Beyond myths
Shabana Arif
Shirian Ebadi, Nobel Laureate, has questioned the definition of peace
that limits it merely to absence of war, or violence. She thinks that
peace is about serenity in an individual’s and a society’s life.
Economic stability, integrity, respect for human rights, fulfillment and
contentment are some of the factors that she has used to describe peace.
The United Nations also defines peace as a broader phenomenon, which
includes prevention and absence of violence, as well as elimination of
the factors that push segments of the society towards violence and anti
– peace activities. Some of the factors highlighted in a 1998 UN
Resolution are, lack of sustainable economic and social development and
livelihood initiatives, disrespect for human rights, inequality between
men and women, lack of democratic participation, intolerance, curbs on
flow of information and accumulation of arms.
These theories and notions of peace were put to test in a study
involving Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) belonging to different
parts of the violence prone North Western Frontier Province (NWFP). The
objective was to explore, compare and contrast the IDPs’ understanding
of the notion of peace and conflict, as well as to understand their
perceptions and aspirations about relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Another important objective was to explore and analyze the situations
that lead towards a culture of violence, as opposed to the culture of
peace.
The IDPs belonged to different parts of NWFP, including Swat and
Federally Administered Tribal Areas. A massive anti-Taliban military
offensive launched by the government of Pakistan, had triggered their
eviction from the land of their forefathers. Over two million people, or
thousands of families, were displaced and moved to other parts of the
country. Large camps were established in different cities, including
Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Sukkur and cities of Punjab
close to the NWFP border. Millions of children, women and men toiled in
these camps for months as the state tried to regain its territory from
the ruthless Taliban.
This is the largest internal displacement of people in history. Although
the Pakistan government deserves credit for managing the affairs of the
IDPs fairly well it is also responsible for creating a situation that
resulted in doom, destruction and suffering for millions of people.
Umar Syed’s family migrated to Mardan from Shangla region of Swat
District, as the war between Taliban and Pakistan Army started. He was a
vegetable seller. The family lived in a house on the second floor of a
two-story building. It comprised two rooms, a kitchen and a toilet. The
furniture-less rooms presented a gloomy picture, reflecting the family’s
lack of earning power.
Going up the staircase one could see trash and filth scattered
everywhere. The streets were dirty and the overall conditions quite
miserable.
“Living in Mardan during the hot summers was the first difficulty my
family faced and, of course, joblessness is the second major problem, as
work is really scarce here”, said Umar narrating the difficulties faced
by his family because of the displacement.
His wife said that two of their daughters were still living with their
maternal uncle’s family in Shangla and that she missed them dearly. She
was not conversant in Urdu and her husband acted as an interpreter in
broken Urdu. This showed the level of exposure these women and men get
to the national language, due to lack of opportunities in obtaining
basic education.
“Being Muslims we know what is to be done and what’s forbidden but why
are they burning the schools and whipping women in public”, she asked,
the wrinkles on her forehead stretching. She seemed surprised.
Umar was happy that there had been improvement in the security situation
with arrival of the Army, but he was also worried as to what might
happen once the military left. “Will these people [Taliban] not come
again?” he inquired uneasily. Although afraid of the Taliban, Umar
praised their system of justice. “As compared to the normal system of
justice theirs was better”, he said confidently. “The system was prompt
and people got justice with ease”. He pointed out that the Taliban style
of justice dispensation was required for the betterment of Pakistan. The
same feelings emerged during conversations with many other families and
individuals.
Another family was of the opinion that suicide attacks on ‘Muslim
brothers and sisters’ were not the handiwork of the Taliban. They blamed
the wrong policies of Pakistan and US for this state of affairs. “A
Muslim can never attack mosques and kill innocent men, women and
children”, said Niaz Khan, the family head.
This family, apart from Niaz Khan himself, comprised his two wives and
13 children. The family was angry because it did not see the promised
help coming from the government. Niaz also said that the relief cards of
his family members were not ready yet. He complained that most of the
time they had no money to buy food.
Talking about their future plans, the family showed mixed feelings. A
woman said that she did not want to return to her native land because
she saw no future for her children there. “We neither have any
educational institutions nor any public health facilities,” she said. “I
have spent my life just like this but I definitely want a different and
better future for my children.” In Pakistan, life and people’s quality
of life is among the last priorities of the government. Wealth in this
country, generally, is accumulated in the hands of 20 percent of the
total population and, unfortunately, these people, by virtue of
succession, rule the country in turns. A new breed of entrepreneurial
class, comprising traders, small industrialists and, also, highly
accomplished professionals, has now joined the group of rulers, military
and civil establishment, feudal and landlords. They all jointly
strengthen the systems of exploitation that exist in Pakistan.
It is for this reason that all laws and policies are crafted to fulfill
interests and whims of the ruling elites. Neglecting the rights of poor
people is tantamount to sowing the seeds of discontent, violence and
hatred the systems of injustice. Lack of peace, essentially, is a result
of bad governance!
NWFP, Gilgit – Baltistan and the tribal areas, in general, and
Balochistan, in particular, are victims of traditional insensitivities
and inabilities of successive governments, without exception of
dictatorial setups and democratically elected government systems.
Since the notion of peace, conflict and security of a society and its
members are determined by the broader environment, their culture,
economic conditions and presence of opportunities for progress, it is
imperative to explore, analyze and understand the factors that led to
deterioration of the society in Swat and FATA.
Unfortunately, governments in Pakistan have been making policies to
further grind the poorest of poor, without any embarrassment. Equally
unfortunate is the fact that people do not make the rulers accountable
for their crimes and ineptness. Thousands of examples can be presented
in support of the argument that letting the dictators aside, even the
elected governments comprising parties and individuals are guilty of
prioritizing personal gains over public welfare. |
