Peace And Border Ethics

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Pursue Peace

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As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     As world leaders have gathered together for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA, 2018), I think that I also prepared well to my present my thoughts of a desired future. While my thoughts focused on post 9/11, the middle-east, Palestine, Israel, Syria, and the disputed territory of Kashmir, between India and Pakistan, it must be said that these are only some of the regions in the world that possess issues, conflicts, waiting to be resolved. While populations in these regions want peace, to live peacefully amongst one another; political processes, leaders, and Governments are the ones who possess the power / control to ultimately find effective solutions for areas that have historically been at war, and the many civilians that are hurt through tactics, employed by regimes, war crimes, and injuries. Solutions and resolutions can be found if only leaders, Governments are able to commit themselves to the idea of a future free from violence, or wars. While we can imagine these ideas through peaceful images, tranquility, or even those of an imagined heaven / paradise, we can only wonder if peace can be achieved in our life time.

Through the UNGA world leaders possessed an opportunity to reveal their place in the world, relations with other countries, and what matters to them. Whilst it may seem as though world leaders spoke much of the same as last year, there were hints of progress, repeated points, conflicting points, areas where there was a need for improvements, or where nothing has been done. This analysis reminds us of the slow processes for social change, and progressions. But it is also an area to become alert. When we think of the fast pace of technological advancements, and the pace of social advancement, we can question: Can social progress afford to remain slow in its pace? An example of my thoughts is when nations retreat to patriotism. Whilst nations are proud of their national identity, we should not use this as an excuse to ignore the relations that are forged from within a nation, that are now reaching all corners of the globe. When we think of companies, businesses, foreign investors who contribute to a nations economy, through global exchanges, now enabled simply from the internet, we have to remember that technology has enabled this. Even something as simple as online shopping. If you have purchased a product that was made by a foreign country, you have taken part in the process of globalization.

     Whilst a nation should be allowed to forge their identities, be proud, be patriotic, and believe that they are sovereign nations, we can't ignore the global exchanges that occur from within nations. If these processes or exchanges are limited, then a nation has retreated away from global processes that have been created with technological advances. So here we have room to investigate how nations can continue to explore global partnerships, relations, and also maintain a national identity. We can take these thoughts a step further, when we think about duties that extend beyond the boundaries of a nation.

     These duties are implicitly borne on the shoulders of wealthy nations. For example: If we take the case of Syria. We hear of refugees who try to seek entry to the USA, UK, Europe, or Canada. It should also be noted that refugees have also entered neighboring countries such as: Jordan, Israel, Turkey, and Egypt. We also heard thoughts from King Abdullah II about allowing refugees to enter a country, trying their best to accommodate with the scarcity of resources that Jordan possesses. Here we are also called to question : Is it OK for wealthy nations to close their doors or limit refugee / asylum seeker entry, when they posses wealth of resources, as opposed to those nations assisting even with scarce resources? The question is simplistic, but it extends beyond any immigration policy. It questions the moral duties of nations. 

     The same thoughts can also be transferred to the situations of the border crisis, at the U.S / Mexico border lands. Whilst President Trump blatantly put it that America should be allowed to enforce their own immigration policies just as other countries do, we are left to question if his administrations policies that occur at the border are ethical or not? How is the treatment of asylum seekers / refugees impinging their human rights, dignity, and sense of worth? And why should customs, and border patrol officers interrogate the already vulnerable, in the name of border security? 

     We cannot speak of peace, without thinking about the destructive practices that take place within a nation. No nation should consider itself superior, that it strips away the dignity of another, naming border security, to cover up for the racist degradation of others. This thought is also connected to the USA assistance with Venezuela. While we should applaud, be thankful and grateful for this assistance, we have to think: Is it OK to assist one country, and be harsh to others? Especially those connected with America at the south border? In my view: while the aid to Venezuela is positive, it could also be a tactic to keep matters of border ethics at the hush hush. So that it does not seem as though President Trump and his administration have a problem with Hispanic / Latino/a, Spanish speaking refugee / asylum seekers, building of the wall, and cruelty immigration politics. 

When we think of globalization, technological advancements, we are left to wonder how the brutal treatments at the U.S. / Mexico border, cruel immigration policy, or zero tolerance are paving social progress or not?

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand written on September 27th, 2018.
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