UN’s truce call

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has voiced his disappointment at how his call for a global ceasefire amidst the Covid-19 pandemic has gone unheeded. At a UNSC session on granting protection to civilians in armed conflicts, Guterres said a global ceasefire will help combat the pandemic, facilitate humanitarian aid to vulnerable people and open space for dialogue. In some instances, years of conflict had left many vulnerable to disease, not just Covid-19. He further warned that some warring parties might seek to take advantage of any ceasefire on humanitarian grounds.

Since the UN chief issued the call, in March, conflicts around the world have continue unabated — like the Indo-China face-off, the hostilities in Afghanistan, and the worsening situation in the Middle East and Africa. It seems the presence of a virus, which has infected millions worldwide and claimed the lives of thousands across the world, has not sated the thirst for violence and blood.

The response to Guterres’ call reflects two primary behaviours. The first is that much of the world is not convinced that there is a major medical emergency with a highly contagious biological agent transmitting through entire nations, slowly overwhelming the native medical systems. The other is a growing general apathy and value for human life over profit — whether monetary or in any other form. The first has caused massive problems in many countries already. The US is the biggest example of what ignorance can lead to. The second is even more dangerous. Unfortunately, we have been witnessing it emerge in many different ways and under many different banners.

The virus had allowed us to pause and reflect on our actions. Instead, we chose peril. Well, Guterres too must reflect — on the role and purpose of the global body. While many countries rely on the UN’s support for health and education, it fails to act as a carrot when it comes to naked aggression.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2020.

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