Meeting Johan Galtung

February 9,2009

Last saturday I attended a forum on Peace at the Asian Institute of Management . The speaker came from Norway. His name is Johan Galtung .He is  among the first proponents of the Peace Research . His matrix on peace (especially in peace and conflict journalism ) has made a great impact to bridging the gap between truth and what is so called "truth" in guise of propaganda in the news. I am so glad to meet Johan Galtung (married to a Japanese woman ) reminds me of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. He had many interesting insights about global conflicts.He studied in North America and founded the Oslo Research Institute on Peace . His writings are used around the globe by media practioners,peacemakers,negotiators, academics to name a few. Being there was a profound experience. His matrix as core in the book authored by Jake Llynch and Anabel McGoldrick. 

Some thoughts about how to name Issue makers such as the MILF ,MNLF ,Hamas and the like . Avoid branding them as terrorists , insurgents , separatists or rebels instead use the term "movements" . This will give them a more human face than demonizing them as the "other ", which will make the writer more balanced and non -prejudicial. Galtung also talked about points he got from holy scriptures (Judaeism, Christianity, and Islam).Don't use terms that people or these groups do not use themselves or want to be called , he adds. So, the next time you hear a certain group think about them as movements after all nobody wants to be called a -terrorist.