"Persistent poverty, lack of opportunities for work with dignity, inequality, injustice and persecution can help explain the increasing occurrences of suicide bombers," says Devaki Jain, a developmental economist, who was part of a UN team to study the impact of armed conflict on children.

Evidently, acts such as suicide bombings constitute extreme violence and so they cannot be rationalized or justified by any reason. Nevertheless, it is important to consider their root causes. Devaki Jain points out that 'there is acceptance of death in the religions of the East'. It seems 'as if death was as common and natural as life'. Devaki Jain writes, "Death is not an end, but only a punctuation. The fear of death, which is the most haunting tangible fear in comfortable societies which have the basic security of food, health care, livelihood, clean and low population environments, does not seem to be as much of a consciousness, in the non-Anglo Saxon, non-European (peoples)." People in such dire straits have a 'careless attitude' toward life and death.

Heads of states, politicians and economists are engaged in resolving conflicts around the world through a combination of military might and charity in the form of economic assistance. Further, they look at various issues only from their own viewpoint - guided by their preconceived notions and selfish motives. They fail to see the issues from others' viewpoint and, consequently, they overlook the root causes of the problems. To resolve the conflicts, the two sides should examine the issues from each other's viewpoint. According to Devaki Jain, "It is such introspection that will help us understand and respond to the phenomenon. 'Careless attitude' will increase if inequalities are further exacerbated by fundamentalist and 'exclusivity' abuses by those who hold economic and political power. Such arrogance couched in civilizational and religious talks, will add to the 'labor force', the armies and contingents that will make the offer of supreme sacrifice, who will throw away their lives as human bombs, because life is not worth living; as uncontrolled criminals, as unruly mobs, as looters and protesters around every street corner, as obstructionists to all peaceful initiatives, as worshippers of death through violence." - D. C. J.

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Symbolic Patriotism: This fifty-fifth year of our (India's) independence should be a time of some reflection, not of a populous form of empty nationalism that asks everyone to "fly the flag". Waving flags, shouting slogans, singing patriotic songs will not hide the ugly reality - that as a people we are becoming more indifferent to the sufferings of people living next to us, that our society is sanctifying the worse forms of violence against women, children, minority groups. A violent and insecure society can never be truly free or independent.

- From an article by Kalpana Sharma published in the magazine section of Hindu of August 25, 2002

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