A way beyond war
As India-Pakistan tensions peaked, there were many who bayed for blood and war. But do they know the damage war entails?
On the day Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un held their historic second summit in Hanoi in Vietnam, I happened to be a few hours away in Ho Chi Minh City. Even though the summit ended early and plans of North Korea's nuclear disarmament remains uncertain, both countries set off on the road to long-term peace. Ironically, around the same time, India and Pakistan were hovering around a possible war-like situation.
India had retaliated after a suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir by bombing Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camps in Pakistan. Our neighbouring country in return shot down two fighter aircraft and captured Wing Commander Abhinandan. Even as the government grappled with the situation and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan urged for dialogue and peace initiatives, many at the Indian media were at their journalistic worst. From television studios being titled 'war rooms' to divulging confidential government plans of action to even making public details of Wing Commander Abhinandan, our media flouted all journalistic tenets to grab eyeballs and TRPs. Some journalists frothed at the mouths and instead of sticking to reporting during this grave time were busy baying for blood. One would think that if they felt so strongly, they should trade in their microphones and pens and join the brave soldiers at the border. But obviously, arm-chair politics from within the confines of air-conditioned television studios is easier.
The entire nation too quickly divided into those gunning for Pakistan and asking for the nation's annihilation and others who relied on reason and rationale and advised restraint. War, as those who have studied or reported on it, will tell you, has immense costs. Human life is just one aspect. The economic loss that a war situation can cause is difficult for any nation to bear. And given that the Lok Sabha election is just a couple of months away, the timing of the hyper-nationalism is also within question. Would there not be political benefits to any war-like situation? Well, when Kargil happened, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had no choice but to approve the reclaiming of Indian soil illegally captured by Pakistan. But it did not help the BJP government to retain power in the following elections in 2004 but then, that was a different BJP contingent and the timing was also not as favourable.
A country and its government often have to make tough decisions but they are made for the greater good of the nation. Surely Pakistan's continued tacit support to terrorists cannot continue. They cannot keep asking for evidence (as was done after 26/11) and then not act on it. But a war is a serious matter, best kept out of the social media jamboree on Twitter and Facebook where people freely and often irresponsibly, voiced their pro- and anti-war stances. The decision to go to war or not is definitely not made as per Twitter trends but the general hysteria that deeply divided the masses was upsetting.
Right now, the situation seems to be de-escalating with Pakistan sending back Wing Commander Abhinandan as a gesture of peace and goodwill. But just a few days ago when the situation seemed to be going out of control, I was more than aware of my own physical location. Vietnam and its people faced and fought a terrible war with the US from the 50s right till the 70s. Decades of killing, tortures, atrocities and use of defoliators and chemical weapons by US against Vietnam almost destroyed the country. This week, when I walked around the War Remnants Museum looking at the shocking pictures of decapitated soldiers, burnt women and children, and disfigured later generations born after exposure to the infamous 'Agent Orange', I could not believe that there were people in my own country crying out for war. Journalists have been privy to history and the cost of war, some have also seen these disturbing pictures, and yet, there are some who believe that war is the only answer.
In the 60s and 70s, there were those that opposed war; many among them were part of the Hippie movement. Over the years in different countries, we have seen the irreparable damage caused by war. And now when a possible war-like situation presents itself, there are those among us who still oppose war. But today, we are not called hippies or peace-lovers, we are branded as libtards, presstitutes, and the worst one of all, anti-nationals.
(The writer is a journalist and media entrepreneur. The views are strictly personal)
