Last year, 2.45 lakh people, including over 76,000 innocent civilians, were killed in more than 50 wars.
This incident took place just this month. Wedding celebrations for a fisherman’s daughter were underway in the city of Kuhestak in southern Iran. Suddenly, a missile destroyed the house, killing four people and severely injuring over 60 others. Six months back, a missile strike on a girls’ elementary school in the Iranian city of Minab claimed the lives of 120 children. Many similar harrowing stories have also emerged from Ukraine. We often talk about the US-Iran and RussiaUkraine wars, but do you know that in over 50 wars being fought across the world, 2.45 lakh people were killed last year, including more than 76,000 innocent civilians? I actually believe that the soldiers who died were innocent too, because they were merely following orders. In the past four years of war, around 17,000 innocent civilians have died in Ukraine. In the Gaza Strip, more than 74,000 Palestinian civilians have died in three years.
Nearly 1.75 lakh innocent civilians have been injured. All these are official figures. The real number must be much higher. Thousands of bodies are still buried beneath the rubble. Who will pull them out and who will perform their last rites? We are not even discussing African countries, where various nations are fighting internal rebellions. The Global Peace Index figures are terrifying. Worldwide, there are 61 conflicts or wars in which governments are involved. Some 70 countries were involved in the Second World War. So you can easily guess the present situation. Right now, there are at least 103 countries that, even if not directly involved in a war or conflict, can be considered indirectly involved. In 2008, the number of such countries was only 59. A total of 163 countries are included in the Global Peace Index. Russia tops the list of ‘least peaceful’ countries. Four out of every 10 ‘least peaceful’ countries in the world are in the Middle East and North Africa. Sudan and Yemen are among the ‘least peaceful’ nations. A question constantly troubles me about the wars raging across the globe: Why is the world enjoying destruction? Why is what have these wars actually yielded? Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rightly said that every day spent in war pushes humanity backward.
The grim reality is that the entire world is living in fear today, and only a handful of people are responsible for this. the United Nations silent? What is the UN Security Council doing? Has it truly become a world where might is right? Where is humanity? While many countries may seem far removed from the war, the near collapse of the global economy has left all nations in a dire state. War isn’t the only way to ruin a nation; starvation, water scarcity and economic collapse are equally destructive weapons. And In the 2025 Global Peace Index, India was ranked 115th, but it has slipped 12 spots down to 127th position this year. The decline has been attributed to border tensions, ethnic violence in Manipur and internal security concerns. Iceland has remained the most peaceful country in the world for the 19th consecutive year. However, it remains to be seen whether Trump’s desire to swallow it up will allow it to stay that way. In fact, the Scandinavian nations — Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland — are known for their peace and prosperity. New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia and Ireland also maintain their spots at the top of the list of the most peaceful countries.
Europe leads arms race!
Last year alone, the wars cost the world nearly $22 trillion. Alarming, isn’t it! Moreover, the global military expenditure has soared to $2.9 trillion, triggering a fierce worldwide arms race with Europe leading the pack out of fear of Russia. That fear is precisely why it continues to back Ukraine. I conducted research on the topic ‘Religion, Conflict and Peace’ for Harvard University. It became clear that while religious fanaticism, as seen vividly across African nations, is a major catalyst for conflict, other critical drivers exist too. Some wars stem from ancient rivalries while others are driven by the plunder of resources. Putin’s war is entirely about preventing Ukraine from joining the European Union and reclaiming the stature the Soviet Union once enjoyed. America fights to preserve its global hegemony and control world resources. China isn’t fighting directly, but it fuels conflicts to weaken the US and emerge as the new hegemon. We may keep chanting Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, but the reality is: ‘Dost dost na raha… pyar… pyar na raha!’
Well done, Bittu! you’ve done a fantastic Job
The campaign launched by 20-year-old Bittu Tabahi to single-handedly clean up sections of the Ajnar river which flows through the Biaora tehsil of Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district is genuinely commendable. It is ironic that the word ‘Tabahi’ is attached to his name, when in reality, he has done a fantastic job of saving the river from destruction. While governments flounder in their efforts to restore dying rivers, Bittu’s success sets a great precedent. He brings to mind Dashrath Manjhi, who carved a path through the mountains all by himself.
*The author is the chairman, Editorial Board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha. vijaydarda@ lokmat.com
