Double standards are not something new in global politics. Major powers often opt for them in order to pursue their interests. For instance, the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan by the West are justified in their view while the invasion of Ukraine is a grave sin and they will not forgive Vladimir Putin for that.
In this regard, Russia`s invasion of Ukraine has drawn all kinds of attention recently. From media outlets to kitchen cabinets, Russia-Ukraine War is the talk of the town. However, Ukraine is suffering from something that is a routine in Kashmir, Palestine, Syria, and many other parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Where the Indian and the Israeli atrocities do not get much attention as Putin’s adventurism is getting. The reasons can be either, two or all of the following; a) What is happening in Ukraine is unfair, while what is going on in MENA is fair; b) Putin is a common villain for the West; c) Ukraine is a European nation and non-European lives do not matter or matter less
Most significantly, the promised ‘New World Order’ which was promised to be a ‘Liberal World Order’ is turning out to be an unfulfilled promise. Whether ‘never again’ was for particular nations or for every nation on Earth, is another question to be pondered upon, in depth. If ‘never again’ and ‘new world order’ are meant for everyone then why is Israel`s apartheid backed by the mightiest capital of the world and the lives of the people of Afghanistan, Kashmir, and war-torn MENA do not get the due attention? Why are these nations and their people forgotten? Different standards for different nations – is this not hypocrisy?
Nelson Mandela rightly thanked the West in this regard when he claims in his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom that that were sanctions from the West that compelled the white South Africans to give up apartheid there. The sanctions were mainly economic and oil-related. For instance, then US President Jimmy Carter banned all exports to the South African military and police. Moreover, under section 309 (a) (US Sanctions against South Africa 1886) import of Uranium, coal, and textiles was prohibited from South Africa. Besides, anti-apartheid activism also drew international attention towards Mandela.
The right to live and to peace are paramount rights of every human being on Earth. Without peace, no other right can be ensured to humankind. Ukraine and Ukrainians` lives surely matter, as much as every nation on Earth and its nationals` lives matter. The resistance faced by Russia today, should be faced by every such nation that does not respect human rights. Because be it Palestine, Kashmir, or Ukraine, occupations are not justified whatsoever and should be deterred and opposed with the same kind of force that Russia faces today.
Without sanctions and active activism, the African National Congress, Mandela, and many other South Africans collectively, were unable to end apartheid previously despite adopting almost all sorts of methods to get rid of the white supremacy in their country.
Why can’t the West and other powerful states repeat the same against Israel? Gaza is an open-air prison, as acknowledged by many but the cruel jailer of this prison is backed by Washington, which is ironic. Why can;t the standards which suit ending apartheid in South Africa and deterring Putin`s adventurism, be implemented against Israel to end apartheid and racism in Palestine?
Similarly, curfews and atrocities in the Indian Occupied Kashmir since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government stripped the special status of the valley, are a routine in Kashmir. Sometimes, even for months, the Indian government floods the occupied valley with troops and cuts off the internet. According to Jeffrey Gettleman, “For decades, the region has been racked by unrest, rebellion, warfare, and bloodshed.”
If the West cannot place sanctions against India, it can at least compel India to choose diplomacy to settle the dispute of the internationally recognized disputed territory of Kashmir, a dispute that India prefers to settle through guns and troops, not through talks and mediation. While indifference of the international community has made Kashmir another forgotten nation.
Mehdi Hassan puts it right in this regard when he asked Shashi Tharoor after one of Tharoor`s arguments demanding an apology from Britain, for oppressing the people of the sub-continent during the colonial years. He asked Tharoor, “Don`t you worry though, that one day in the years to come an independent Kashmir may ask India for similar reparations and a similar apology based on the same line of argument you advanced there based on the fact that the Indian government, Indian armed forces raked violence, havoc destruction in Jammu and Kashmir in recent decades?”
There are a number of such examples that need due attention. Unfortunately, the interests of certain states are not in favour of equality and peace for all. A lot can be done in this regard if there is a serious will and commitment for global peace. A little tweak in the corridors of the policymakers, particularly in the West as they matter much in today’s world order, can change a lot and can fulfill the promise of a new world order based on liberalism and peace. However, it seems like the West is not in favor of liberal ideals for all as it is only willing to take measures when it suits its agenda.
For instance, it took less than a week for the International Crime Court (ICC) to open an investigation into alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. In contrast, the war crimes of George W. Bush, Tony Blair, and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria, and India`s war crimes in Kashmir, have not troubled the ICC in decades. These different attitudes only add fuel to the fire, the fire which has been burning in the global South for decades now. These double standards of the West or of pioneers of the promised ‘new world order’ can generate and increase genuine grievances in many minds and hearts. Unjust attitudes and behaviors will only increase hatred followed by violence, which is a challenge for broader peace.
The right to live and to peace are paramount rights of every human being on Earth. Without peace, no other right can be ensured to humankind. Ukraine and Ukrainians` lives surely matter, as much as every nation on Earth and its nationals` lives matter. The resistance faced by Russia today, should be faced by every such nation that does not respect human rights. Because be it Palestine, Kashmir, or Ukraine, occupations are not justified whatsoever and should be deterred and opposed with the same kind of force that Russia faces today.
