An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind

Editor, RE: “Ange Kagame’s perspective offers a glimpse into the future” (The New Times, September 25).

Friday, September 25, 2015

Editor,

RE: "Ange Kagame’s perspective offers a glimpse into the future” (The New Times, September 25).

 It was the great Mahatma Gandhi who once said, "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind”. These words—spoken more than half a century ago—are so well articulated by Rwanda’s First Daughter Ange Kagame in her message published by The Huffington Post (and republished by The New Times) as part of its "Forgive for Peace” series in commemoration of the UNITED  Nation’s International Day of Peace.

As Ange Kagame has so well explained, being confronted with the horror of Rwanda’s history, the people of this great nation could "choose forgiveness, or could surrender to a natural reaction and choose revenge”.

It is very creditable therefore that the people of this great nation chose peace and forgiveness thereby proving to the world that non-violence advocated by Mahatma Gandhi and so many other great leaders is what will make this world  a better place to live in for future generations.

Clarence Fernandes, Mumbai, India