The recent attack on soldiers in Northern Ireland is a shameful act of terror that is motivated by sheer hatred to divide and create a rift between the Protestants and Catholics, who have learnt to put their past behind them and live in peace.
The immediate reaction of the public is an example of how societies should learn to adapt and develop learning from the past. Thousands of them have taken to the streets against the criminals and people on both sides of the fence are united in their fight against the detractors whose only goal is to break the civic harmony that now exists in N.Ireland and create havoc.
The “defiance and determination” of people to “stand up to the evil of criminal violence” is the begging of the end of those who pursue violence as a means to communicate their grievance. The resilience seen among the people of Northern Ireland to oppose the hatred feelings of a select few to return to their violent past should be an example to civilian population in Middle East, war torn Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kashmir and many other regions affected by violent conflict.
Nothing can be achieved through violence and nothing can not be achieved through peaceful negotiations. You just need to try enough and be patient. Let us not forget that the biggest hero’s of the world are Gandhiji, Mandela, Martin L.King, Dalai Lama, Aung suu Kyi and not the self proclaimed leaders of groups that use violence including state leaders of Iran, Sri Lanka, Burma, N.Korea.
We can not predict the future, but if we can learn from history, then we know what has worked. Peace will prevail in N.Ireland because the people are smarter than the terrorists and they will not fall to their trap…again.Never.
Let us not rewrite history. Nelson Mandela was not a pacifist. He led an organization that led an armed struggle against apartheid. And rightly so. In fact I donated to the ANC knowing full well my donations might go to the armed struggle. Today that would make me a terrorist.
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Mandela, Arafat all started with a path of violence, even Dalai Lama to some extent but they gave it up at some point to choose the path of civil disobidience and non violent resistance.
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