Dear Editor,
Today 12th of April marks the 77th death anniversary of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who passed away days before the Allied victory in Europe on the 8th of May and the surrender of Japan in August 1945, signaling the end of a vicious World War II, which destroyed billions of property in many parts of the world and took several millions of lives. Editor, why note the sudden passing of F.D.R. in 1945, it is because I believe that if there are cordial relationships between persons whether it be the family, the community but in particular leaders of great nations, then much of the difficulties, wars and hardship would never take place.
Thomas Carlyle in his influential lectures of 1840 contended that “history is no more the biography of prominent personalities.” This is so true unto this day and hence I draw attention to the passing of FDR and my belief that his passing changed the course of history in particular the confused but critical conditions we witness in Europe today. While in London, I had the opportunity to peruse available records of Meetings among the big-Three (Churchill-UK, Roosevelt-USA and Stalin-Russia), and I am of the view that Roosevelt, even as they met at Yalta in February 1945, appreciated the fact that the Russians made the greatest sacrifice in terms of human lives and materials to defeat Germany, and was therefore prepared to offer concessions to Russia, as the Big-Three sought to literally divide the world, in terms of spheres of influence, control and the realignment of nation states.
For that reason, I support President Ali’s explanation for Guyana abstaining on the resolution at the UN last week calling for the expulsion of Russia from the Human Rights Council. I therefore support the position taken by President Ali on this situation that we should have waited for the results of an independent investigation into these allegations, including reports that Ukrainians pushed Africans off vehicles heading for areas of safety. They had to walk. The challenge for the UN is to identify an investigating team that is truly neutral and not influenced by preconceived notions. For me, white lives matter, black lives matter, brown lives matter, all lives matter and we must try to change this culture of believing that war must solve our problems. I end with this thesis, that everywhere, Africa, Asia, America, Europe, Pacific, Antarctica, we must learn the value of discussion and patience and learn that none of us is ever one hundred percent right nor one hundred percent wrong.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Elder
