PEACE FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE

What is peace? Scholars usually define it as the absence of war. That is, when no war is happening, peace is said to exist. The lack of a state of war is seen as the state of peace.

Those engaged in militant conflict in pursuit of their rights reject this view. They contend that peace must be accompanied by justice, and that any peace devoid of justice is not genuine peace.

This second idea results from flawed thinking. Those who believe this will neither achieve peace nor justice. The truth is that peace means access to opportunities, not access to justice. Peace by itself does not grant anyone justice. What peace does is create moderate conditions in which one can find opportunities to attain justice or rights.

In today’s world, when someone achieves something, it is through their own effort. The advantage of peace is that it creates favorable conditions for you, allowing you to plan effectively toward your goals.

Situations of war and violence hinder opportunities for action, while conditions of peace and reconciliation open all doors for action in a way that no door remains closed.