C M Devarajan
At CAFI Conference
I am honored to share a few thoughts, on the destruction that war and weapons can cause to our civilized society, and liberty that is the birthright of all living on this earth.
A comic book on gun violence written by victim of gun violence – young children was released. I felt comics were part of our young life to make us laugh. But this comic book was pulling our heart strings to say the least.
Weapons are meant only for destruction of life and properly. It was stunning to vote that guns were offered for sale – with a free offer that is a land mine was offered as an add on to the sale of gun.
A knife is a knife – different uses for peaceful as well as for killing but a gun is only for destruction and killing.
We have attained freedom from the British rule but yet to achieve freedom from want and fear.
An official on the border was stopped for checking and from allowed to proceed, but after he moved ahead he was fired upon. The official stopped and questioned the living to which the authorities casually said it was a mistake and that he should pay for the bullet fired. It means they would prefer to recover the price of bullet before the victim dies.
The impact of gun violence is an irony of fate that would make the great Mahatma resting in Raj Ghat in New Delhi turn in his grave. And talking of the Mahatma it is a matter of pride for us Indians to know that the United Nations has declared the year 2008 as the year of Non violence and further the birth date of the Mahatma October 2 as a day of Non Violence.
As Indians born in the land of the Mahatma, it is only right and logical, that we set an example to the world, on how to spread peace in the world, through Ahimsa, Non Violence.
It is indeed sad that we need to have a conference for this reason but that is the bitter truth, the tragic reality. I for one believe that Non Violence ended with violence, on the day the Mahatma was assassinated here in New Delhi on January 30, 1948 and ever since we have witnessed more such cruel and heartless killings, making this conference very relevant and a dire necessity.
A few years ago we read reports that in the US, some kids carried guns to school and we were more shocked to read about kids using guns to kill their mates, emphasizing that gun killing in schools had come to stay in the US. We perhaps never imagined this would come soon to India. My dear friends let’s wake up to this gory fact that this is now happening in our own country as well and it is not something we can feel proud of.
Some weeks back there was a documentary on the BBC channel on gun culture. We got to understand how children were easily able to get guns from the market through contacts and used these guns as a tool of power and a means of threatening others. By wielding the gun, they were able to get things done their way. How easily and casually these children were able to access these guns is a shuddering thought. This is the real scene in our own country today. We can’t afford to close our eyes. It is time we understand the seriousness of the predicament we are in and try to find ways to tackle it head on and nip it in the bud.
Our Govts are too busy with many issues. Maybe they tackle the gun violence issue from their own perspective and it is obvious we are not getting the desired results. Why should we, who love our country, depend only on the Govt’s efforts to find a solution? As countrymen and women we can help the govt by supplementing their efforts in our own small way.
Wars are fought by nations and each country has their own agenda. It needs a Mahatma in every country to understand and make others understand that wars only destroy and bring no peace at all. Where is peace? How can a mother who loses her son, live in peace, even if her country eventually won the war? Where can one find peace for little children who have lost their father? The impact is shattering to say the least, or a wife who loses her husband and has to singly face life with children to be looked after – where is the peace? Wars and Weapons mean only destruction and if this goes on unabated, humanity will soon degenerate into a beastly and chaotic race.
Trust me and the movement that organizations like CAFI and others are leading, ONLY a civil society can handle this. Civil liberties are everyone’s right and no one can infringe on this liberty. Your liberty to swing your arms ends where my nose begins. We all have limits to our liberty meaning we cannot infringe on other’s liberty
For generations India has taught the world the lesson of non-violence and how powerful it is, that it can even win a war. Let us relive those days, take valuable lessons from history on non-violence and put it to good use in the present day context to tackle the growing menace of gun violence.
Let’s mobilize ourselves and teach our children to get into the habit of peace, love and friendliness, so that we make the world a better place to live, for the incoming generations. Good character, behavior and manners begin at home and as adults we should cultivate these good traits at home, so that our children easily pick them up. Don’t we all know that children in their formative years only imitate adults and learn from them?
Remember the three R’s. (1) Respect for self, (2) Respect for others and (3) Responsibilities for all our actions – we all do err but once we realize it, it is up to us to gracefully accept it. That would cool things immediately. Today a lot of us have forgotten to smile and to be friendly. Right from junior school, children are taught that they must be aggressive to succeed. We need to turn this around – we need love in our life in a world that is influenced by hatred.
When blood is required to save a life, it is not measured in terms of caste, colour, creed or nationalities rich or poor. The colour of blood is the same in all of us - blood is the unifying factor amongst us. Peace comes through the act of blood donation.
This indeed would be the most wonderful change – a change of heart that can happen in this strife- ridden society, ravaged by wars and destruction. Blood is meant for circulation and let us helps by donating blood to those who need it. Let us not shed it in warfare and killing.
A report of the UN says gun violence kills more than 3,50,000 people a year and injures more than a million. Paradoxically, yet the global trade that fuels the epidemic of armed violence is not subject to international regulations. The arms industry operates without regulation. If the tally of death, injured and disability resulting from small arms were categorized as a disease, it would be classified as an epidemic.
