Dateline Prague; April 8 2010

Obama arrives Prague castle to sign treaty. Photo: Filip Singer/EPA


Thursday April 8 2010 marked the signing of a nuclear arms treaty by U.S president Barack Obama, and Dmitry Medvedev the Russian leader. This treaty would slash their respective nuclear arsenals by a third.

What might this truly signify?

The Peoples of the world are far too mistrustful of each other to imagine that the suggestion of a world completely free of nuclear weapons would be acceptable.

Cynics would contend that this treaty represents is at best, window dressing...

What a treaty to reduce nuclear stockpiles does however, is to bring the most militarily powerful countries in the world around a common truth..

The truth that weapons of such potential devastation have no place in our world.

The U.S. and Russia may not feel ready to completely get rid of nuclear weapons just yet, however by signing this treaty, they have shown a willingness to coalesce around this common truth...

An impasse that is perhaps best.

The widely reported impasse between the Obama administration and the right wing government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the issue of illegal settlements, is put in perspective.

Bibi Netanyahu continues to talk tough about continuing settlement expansion in occupied East Jerusalem even as The United States Government has refrained from shifting Its position, insisting that Israel halt the building projects, as not doing so works against peaceful co-existence as well as the Two- State solution.

At this time, political commentators do not seem certain how this impasse will resolve itself, especially as Mr Netanyahu clearly is constrained by his far- right governing coalition, and Barack Obama, for the sake of his credibility and the need to project strength, couldn't possibly do what the Israelis want, and turn a blind eye to settlement expansion.

This impasse is however a welcome opportunity.. an opportunity perhaps for two very important stakeholders in the Mid-East peace process- The United States and the State of Israel- to look at themselves in the mirror.

The United States would have to stand firm on the issue of freezing settlement expansion, even at the risk of soured relations and the increased isolation of the state of Israel, to continue to pride itself as a credible partner for peace.

The State of Israel would have to endure repercussions for what is clearly a policy that is inimical to the peace process, to the extent that it begins to feel that it is losing more than it is gaining from pursuing such a policy...

In the current scheme of things, a credible and sustainable negotiation for the sake of peace could not possibly succeed otherwise...

A window of opportunity...

The situation in Nigeria, west Africa that has seen a political impasse created by a leader whose illness state has virtually crippled the country, is put in perspective.

The uncertainty surrounding the fitness of President of President Yar'Adua to continue to rule, and the apparent lack of credible direction by the country's legislature, has virtually ground the country to a halt and consigned Its populace to much hand- wringing and soul searching...

As unpalatable and chaotic as the Nigerian situation is at the moment, there is perhaps a window of opportunity..

An opportunity not so much for the leadership as for its followers... an opportunity to remind those at the helm of affairs that they have been elected to serve the ordinary man, woman and child on the streets, and not themselves...

Now is the time for a 'quiet revolution' that sees the ordinary Nigerian being more knowledgeable and assertive of his rights... a 'quiet revolution' that sees a championing of causes that serve more the collective than self...

It is time for the ordinary Nigerian on the streets to wield the power they possess, but know not that they possess.. the power to absolutely insist that only a leadership that looks after the interest of the collective, is good enough for them...

Great human suffering unites the world and shifts discourse..

The recent terrible tragedy brought about by a devastating earthquake in Haiti which has left a conservative 100,000 people dead, is put in perspective.

In the immediate wake of the disaster, the U.S government pledged total support to Haiti with Barack Obama declaring that Haiti "will never be forsaken". The Venezuelan government have quickly sent rescue experts, and the immediate response of the French foreign ministry has been to quickly rush in supplies and rescue experts. British Oxfam has quite quickly established a presence in Haiti. The United Nations who have lost personnel in in this tragedy have sought to lend their voice and expertise to the rescue effort...

Several other countries have since joined the effort of providing much needed food and clean water as well as vital medicines to alleviate the suffering of a country which is regarded as the poorest in the Americas and who have, in the recent past, known their fair share of major natural disasters.

Individuals across the world have contributed, and continue to contribute millions of dollars to this rescue effort...

Sad as it seems, it takes a disaster of this proportion for us human beings to find that which matters more than conflict and a readiness for it...

It seems to take a heartbreaking disaster such as this, for us to find our common humanity...

one year on..

The one year anniversary of the war in Gaza prompts a critical look at the Jewish street and its contribution to discuss vis-a-vis the resumption of the Middle East peace process.

Even as the Netanyahu Government expresses a commitment to returning to the negotiating table, there have been a series of demonstrations in Israel against settlement freezes.

These demonstrations are initiated and perpetuated not by the Government of Israel, but by ordinary people.. Jewish people. These are people who have known pain or whose relatives, friends or close acquaintances have known pain..

... One cannot help but romanticise about this nation of people who have known suffering becoming a beacon of hope for the hopeless.. people who would see their collective calling to be a commitment to peaceful co-existence with its neighbours.

.. a commitment that recognises without equivocation how inimical continued settlement expansion is to achieving a viable two state solution..

Given that the general world consensus is for the achieving of a viable Palestinian state existing side by side with a Jewish state, protests against settlement freezes takes something away from the Jewish people...

It chips away at the one weapon in the Jewish State's arsenal greater than all others...

It chips away at the moral high- ground..

A speech and then some..

for critics who contend that Barack Obama is undeserved of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009, his speech yesterday must have left food for thought..

A speech that was expected to, at best, be one of platitudes, and at worst be filled with soaring oratory steeped in the unrealistic, this speech perhaps like none other in Nobel history, afforded a stark look at peace in our time..

The speech had it all.. from a reminder of the reality that human beings live with conflict, to laying bare the complexities of his world.. our world. Also expressed was an exhortation to the human being to strive for a more peaceful tomorrow..

It was a speech steeped in realism whilst embracing a refreshing idealism...

It was a speech that seemed to get better the more it was listened to.. and perhaps one that history would consider his most significant...

It was a Nobel speech for our time...

When an army turns against its own people..

The shocking story of the rape and humiliation of Guinean women, perpetrated by the country's military last week in the course of suppressing a political demonstration, is put in perspective.

The actions of the military have been viewed at with disgust, even revulsion, in a country which sees rape and degradation of women as alien to its culture..

Which begs the question.. what makes elements of an institution meant to protect ordinary people resort to rape and dehumanising the very people it has sworn to protect?

The answer to that question is perhaps that beyond the loss of a sense of duty to protect, something even more fundamental is lost.. the sense of a common humanity..

A sense of common humanity is something the State, through its commitment to justice, fair play, and the upholding of citizens' rights, would do well to preserve..