Canada has been in the midst of an unofficial election campaign preceding an impending but yet uncalled election. For months the governing Conservatives have been campaigning at public expense in the form of innumerable funding announcements and government advertising.
The US is gripped by the next presidential race dominated on the Republican side by the inimitable bozo eruption of Donald Trump. The US Democrats are hurtling toward another Clinton candidacy, this time Hillary. Her use of a private server for her emails in her time as Obama's secretary of state is threatening to derail her bid.
European Union (EU) has returned from the brink of a break up over Greece's economy or lack thereof. Migrants to EU fleeing poverty hunger, persecution and terror from Africa and the Middle East are facing exclusion fuelled by racism, xenophobia and economic insecurity. The Roma are bearing the brunt of the right wing neo Nazi movements in several countries of the EU.
One needn't repeat anything about the ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Shabab and many other Fascist incarnations and reincarnations of religious bigotry. In Iraq and Syria we're paying, will go on paying for some time to come, an intolerably heavy price for Bush Jr's completely avoidable mistakes.
In South Africa Nelson Mandela's mostly unworthy successors are making a mess of things. In some parts of Africa democracy and social justice is beginning to take root. In others malevolent dictators stubbornly continue to occupy the stage of history. In some parts poverty and violence threaten the very survival of inhabitants.
South America shows signs of hope in many places. But in some countries such as Mexico the drug cartels continue to maim and reign.
In China the state presses ahead with its dictatorial ways constantly challenged by turmoil and violence including a significant onslaught by Islamist jihadists. In Mayanmar the ethnic Rohingas who happen to be Muslims are being slaughtered. In Bangladesh jihadists continue to kill secular bloggers. As for Pakistan and Afghanistan terrorism threatens their very existence as united and peaceful partners for the neighbourhood. The spill over of terror from the ailing Pakistan often unleashes its ugly dance on the Indian soil; the most recent attack in Punjab's Gurdaspur being a case in point. India itself has not been able to deal with the roots of the Maoist violence. It continues unabated while most politicians, blind to the poverty, injustice and carnage persist in their corrupt antics.
Those responsible for the Babri Masjid violence, 'Hindus' forced off the buses and killed in Punjab, 1984 Sikh massacre, the Godra and many other riots remain unpursued and unpunished by India while many Indians are thumping their chests for the Supreme Court's nocturnal review of Yakub Memon's petition. So what if the court was generous and open to sitting past midnight to do justice? Isn't that what a fair and independent judiciary ought to do? And what of the fact that the Indian investigative agencies and their political and other bosses are selective in what and who they investigate? Who guarantees that all crime, particularly serious crime, is investigated and prosecuted expeditiously and impartially? For that there are not too many guarantors in sight in India at this time.
For my part I eagerly await the coming election in Canada. Canadians will have a chance to pass judgement. As a Liberal voter I look forward to participating in that important exercise. We ignore the local or the global at our own peril while a substantial part of the world is in turmoil. Each one of us must engage to ensure a more peaceful, just and compassionate world.