To address this issue, global initiatives have been started and since October 2003, Control Arms has gathered the support of over one million people worldwide. In December 2006, over 150 governments voted at the United Nations to start work on developing an international Arms Trade Treaty. The UN Secretary-General has called for governments to submit their views on the feasibility, scope and parameters of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to ensure that recommendations from governments incorporate the views of millions of people around the world who are affected by armed violence every day. To ensure that the millions of people who support a strong treaty based on international humanitarian and human rights law are taken into account during the government consultation process, People’s Consultations were organized in over 40 countries around the world to give people and communities a forum to demand that their governments take action for tough international arms controls. In Chennai we held a very impactful People’s Consultation meeting where we had representation from the Police, judiciary and the policy makers of the country and presented a set of pointers for the ATT.
Poverty prevails in many regions of the world, and there are whole nations struggling in abject poverty. And it is believed that this leads to a lot of gun killing and violence. This may be true but to a very miniscule extent. If the civilized world can rise above nationalities and other dividing factors these can be easily taken care of. Today an Arms Trade Treaty and efforts of organizations like the Control Arms Foundation, is a necessity and perhaps the only remedy to save society from disintegration.
Being in India, let us give some thoughts to the teachings of Mahatma and our very renowned Bhagavat Gita. The Mahatma gave us a valuable and strong teaching of Ahimsa or non violence and he proved its strength by fighting many a battle to secure India’s freedom.
The Bhagavat Gita teaches us thus:
What have you lost for which you cry?
What did you bring with you, which you have lost?
What did you produce which has been destroyed?
You did not bring anything when you were born
Whatever you have, you have received from Him
Whatever you will give, you will give it to Him
You came empty handed and you will go the same way
Whatever is yours today, was somebody else’s yesterday
And will be somebody else’s tomorrow. So, why worry unnecessarily?
I am sure the violent groups in our society can be transformed by the majority of the population in the world with love and care, for a life of peace and happiness. It is in our hands to make this happen and it can happen. Let’s strive to make Gun violence, war and destruction a thing of the past, recorded as a minor aberration in the history of human civilization. The money spent on arms and ammunition, the budgets for which is increasing in all nations can be put to much better use to make human life more happy, peaceful and meaningful.
I would like to conclude with the words of Mahatma Gandhi. He said “Peace will not come out of a clash of arms but out of justice lived and done by unarmed nations in the face of odds” Let’s strive to urge leaders of nations in the world to see the wisdom in Mahatma Gandhi’s words by setting an example ourselves.
Let us use our arms (God given) to do away with arms (man made) or else it would mean the end of society. Jai Hind
A comic book on gun violence written by victim of gun violence – young children was released. I felt comics were part of our young life to make us laugh. But this comic book was pulling our heart strings to say the least.
Weapons are meant only for destruction of life and properly. It was stunning to vote that guns were offered for sale – with a free offer that is a land mine was offered as an add on to the sale of gun.
A knife is a knife – different uses for peaceful as well as for killing but a gun is only for destruction and killing.
We have attained freedom from the British rule but yet to achieve freedom from want and fear.
An official on the border was stopped for checking and from allowed to proceed, but after he moved ahead he was fired upon. The official stopped and questioned the living to which the authorities casually said it was a mistake and that he should pay for the bullet fired. It means they would prefer to recover the price of bullet before the victim dies.
The impact of gun violence is an irony of fate that would make the great Mahatma resting in Raj Ghat in New Delhi turn in his grave. And talking of the Mahatma it is a matter of pride for us Indians to know that the United Nations has declared the year 2008 as the year of Non violence and further the birth date of the Mahatma October 2 as a day of Non Violence.
As Indians born in the land of the Mahatma, it is only right and logical, that we set an example to the world, on how to spread peace in the world, through Ahimsa, Non Violence.
It is indeed sad that we need to have a conference for this reason but that is the bitter truth, the tragic reality. I for one believe that Non Violence ended with violence, on the day the Mahatma was assassinated here in New Delhi on January 30, 1948 and ever since we have witnessed more such cruel and heartless killings, making this conference very relevant and a dire necessity.
A few years ago we read reports that in the US, some kids carried guns to school and we were more shocked to read about kids using guns to kill their mates, emphasizing that gun killing in schools had come to stay in the US. We perhaps never imagined this would come soon to India. My dear friends let’s wake up to this gory fact that this is now happening in our own country as well and it is not something we can feel proud of.
Some weeks back there was a documentary on the BBC channel on gun culture. We got to understand how children were easily able to get guns from the market through contacts and used these guns as a tool of power and a means of threatening others. By wielding the gun, they were able to get things done their way. How easily and casually these children were able to access these guns is a shuddering thought. This is the real scene in our own country today. We can’t afford to close our eyes. It is time we understand the seriousness of the predicament we are in and try to find ways to tackle it head on and nip it in the bud.
Our Govts are too busy with many issues. Maybe they tackle the gun violence issue from their own perspective and it is obvious we are not getting the desired results. Why should we, who love our country, depend only on the Govt’s efforts to find a solution? As countrymen and women we can help the govt by supplementing their efforts in our own small way.
