The Other Five Ban Ki-moon’s Remarks: Hidden or Missing?

I am very optimistic about the future, and reading the UN Secretary-General Five-year Action Agenda presented to General Assembly, confirms and supports my optimism.

But I am not going to comment on what were mentioned in Mr. Ban Ki-moon’s precious Remarks “The Future We Want”, as all positive facts and factors are recognised and repeated there. I see my duty that, when I read an agenda that portray the face of the next 5 years work, is to find out what is missing, or may be hidden, as such long time of years does not need us to miss opportunities or neglect them.

First, I felt very sad that such remarks did not mention the word “culture”. In a world that cultural differences challenge us to offer them the space to live in harmony, I did not find a “Program Task” to deal with. In most of the world conflicts, the cultural differences are rising to be the most significant reason behind the deadly accidents, including racism, hatred crimes, rights of peoples to speak their own languages, and practice their own traditions. Culture is always there as a way of unique life, and a way to express freely oneself. The UN must work, to defend the cultures of the world, protect their heritage and museums, especially under the fires of frequently happening wars. It is not only the task of the UNESCO; rather it is the mission of all governmental and non governmental organizations that should be helped to protect the world’s cultures.

Secondly, it seemed very strange for me not to mention the issues of the world’s refugees. Actually, in every part of the world there are tens of thousand refugees. They are moving leaving their lands, homes, heritage, chances to live free, and future. The refugees are the people of no future. And when we speak of “The Future We Want”, we must have a respectable place for those who suffered for long. Looking closely to those children who left their schools, and whom their parents may not be still alive, who could guarantee the future for them? The UN must have its responsibility on the borders of the conflicts, and State Members must have laws that deal with the issues of refugees.

Third, the lack of food and water is shaping the future wars. Looking at the amounts of foods thrown to waste pins daily while millions are suffering hanger is an ethical and critical issue. According to official numbers, any big super market in Europe is throwing 550 tons of fresh foods every year. A European family is putting almost 100 Kg of suitable food annually into waste. While families in Cameroon – as an example – are not able to buy the expensive fruits they grow, such fruits are travelling north for thousands of kilometres to be thrown. The food policies must be controlled, and the UN States Members should take steps forward to guarantee a justice distribution of food.

Fourth, before issuing more UN resolutions, let us count how many are still ink on paper? Looking back to what were issued regarding the conflict of the Middle East, I shall choose few: December 11, 1948: UN General Assembly Resolution 194: conditional right of return of refugees. December 2, 1950: UN General Assembly Resolution 393: Assistance to Palestinian refugees. July 4, 1967: UN General Assembly Resolution 2253 (ES-V): Condemns Israel’s measures to change the status of Jerusalem as invalid. Resolution 242 (November 22, 1967): Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area. Calls on Israel’s neighbours to end the state of belligerency and calls upon Israel to reciprocate by withdraw its forces from land claimed by other parties in 1967 war, and Interpreted commonly today as calling for the Land for peace principle as a way to resolve Arab-Israeli conflict. We could easily write tens of Resolutions that were not respected by the occupying State of Israel, while millions of Palestinians are still suffering inside and outside their nation. The UN must work firmly to apply its resolutions equally to retain peace for humanity. 

Finally, peace after war should be task number one for the UN State Members. A year ago we witnessed the dividing of Sudan into two republics, thinking that was the only solution to retain peace between North and South. Alas, on the borders of the new republics thousands are killed, and millions are fleeting their homes. The same problems of dividing nations are repeated with the same mistakes, that what happened in the Indian peninsula, the Yugoslavian states, and the Soviet Union areas, and is continuing as we do not seek peace in unification, we only see peace in dividing nations. If we apply dividing nations according to different cultural and ethnic reasons, we could have more that 2000 countries fighting each other, and this is not “The Future We Want”.