Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad

By Kazi Mahmood, IOL Southeast Asia Correspondent

KUALA LUMPUR , September 27 (IslamOnline) - Malaysia ’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said the world today seemed a very dangerous place, as there has been an unending desire for revenge that could only lead to calamity, Bernama news agency reported Friday, September 27, 2002 .

Mahathir said in the last year the world had been through so much upheaval and fear, starting no less with the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in New York followed by a devastating war on Afghanistan and now, an impending attack on Iraq , and the on-going atrocities in Palestine .

He also lamented that the world was not ready to solve the terrorism issue by looking at its root causes, but was rather revengeful in their pursuit of elusive terror networks.

He added that an attack was encountered by an even bigger and more devastating attack, spiraling into a never-ending circle of violence.

"It is unfortunate that no effort is given to solving the root cause of such violence which could otherwise put a complete stop to such utter madness," he said.

Querying the world over what lessons humanity has learned from last year’s upheavals, the aging Asian leader said there was much hope that these events would teach peace and reconciliation.

"A deep and committed effort to identify and resolve the causes of terrorism would be our answer to combat hatred and extremism.

"Instead, what we have seen has been an unending desire for revenge that can only lead to ever worse calamities," he said in a message addressed to the World Peace Concert 2002 to be held in Malaysia on Oct 12.

Mahathir praised efforts such as the World Peace Concert saying it was commendable to remind mankind that the answer to terrorism and violence was forgiveness, peace and reconciliation.

"In light of this, I wish to commend the organizers of the World Peace Concert for their effort, which undoubtedly will also lend to greater unity and harmony among Malaysians of all races and religions," he added.

He hoped that the concert would be a success that would contribute, in however small a way to peace for all peoples.

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