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A rejuvenated NAM

The launching of the 13th Non-aligned Movement Summit yesterday could have been considered as one of the most momentous moments in its decades-long history. If there has been a huge question mark over the continued usefulness of this grouping of mainly developing countries in recent years, the backdrop against which the Summit is being convened and the issue expected to top its agenda, quickly efface it. For, the current threat of war looming over the Gulf, proves the relevance of NAM as perhaps never before.

Looking back on its founding ideals, the principal mission of NAM could be said to be peace-making and the non-aggressive resolution of international disputes. In going about these tasks, NAM is expected to steer clear of power blocs and partisan alignments. Since the crumbling of the Cold War in the late Eighties, global power bloc rivalries too come to a close and this had the effect of bringing into focus the continued relevance of NAM among some sections, but as long as world peace remains an issue and a challenge, NAM couldn't be considered as having outlived its usefulness.

It is, therefore, obvious that the time's ripe for NAM to bounce back into contention as a vital force in global politics. The situation in the Gulf today, necessitates the operationalization of NAM's peace-making role and we are glad that NAM is devoting a considerable amount of its energies to helping to resolve the West's confrontation with Iraq by peaceful means. As a grouping that represents nearly three fourths of humankind NAM helps in articulating the collective cry of the world's people for peace in the Gulf.

The need for a peaceful resolution of the Iraqi problem, however, is only one important dimension of the crisis. It behoves every peace-loving nation to ensure that the authority of the UN is respected universally.

This is the corollary of the anti-war platform and it is vital that NAM promotes this dimension of the conflict-resolution effort too. That it has already received the attention of NAM is a cause for comfort.

We notice that NAM began to play a prominent role in the world arena once again when South Africa took over the mantle of chairman of the Movement. This could be attributed primarily to the moral stature South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela exerts in the world today. Apparently, the personality of Mandela coupled with South Africa's successful transition from apartheid to a multi-racial democracy helped to stamp on NAM a new identity and culture.

NAM needs to build on these positive attributes in the days ahead. It should use the Iraqi crisis as a launching pad for a renewed peace mission in the world. It very badly needs to bring into the Councils of the world, the needs of the majority of humankind, of whom it is the veritable mouthpiece. It is not so much the demise of the Cold War, but failure on the part of NAM to keep its sights constantly on people's interests which ensured its relative eclipse over the years. It is our wish that this fate wouldn't befall NAM in the future - the biggest forum of the world's poor.

With Malaysia taking on the chairmanship of NAM, our hope is great that NAM would continue to play a worthy role in world affairs, under the guidance of Premier Mahathir Mohamad.

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