SAMAR FATANY

 

The friction between the superpowers, the failure of the United Nations and the selfish agendas of egotistical politicians have mobilized an international movement that rejects the global status quo and makes people unwilling to stand by and allow genocide, massacres and injustices to continue.



Today we are witnessing the emergence of a new trend based upon the principles of the “Right to Protest” and the “Right to Protect”.



Ideological extremism is spreading and it has become impossible to return to the world order of the past.  There are conflicts and tensions between competing regional orders.



The world today is becoming chaotic with the rise of terrorism, wars and catastrophes everywhere.



There is an absence of a global consensus among the major superpowers about the process of the new world order.



Diplomatic solutions are no longer the order of the day. Military might and weapons of mass destruction are used excessively to impose control and despotic rule.



Cross-border terrorism is rampant and rogue states are on the rise. Chaos has replaced world order.



In the past, independent nations would not interfere in the affairs of other states. Today this policy no longer applies.



Moreover, the balance of power that has kept the peace for decades is eroding. The emerging role of Russia and China as global powers has had an impact on world affairs and has shifted the balance of power in many parts of the world. 



The US with its morally superior attitude can no longer set the agenda for the new world order.



In order to keep the peace and bring back order to our world, global players need to come to an agreement and put an end to regional threats,  chaos, conflicts and wars.



What is needed is a new global order that can include all the existing regional powers to address major regional threats, such as nuclear proliferation in Iran or the conflict in Syria, to make our world a better and safer place.



The balance of power should be a positive development that can save our world. However, in the absence of a recognized system to formulate relations between states, peace and harmony will not prevail.



The Middle East today is threatened by the rising phenomena of terrorism and sectarian wars. The escalation of tensions  between the superpowers is not helping us to solve our problems.



The UN should be recognized as the only world body that has the power to enact international laws.



Governments must comply with UN resolutions and respect international documents and treaties enacted by the UN.



Universal laws prohibit practices such as arbitrary arrest, torture and secret electronic surveillance.



Such practices should be abandoned. The rule of law is fundamental to universal justice since without it we cannot peacefully co-exist.



The only way we can be sure to achieve justice for all is when everyone follows the same rules enacted to practice human rights and provide order in every region of the world.



World powers need to refrain and condemn in the strongest terms the dangerous military escalation and the persistence of violence where the innocent are massacred as collateral damage in the region.



World powers should refrain from the use of heavy weapons, warplanes and drones as military solutions to conflicts and wars.



Diplomatic solutions should be the order of the day. It is time to find an alternative to military solutions practiced in resolving conflicts in our part of the world.



— Samar Fatany is a radio broadcaster and writer. She can be reached at samarfatany@hotmail.com