afghanistan and many others have not been so fortunate. As an International Development Worker I see at first hand the horrors of war – the destroyed hospitals, the crippled bodies, the left-over cluster bombs, the hungry children, the raped women and the destroyed families.  Wars fuelled by the lust for power, by ethnic hatred, by religion, by competition for resources like oil, water, land and made worse by the arms dealers.  

We can fight over the last drop of oil or develop low carbon lifestyles. We can fight to keep the poor from “our” high ground as sea levels rise or we can tackle climate change.  We currently spend eight times as much on arms as we do on aid – so it is clear where the current priority lies.

How do we put a stop to all this? How can the wishes of the vast majority of people who want peace take precedence over the warmongers? How can we learn to share the World’s resources rather than fight over them?  Why can’t we celebrate our differences rather than use them to fuel hate? This is all the more important as Britain considers contravening the Nuclear Non-proliferation treaty by upgrading our own Trident nuclear weapons.  When will we elect leaders who are brave enough to say NO – there is a better way?

We are coming to a crunch time for our species. We, the rich nations are using more than our share of the Worlds resources. We, the rich nations are contributing more than our share of global warming gases and other pollution.  It is only fair that we, the rich nations, also take the lead in doing something about it. Our beautiful earth has enough for all our needs – but not for all our greed. When will we learn?

Martin Whiteside is an International Development Consultant, Stroud Parliamentary Candidate for the Green Party and a District and Parish councillor.

See also International Day of Peace news release re Trident website:

http://www.glosgreenparty.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1481&Itemid=2