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At the World Summit that was held in the UN between 14 and 16 September,
the expectations were that there would
come out a redefinition the future of
us, the whole humanity and the Earth.
Instead of a historical start of a new
turning point, there came out disappointment
from the World Summit!!!
Although the year 2005 and especially the World Summit is a very
critical turning point for the "History
of Humanity," the steps taken at
the summit left the Earth and its future
out of the agenda again, insisting on
being a continuation of the old practices.
However, some of the decisions gave somewhat
a consolation. For instance, the decision
to "canalize the 0.7% of general
income ratio per year of each of especially
the rich countries to the countries and
their people whose poverty is below acceptable
limits and are facing death because of
hunger" in order to lessen the hunger
on the Earth can be said to be one of
the only solid progresses that has been
attained at the end of the last five years.
Especially the rich countries' starting systematically to canalize
the 0.7% of their incomes to the countries
that are below the hunger limit, primarily
50 countries, is considered to be a very
big advance with regard to the Millennium
Development Goals for year 2015. Of course,
the first main question is to what extent
the countries who signed the agreement
will implement these decisions.
At
the same time, it is clear that the situation
is a tragedy when the obtainment of this
progress is compared to those that couldn't
be attained, especially the issues that
were excluded from the "Summit Agreement,"
and the fact that the 45 pages of agreement
report was reduced to 35 pages and the
excluded issues were directly related
to the "present and future of the
humanity."
Because a main principle regarding the reduction of the budgets
that were reserved for defense and war
(between 900 billion USD/year and 1 trillion
USD/year) and narrowing the commercial
field reserved for 650 million people
to purchase weapons, which carry the potential
of killing anybody whom they wish, and
discussing the budgets that were reserved
for nuclear weapons and canalizing the
money spared from those budgets to the
issues of "hunger, education and
health," especially for the countries
who need them the most, took place almost
among the matters that "could not
be discussed and put into the agenda."
This meeting had the importance of defining the destiny of humanity;
whether it to be destroyed altogether
between 10 and 300 years due to a nuclear
bomb, or to secure the future of the whole
of humanity and the Earth. The results
of this meeting are in the condition of
increasing and carrying on the danger.
With this reason, we all have to shake ourselves instantly and
comprehend what's happening and to own our tomorrows. This point where we are now
is also a result of individuals' and societies'
not owning their problems in the levels
of citizens, various organizations, country,
and countries.
It
is certainly not right to criticize only
the world leaders who do not keep their
promises on these matters, who do not
implement the agreements they signed.
Because whatever the country administration
mechanisms are, those leaders are representing
their countries. That means the main problem
originates from us! Because we do not
own our problems enough and do not demand
solutions from the governments in the
levels of district, city and country!
This is a very general comment and it
does not only cover Turkey, but also USA,
and other countries.
In USA, the expenses that are continuously increased for security,
of course, come out of the pockets of
the country’s citizens. For instance,
for the plane tickets, the security tax
has been increased to 110 USD from 15
USD in the last two months. Also, not
only the people who live in USA, but those
who visit USA have to pay this amount.
I didn’t witness this increase took
any reactions from the public either.
Right after the declaration of war in
Iraq, the subway fare was increased to
2 USD from 1.50 USD. Even if they use
the subway or the bus for one round trip
in a day, each New Yorker has to spend
at least 4 USD per day. 4 USD per day
is three-four times more than the average
living expenses in many countries. Well,
are these increases in every area of life
reflected to the average incomes? No.
Then, who is making profit or what kinds
of improvements are done in the social
life?
As a result, the cost of the governments’ political implementations,
both domestic and international, is paid
by the people of that country.
For this reason, if we, as individuals/citizens,
society, and country, had remained indifferent
to these implementations and let those
who are governing us do as they wish,
we deserved this result long ago!
Even though it’s not possible to change the past, even today,
we have to wake up at once and we have
to put all our energy and potentials to
work for making the political mechanisms
to develop in a productive and healthy
manner to serve for the future of us,
our children and the Earth. The power
and ability to make the tomorrows better
is still in our hands. Only if we can
be aware of our power and ability and
use them correctly!
In any case, we are more than the 170 world leaders. Their existence
and continuity in their fields depend
on our decisions and active and efficient
participations in every area of life.
With
this reason, we all have responsibilities
as individuals, society, educational and
commercial organizations, and representatives
of private or nongovernmental organizations
at local, national, and global levels.
And it is our duty to make the practices
and implementations foreseen by the Millennium
Development Goals signed in 2000 for our
countries. Because each of us is responsible
of this for the sake of our country and
the countries with which we are in commercial
and cultural relationships and for the
sake of the Earth.
Therefore, we, as individuals and society and organizations, too,
have the duty of doing our responsibilities
as much as the world leaders.
It is maybe useful to repeat it many times: The future of the
whole humanity and the Earth depends on
the world leaders, each and every one
of the country leaders, associations,
nongovernmental organizations, social
classes, individuals, in short, on us
and on our level of responsibility.
With this reason, it is our responsibility to know what Millennium
Development Goals are and own and demand
them.
When
we own our tomorrows as much as today,
it will be possible to reach the Millennium
Development Goals and even go further.
Wishing
to live in a world where we more responsibly
and more participatingly secure the future
of our children and where the peace culture
has developed and become verdant.
-- Translated by: Figen BINGÜL
Note: Turkish version of this article
was published on 24haber.com on September
16, 2005.
©Bircan Ünver, Light Millennium,
October 2005, New York
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