WHILE CONDUCTING a test of the most deadly weapon ever produced, the inventor was summoned and asked to brief about his prototype. After giving a few minutes of description, the inventor paused for a moment and said in a humble tone: “It is deadly.” The official executive, who was monitoring the whole exercise, after hearing such comments, went to this man and plainly inquired: “How much deadly is this thing that you have made?” The man, with a whimsical smile drawn on his face, replied sternly: “No more deadly than the finger that pushes the button.”     

 

The above conversation gives a clue of the sinister forces at play and behind the catastrophes that end up with the loss of thousands of lives and damage to property. Other than natural calamities, the totally disastrous forces existing in this world are humans themselves. A gun, by itself, it cannot shoot, a bomb cannot be delivered or any piece of artillery cannot demolish on its own. This very nature of self-destruction is an intrinsic trait of Homo Sapiens. At the same time, it would be inappropriate to say that arms production does not affect the peace and order in any region. The production of weapons merely increases the probability of dire ends but the key to devastation is vested to a certain authority – the leader. As long as absurd stupidity rules the day the world is not a safe place to live in.       

 

Authority and power has changed hands ever since the dawn of this civilization. In primitive societies priests and kingship used to exercise great powers and the divine authority was vested to them. The march towards a more liberal and civilized society witnessed the shift of power to cultural icons and group leaders. When we talk about contemporary era, it is the political elite that predominantly enjoys the privileges and exercises the power. Yes, they are our leaders, the gallant knights who run their horses over us and lead us to battlefronts and confrontations. Thousands of people die everyday, not because of natural calamities but because of the evil designs and dubious capacities of the so-called world leaders. They have more than disappointed us. In fact, they have sowed the seeds of mutual destruction, divided us on the lines of race and communities and facilitated hatred throughout. That is the magnified picture.

 

In the name of national interests, which happen to serve the elites more than anyone else, so many wrongs have been committed. Consider a few bigwigs – GW Bush, Tony Blair, Kofi Anan, Vladimir Putin, Pervez Musharraf, Kim Jong Il… What have they contributed to the bigger family that extends beyond the geographical and state territories? Forget the polls, studies or surveys and talk about basic feelings, some common and shared notions about these people. Aren’t they the authority, the finger that pushes the button? They may have done a good job for some people, selected people but not the people as such. Their inability to deliver to the world can be observed best by the dissent amongst the people beyond their respective states. Why do people die in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Sudan, in Sri Lanka, in India, in Bangladesh and in many other places in the world? Does citizenship define the value of a human life? Leave aside the title, how is the value of the life of the president more than that of an average citizen? Isn’t it barbarianism?

 

The inefficiency and inability of the authority to resolve conflicts is an indication of a poor and sick leadership. It appears at the moment that state conflicts will continue to prevail and death will continue to take its toll. There are still a dozen more problems that have wreaked havocs for humanity. Global warming, poverty, environment degradation, human rights, gender discrimination, growing population continue to loom.

 

Of late, this sick leadership has led campaigns to create racial and territorial divides. They have deliberately introduced fanatical patriotism and thus widened the gulf amongst different communities. Because of these few disillusioned people there are entire races and communities, which bear grudge against each other.

 

The fact is that there is no central and universal authority that will check the trespasses by these perpetrators. Some people do argue about the role of United Nations as being representatives of humanity, of all the citizens of the world and things like that. But that is entirely a myth, a sweet dream to keep us away from the reality. Let us talks about deterrence and piling up of arms. If UN is what it is supposed to be then there is no need for such lame excuses as deterrence. It is because this institution has failed to secure the global security that the states have opted for alternatives.

 
We are not progressing but digressing and many of us are already aware. Loss of life and resources in floods, famines, droughts, Tsunamis, conflicts and violence happen just before our eyes. Yet, we ignore and continue to support the system, the dim witted leaders. And, remember, a leader who misleads is the most dangerous thing on this earth.