The World We Want
It’s abundant in beautiful God’s creation...

Kamal Baruah *

India is inching towards the edge of discovery through Chandrayaan-2. The expedition aimed to voyage South Polar Region to find a possibility of the presence of water and understanding of space. That paradigm shift will certainly benefit humanity as a whole. However the amount of scientific advancement that world has made, there are so many global issues that require immediate attention.

People from the third world (Africa, Asia & Latin America) are facing high poverty rates, economic instability and lack of basic human resources. During Cold war, it referred to nations not aligned with either first world (N America, West Europe, Japan and Australia) or second world (Russia, East Europe, Turks & China).

We want to see the world where everyone goes smile and have peace. Bhutan is the world’s happiest country that has GNH - Gross National Happiness. It’s hard to imagine of their material & spiritual development that happens together.

Among all the good and progress being made in the world, there is still much more to be done. The overwhelming disasters continued by powerful nations against the most pressing global issues. It was 1949, when Mr Rajen Borah Guwahati, topper in board exam, awarded the best essay writing on the spot for a world level competition.

A Tamil Nadu girl followed second. The winner duo visited US for an educational tour. And the topic was “The world we want”. The line still has significance in today’s world. People around the globe are under malnourishment and hunger. “The World We Want Foundation” (3W), Stockholm aims to encourage and support organizations in Latin America and Africa for solutions to poverty and environmental degradation.

3W focussed on education and skills training in India too. Under developing nation failed to enrol children into school that attributed to inequality and marginalization. Education in rural India carries a dismal performance.

People from Asia & Africa are still deprived of basic needs of life. Afghanistan remains mired in poverty after invasion to oust the Taliban two decades ago by US & allies. It’s heartening to see Tanzanian people living the border of Uganda have no access to safe water and basic sanitation.

Even oil-rich Arab countries have poverty and inequality. The war divided people with unholy border as Armies go adventure at LOC. Kashmir caught politically blackmailed and neighbours supported terrorism. Nuclear armed nations have waged wars.

Terrorists attack innocent people causing fear, insecurity, violence and death. Human rights abuses by security forces have aggravated. Further in absence of necessary education and skills for employment made people struggle for a living. Thus young are substantially abused by drugs and volatile solvents.

Venezuela didn’t save up for a rainy day. With profound human misery, millions have fled Venezuela. Rising crude prices helped govt make good to redress inequality. But when oil prices started to plummet in 2014, the nation was ill-prepared accusing US for waging economic war. Corruption is a major cause of poverty that kills countries. A peaceful uprising against the Syrian President turned into a full-scale civil war. Assad vowed to crush the people supported by Russia.

American control began over Persian Gulf region in 1930s, when oil discovered in Saudi Arabia. The strategic relation put it to supply cheap oil to global markets in exchange for American protection. The pursuit of American power in the Gulf has been fraught with peril. The Korean peninsula divided after World War II and North being isolated developed an authoritarian government with nuclear weapons as a deterrent against the world.

The huge gap between rich & poor largely negates Russia’s economic and social achievements. Millions of jobs have been created in the US economy, but many American still live in poverty. Post Soviet Union, Ukraine is emerging Europe’s poorest country like war torn Kosovo. South American countries have experienced great economic decline. The rise and fall of great powers are seen but what made China’s rise possible. India’s overestimating GDP growth failed to bring job.

There are powerful leaders from Trump to Assad, Kim, Putin and XI, where the world witnessed injustice. Interestingly, Indian PM Modi beat Presidents of US, Russia and China to emerge as the world’s most powerful person 2019 in the reader’s poll conducted by British Herald magazine. The world must go unite to reduce carbon emissions and go reforestation to stop global temperature. Excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers will make civilization to become extinct someday.

Even oceans are littered due to pollution from toxic substances, sewage or industrial waste. Cities are unconcerned polluting from air to light and noise. We saw civilisations collapsed from drought. With so many current global issues, water is precious to our planet. Be it on humans or animals, all need clean water. UN is working toward increasing the well being of people.

Life is too short but live is real long for humanity. They don’t belong to anyone. Shouldn’t we strive for better world to unite mankind? The renaissance of the 17th century brought the beginning of our modern world that created a competition among USA, England, France, Austria, Germany, Russia, Japan and Italy.

From WW II to the Arab Spring, history told by the people. But the rise of China and India is the most remarkable phenomenon in 21st century by uplifting its citizens from poverty through rapid economic growth. Beyond all, love, sharing and helping each other will make this world beautiful because we’re in the same boat brothers.

It’s the title song of Music maestro Bhupen Hazarika, whose songs & music admired by people across generations. It’s abundant in beautiful God’s creation. We failed to catch a glimpse of the world.