Settle disputes through talks: Shanu S P Hinduja

With nations across the world increasingly being impacted by the scourge of terrorism, Vice Chairperson of the Hinduja Bank Switzerland, Shanu S P Hinduja has invoked Mahatma Gandhi to ask the international community to "raise the white flag" and settle disputes through talks.
"The international community has to raise the white flag. Retaliating witharms will not help solve the problem ofextremism," Hinduja told PTI here.
"Mahatma Gandhi did not raise a gun but a white flag and won a battle," she said.
"The way to find solutions to the problem of terrorism and extremism isthrough negotiations, not by attacking back with vengeance.

"Instead of spending money on ammunition to hit back and then provide aide after causing destruction, it should be used to negotiate to surrender arms and quench the thirst of money. At the end of the day, it is all about power and money, capturing and ruling more land and having more wealth to capture that land," she said.
Hinduja said she believes the power of the UN white flag as well as that ofworldbody will encourage nations to pursue developmental activities and create jobs so thatunemployment and poverty do not become tools in the hands of extremist groups to exploit the youth and lure them to join their ranks.

She stressedthat the international community will have to join forces to find the root cause of extremism.

Nations will have to "ask those with guns in their hands what they want"and "negotiate whatever is possible within limits."
Hinduja underscored that it is the "segregation of communities" that adds to the problem of extremism within eachcountry and terroroutfits then use "this weakens against us".
As innocent lives continue to be lost in attacks across the world, Hinduja said there isneed to understand thethoughtprocessbehind suchextremism.
"Without knowing what they want, how will the international community stop this," she said.
She quoted spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as saying that killing people is not the answer or the solution to any problem but speaking to each other and communicating with love will bring peace on the planet and equality for humanity.

"We have to build homes and livelihoods by giving skills and jobs to reducepoverty and bring back happiness, which will destroy the devil within the less fortunate. It is the vulnerability of the less fortunate that sometimes forcesthem to pick up guns," she said.
"Weawait to see the day a child holds a pen again before a gun," she stressed.