Ireland

Monday November 1 2004 07:27 IST

By Karmayogi

After the demise of the Cold War, several minor conflicts survive, such as Kashmir, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Sri Lanka, and Ireland. The Sri Lankan conflict is of recent origin. Kashmir is sixty years old.

The Palestine problem originated late in the 19th Century. The Irish problem is 400 years old, but during the last 200 years, particularly since 1798, the issue remains hot. In 1921, Ireland became a republic, but a remainder of Northern Ireland remained with Britain.

What happened in Ireland in the last 20 years has a great lesson for all those who are involved in conflict resolution. Of course, this lesson is nothing new to the world, but it remains a lesson the world has not learnt till today.

That was an experience the USA had in the 18th and 19th centuries. Even in the 20th century, the USA has been 'demonstrating' that same lesson to the world. Neither has the world learnt it nor is the USA aware of it.

Twenty years ago, the per capita GDP of Ireland was far below that of UK. Now Ireland's GDP is exceeds that of the UK. It is significant that during the same period, violence came down, from over 400 deaths annually to just five.

When economic opportunities open up, Man has no time or energy for religious conflict, i.e. economics goes deeper into man's existence than what he believes to be his religious conviction. If ethnic conflicts are to acquire life and virulence, it should be in USA, because it is there we find a great number of dynamic ethnic minorities, but the USA is more free from ethnic conflicts than elsewhere.

To avail of economic opportunities, Man needs enormous effort and corresponding energies, which spare no energy for a quarrel of any description. The USA is a standing example for this rule. Ireland recently passed through the same experience.

To solve military conflicts politically was a longstanding rule in history. To solve political conflicts by economic strategies is not used in the same measure. Nixon opened up the Chinese market to the USA and now a war between the two countries is unthinkable.

There are higher solutions for the world's conflicts such as cultural and spiritual, but there are no serious conflicts in the world today for one to resort to those higher powers. All the existing conflicts can be solved by an economic approach. Our Theory of Social Evolution declares this.

Cultural approaches are powerful. It will be very useful if moves are made for a World Union. Spiritual strategies will be capable of bringing about a solid human unity once the world union is established.

Taking out twenty or thirty articles on these related topics from the Internet, we find scholars offering an array of details about every issue relevant.

I do not find such a view as above even receiving their consideration. It is here that the Indian leadership can contribute.