A tragedy in the Middle East

Dear Sir,

The bloodbath in the Middle East is spiralling out of control. At least 1,000 people are killed across the region every day. The biased Western media ignores the tragedy.
The special circumstances in the Middle East these days require a holistic approach. Success will depend largely on a multi-dimensional perspective that brings together the energies and insights of a range of state and non-state actors. Trust-building in the Middle East is too complex and demanding a task to be seen as the preserve of official bodies.
Enabling societies and groups in the region to identify areas of mistrust and misunderstanding across political, cultural and religious divide in order to open up possibilities of dialogue and mutual respect holds the key to creating a favourable negotiating environment.
We are all now caught in a web of self-justification, bitterness and hatred. Each side feels that force is the only language the other side will understand.
Diplomacy is a must today and the first step in establishing it is forgetting the past, ignoring polemical arguments and giving precedence to common points.
War makes poor people yet more miserable while it benefits the richer and  those who are already powerful. War is a folly which does not provide the security it promises. Only global disarmament will save us from total and utter destruction. It was Victor Hugo who said: “Peace is the virtue of civilisation, war is its crime.”

Farouk Araie, farouk.araie@telkomsa.net

Indian court order is timely and welcome

Dear Sir,

India’s Supreme Court has stayed a government decision to allow the traditional bull-taming sport, Jallikattu, held in the Tamil Nadu state, after animal rights activists have challenged the move ( “SC imposes temporary ban on ‘Jallikattu’  sport”, Gulf Times, January 13). This is a timely and welcome decision.
We should not use animals for our entertainment.  Doing so is brutal and causes untold suffering to animals. In medieval times such activities were part of life but man has progressed since then and we should reform our ways.
The Jallikattu activity cannot be held without serious consequences and often leads to  injuries to participants, to spectators and to animals. It is high time we put a stop to such cruel “sports”.

Ramesh G Jethwani, (e-mail address supplied)

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