War-is-Not-a-GameWar-is-Not-a-Game

This time there is no “laws of war” message behind it. The fact that this body of law sets rules does not mean that it legitimates war. War remains illegal under the Charter of the United Nations and the preferred state is for sure peace.

War is certainly not a game and all those who have been confronted with its realities know it way too well. From my experience of the genocide in Rwanda, the war in the former Yugoslavia, in Syria, in Cameroon as we speak, and my knowledge of the many other conflicts in the world such as Yemen, Israel and Palestine, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia or more recently Ukraine, war only leads to chaos, pain and suffering.

Some would however argue that there is “gain” sometime, such as for example when people decide to use their right to self-determination and choose – using force – to change the power in place, and indeed this is part of history. They do it for the benefit of the people, mostly against authoritarian regimes and hence there is pain, but eventually some gain.

But in today’s conflicts there seems to be no gain for the people, just pain.