Wars are fought by nations and each country has their own agenda. It needs a Mahatma in every country to understand and make others understand that wars only destroy and bring no peace at all. Where is peace? How can a mother who loses her son, live in peace, even if her country eventually won the war? Where can one find peace for little children who have lost their father? The impact is shattering to say the least, or a wife who loses her husband and has to singly face life with children to be looked after – where is the peace? Wars and Weapons mean only destruction and if this goes on unabated, humanity will soon degenerate into a beastly and chaotic race.
Trust me and the movement that organizations like CAFI and others are leading, ONLY a civil society can handle this. Civil liberties are everyone’s right and no one can infringe on this liberty. Your liberty to swing your arms ends where my nose begins. We all have limits to our liberty meaning we cannot infringe on other’s liberty
For generations India has taught the world the lesson of non-violence and how powerful it is, that it can even win a war. Let us relive those days, take valuable lessons from history on non-violence and put it to good use in the present day context to tackle the growing menace of gun violence.
Let’s mobilize ourselves and teach our children to get into the habit of peace, love and friendliness, so that we make the world a better place to live, for the incoming generations. Good character, behavior and manners begin at home and as adults we should cultivate these good traits at home, so that our children easily pick them up. Don’t we all know that children in their formative years only imitate adults and learn from them?
Remember the three R’s. (1) Respect for self, (2) Respect for others and (3) Responsibilities for all our actions – we all do err but once we realize it, it is up to us to gracefully accept it. That would cool things immediately. Today a lot of us have forgotten to smile and to be friendly. Right from junior school, children are taught that they must be aggressive to succeed. We need to turn this around – we need love in our life in a world that is influenced by hatred.
When blood is required to save a life, it is not measured in terms of caste, colour, creed or nationalities rich or poor. The colour of blood is the same in all of us - blood is the unifying factor amongst us. Peace comes through the act of blood donation.
This indeed would be the most wonderful change – a change of heart that can happen in this strife- ridden society, ravaged by wars and destruction. Blood is meant for circulation and let us helps by donating blood to those who need it. Let us not shed it in warfare and killing.
A report of the UN says gun violence kills more than 3,50,000 people a year and injures more than a million. Paradoxically, yet the global trade that fuels the epidemic of armed violence is not subject to international regulations. The arms industry operates without regulation. If the tally of death, injured and disability resulting from small arms were categorized as a disease, it would be classified as an epidemic.
To address this issue, global initiatives have been started and since October 2003, Control Arms has gathered the support of over one million people worldwide. In December 2006, over 150 governments voted at the United Nations to start work on developing an international Arms Trade Treaty. The UN Secretary-General has called for governments to submit their views on the feasibility, scope and parameters of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to ensure that recommendations from governments incorporate the views of millions of people around the world who are affected by armed violence every day. To ensure that the millions of people who support a strong treaty based on international humanitarian and human rights law are taken into account during the government consultation process, People’s Consultations were organized in over 40 countries around the world to give people and communities a forum to demand that their governments take action for tough international arms controls. In Chennai we held a very impactful People’s Consultation meeting where we had representation from the Police, judiciary and the policy makers of the country and presented a set of pointers for the ATT.
Poverty prevails in many regions of the world, and there are whole nations struggling in abject poverty. And it is believed that this leads to a lot of gun killing and violence. This may be true but to a very miniscule extent. If the civilized world can rise above nationalities and other dividing factors these can be easily taken care of. Today an Arms Trade Treaty and efforts of organizations like the Control Arms Foundation, is a necessity and perhaps the only remedy to save society from disintegration.
Being in India, let us give some thoughts to the teachings of Mahatma and our very renowned Bhagavat Gita. The Mahatma gave us a valuable and strong teaching of Ahimsa or non violence and he proved its strength by fighting many a battle to secure India’s freedom.
The Bhagavat Gita teaches us thus:
What have you lost for which you cry?
What did you bring with you, which you have lost?
What did you produce which has been destroyed?
You did not bring anything when you were born
Whatever you have, you have received from Him
Whatever you will give, you will give it to Him
You came empty handed and you will go the same way
Whatever is yours today, was somebody else’s yesterday
And will be somebody else’s tomorrow. So, why worry unnecessarily?
I am sure the violent groups in our society can be transformed by the majority of the population in the world with love and care, for a life of peace and happiness. It is in our hands to make this happen and it can happen. Let’s strive to make Gun violence, war and destruction a thing of the past, recorded as a minor aberration in the history of human civilization. The money spent on arms and ammunition, the budgets for which is increasing in all nations can be put to much better use to make human life more happy, peaceful and meaningful.
I would like to conclude with the words of Mahatma Gandhi. He said “Peace will not come out of a clash of arms but out of justice lived and done by unarmed nations in the face of odds” Let’s strive to urge leaders of nations in the world to see the wisdom in Mahatma Gandhi’s words by setting an example ourselves.
Let us use our arms (God given) to do away with arms (man made) or else it would mean the end of society. Jai Hind
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