Address During The Release Of Postage Stamp And First Day Cover On The Occasion Of United Nations Day

Peace is our Mission

I am happy to participate in the release function of Postage Stamp and First Day Cover on the occasion of United Nations Day which was created immediately after the second world war and is now fifty nine years old. On this day I would like to recall the charter of UN which is to maintain international peace and security, promote social progress and better standards of life, strengthen international law and promote the expansion of human rights. My greetings to the UN personnel, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and congratulations to the Army for making consistently significant contribution to the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations during the last fifty four years. There are many challenges in our planet earth of six billion people. Reforms are needed in the United Nations to reduce the tensions and tensions transforming into war between nations. Many nations are experiencing the problems of injected terrorism. The young people of the planet are dreaming to live in the land of opportunities and happiness. We have also seen that the economic prosperity of few nations alone has not brought lasting peace to the world.

In such a situation, it is essential to evolve the principle of enlightened citizenship in many of the countries based on Asian ethos. Firstly we should inculcate education with a value system in our children, secondly ? ensure that religion graduates into a spiritual force and thirdly we should develop an enlightened leadership with visionary policies to lead the nations towards global and economic prosperity.

Evolution of Ahimsa Dharma

When I think back 2500 years in Indian history, I see in front of me the Emperor Ashoka conquering all parts of India and walking with great pride. When he came to Kalinga region, that is the eastern coast of India currently called the Orissa State of India, the great Kalinga war took place. The mighty army of Emperor Ashoka fought and fought as they did in other parts, and the Kalinga kings and their armies were defeated. Emperor Ashoka happily proclaimed victory and annexed the Kalinga country to his mighty empire. In that great full moon night, with the success behind him, Emperor Ashoka walked in the war ravaged battlefield. He stopped suddenly and saw the blood flowing over hundred thousand people who were killed, and many souls crying and moaning. That crying was engulfed with gloom. Suddenly Emperor Ashoka stopped and asked himself, ?O! Almighty, what have I done?? This spark of thought entered into the mind and soul of Emperor Ashoka and the great principle of Ahimsa Dharma was born. He has preached ahimsa, since then. This has been firmly engraved in the rocks. We must remember, for practicing Ahimsa Dharma we need strength. This brings out the principal to be followed by the peacekeeping forces. They have to be strong but they must ensure that the strength is used only when all the other methods of resolving conflict and maintaining peace fail. I am sure that the members of the Indian Army have been following this philosophy of keeping peace in all their peacekeeping operations.

Contribution of Indian Army in Peacekeeping Operations

During the last five decades Indian Army has taken part in thirty-nine peacekeeping missions spread in thirty countries and has deployed more than seventy thousands troops in different parts of the world at different times. Troops have shown professionalism, compassion, equanimity and tolerance. Indian troops have proved to be popular and effective wherever they went. In this long journey of maintaining world peace hundred and nine soldiers have made supreme sacrifice and forty-five have been awarded gallantry awards for their exemplary action during the peacekeeping operation.

Conclusion

I am confident that the present contingent of over two thousand three hundred personnel will follow the tradition of their predecessors and bring laurels to the Indian Army and the country through their professionalism and effectiveness in the peacekeeping operations. India has been an active partner to the United Nations in the peacekeeping missions and has made significant contribution towards maintaining peace in many parts of the world. Indian troops have learned substainsly due to the wide exposure of the training technique, equipments and operational drill followed by different countries. This has widened the horizon of the Indian soldiers and improved their professional skills. I would suggest that the Indian Army may constitute a task team of the Indian personnel presently working in UN missions and commanders who have worked in the past to collate the experiences and prepare a book on peacekeeping experiences of Indian troops in the thirty-nine UN missions carried out so far. This will become a vital training document for our troops during future operations and also an interesting archival information for military historians.

Time has now come for a nation of one billion plus people to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council for promoting lasting peace in this planet. I hereby release the Postage Stamp and the First Day Cover on this occasion. My best wishes to the members of the Army for success in their missions.

May God bless you.