4th November 2001
Dr Kofi A. Annan
The Secretary General
United Nations Organisations
New York - 10017 USA
Fax : 001-212-8887454 / 8887465
Sub: The world is in great peril. A World Government is needed immediately
Your Excellency,
On behalf of the 2 billion children of the world, born and yet-to-be-born, and on behalf of 25,000 students of City Montessori School, Lucknow (a School recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest school by pupils), I took the liberty of addressing to you a letter on 7 June 2001, requesting initiation of urgent action to include the ‘Right to a safe future’ in the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of the child (adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on 20 November 1989).
In my second letter dated 29 June 2001, while congratulating you on your unanimous re-election as Secretary General, I repeated the request of including the ‘RIGHT TO A SAFE FUTURE’ for world’s 2 billion children and for children yet to be born.
A reply dated 8 October on your behalf by your Department of Public Information tells us that during the first week of October the UN General Assembly held a debate on measures to combat international terrorism, which was attended by 167 Member States and four Observers. We are very happy to know that the Member States felt the urgency of having “an effective legal framework” for the prevention and elimination of terrorism. The letter also mentioned that the Assembly’s Legal Committee’s report is expected by 15 November.
We feel that in the prevailing unstable and unsafe conditions, the world can no longer wait for action to protect itself from all kinds of threats to its security and peace and that an effective world body has to be put in place with speed to save the lives of 6 billion people, of whom 2 billion are helpless children.
In our letter of 27 September we expressed our appreciation for the initiative you are taking in telling the UN General Assembly that only the UN can give ‘global legitimacy’ for actions directed against the enemies of world peace and security. You were very forceful that terrorism of the type witnessed on September 11 struck at everything that UN stands for: “Peace, freedom, tolerance, human rights, the very idea of a united family.”
Russia supported the ‘indispensability’ of a world body to maintain international peace and security and for mobilizing people of the world against new, unprecedented threats. Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov advocated strengthening and enhancing the role of the UN.
What we are fervently appealing is to go a step ahead and beyond. As suggested by Jan Tinbergen, the 1969 Nobel Prize winner for Economics, ‘The mankind’s problems can no longer be solved by national governments, what is needed is the World Government and this can best be achieved by strengthening the United Nations.” We need to have a world government capable of restraining, controlling and bringing to subjection all erring groups or nations that operate against the interests of the world, its peace and security, and against ‘the very idea of a united family.’
The world needs to oppose terrorism of the type initiated by Osama and taken up by President Bush. Both of them are involved in killing innocent lives. In such a situation where does the world go? To whom do we look up to? Should we follow Osama or Bush? We need a wise and reliable alternative, a third force to contain terrorism and save the world. Your position as Secretary General is the natural choice. There is none else.
The Preamble to the CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD states “the child… needs special safeguards and care… before as well as after birth.” The Philippines Supreme Court upholds the right of the born and the unborn to a balanced and healthful ecology.
The greatest threat to mankind’s future is the threat to children born and unborn. Two factors are the biggest enemies of mankind specially children; they are (i) unhealthy and unlivable ecological and environmental conditions; (ii) war and threat of war, endangering life and property and the entire civilization itself. The atmospheric pollution caused by the war in Afghanistan is releasing toxic gases endangering the already polluted atmosphere on account of the Greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and other gases which are having a destabilizing effect on the climate and the health of all, specially children.
The “rhythm and harmony of nature” are already in great peril. Injudicious exploitation of natural resources and failure in renewal and conservation of earth’s precious natural wealth have already put the world under great stress. The air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink are highly contaminated. We owe it to the 6 billion people, in particular to the 2 billion helpless children and generations waiting to be born, a clean and safe environment. We need a world body to put an immediate end to mindless destruction of the earth. Thus safeguarding our children’s future. You, as the Secretary General of the United Nations, owe it to the living and future generations an ecologically clean and safe environment.
The second aspect of threat to our survival is the thousands and thousands of nuclear warheads in possession of seven nations and the threat they pose. The world has no place to dispose of its nuclear waste. Threat to existing nuclear plants all over the world from terrorists is a reality. The world is still suffering from the evil effects of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe.
Chemical and bioterrorism has shaken up the entire world. With about 80 countries having chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction, the world is precariously perched on the edge of a precipice.
Survival in the midst of the two above mentioned burning issues is not possible unless there exists a world body, enjoying powers to control, restrain and eliminate all who are threatening mankind. A world government with a world parliament is thus not an option, but a necessity and an instrument of survival. After the September 11 catastrophe no one anywhere is safe. A solution has to be found, and found without any further delay. Article 51 of the Indian Constitution has the necessary depth and width to help solve the problems the world is facing. Sharing the ideals of this article with all the nations would enrich and benefit every nation and eventually pave the way to international peace and security. The article says: The State shall endeavour to: (a) Promote international peace and security (b) Maintain just and honourable relations between nations (c) Foster respect for international law and (d) Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.
The UN as it exists today depends upon the goodwill of Member States to implement its decisions. It lacks enforceable power. You as the world’s first citizen, in your capacity as the Secretary General, command enormous influence to turn the tide of events to safeguard the peace and security of the world. At this moment, the greatest possible recognition that the world can give, has been conferred upon you and the UN - the Nobel Peace Prize in the first year of the new millennium.
The most opportune moment in history has arrived for you. You are in a do or die situation. You have to influence world opinion about the need of a world body to completely control all factors that affect world peace and security. Groups or nations posing a threat to world peace and security in any form have to be overcome, subjugated and eliminated by this world body. Failing which, the world is going to be miserably torn apart, and doomsday wouldn’t be far.
It is in this context that we appeal to you to initiate steps for a world government and world parliament. It is no exaggeration when I say that at the moment none other than you can effectively initiate steps for immediate action in this direction.
World leaders and people of the world are anxiously looking for a solution to this vexing problem. No individual, or nation is safe today. Military might has no permanent answer for world peace. War is a poor substitute for peace. As the custodian of humanity’s silent masses, as the spokesman of the helpless and hapless millions, as the protector of the weak and innocent children, the six billion people of the world look up to you to save them from the impending disaster.
Your matchless skill as diplomat and the credibility you wield, and may I say, the trust and faith that all Member States repose in you, make you an irreplaceable instrument and messenger of world peace and its security. The entire world is with you in this hour of peril and helplessness.
Hence please initiate immediate action for a world government. This is the cry of 25,000 children of CMS from Lucknow on behalf of the 2 billion children worldwide and the 6 billion people of the earth. We have no one else to turn to. I dread to think of the future if you turn down our request.
Wishing you every success in the heavy task awaiting you and with all good wishes and prayers, Yours sincerely,
(Jagdish Gandhi)
Manager
31st July 2005
His Excellency Mr George W Bush
President of United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW Washington
District of Columbia 20500
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)
Your Excellency,
We seek your support to children’s demand to include a distinct and separate “Right to a Safe Future” in the UN Declaration of Rights of the Child. All messages of support shall be forwarded to the UN Secretary General so that the Declaration may be formally amended and the inclusion of this Right be brought into effect.
With highest regards,
(Jagdish Gandhi)
Founder-Manager, CMS & Convener of the
International Conferences of the Chief Justices of the World
Enclosed:
(Jagdish Gandhi)
Manager
Children are the common denominator. For parents their child is the most precious possession in the world. No parent can ever bear the thought of any harm coming to their child. Yet, the UN data about the world’s children show many staggering facts:
Children are the common denominator. For parents their child is the most precious possession in the world. No parent can ever bear the thought of any harm coming to their child. Yet, the UN data about the world’s children show many staggering facts: