Good bye, United Nations - for now.  

 I spent two years with the United Nations, and the time has flown.  when the days were passing by, they appeared moving at a snail's pace, for I missed my home.  For this was my first long professional  commitment overseas. But now when I look back, the days are going, going and gone!  Only for now- for I am leaving behind unfinished work.   This is nothing unusual?  No, not for me.  Equally perhaps for many others.  But the question is - Is this preordained ? or is it an act of Nature - to conspire to leave matters incomplete in different phases of one's life ?

   One Life is never enough.   I believe it becomes a reason to return.  The more one does, the more there is to do.  And in attempting to complete the pending tasks, we create newer ones.  Hence, every time, works is left incomplete ! Homework left unfinished has to be revisited in the next lifetime- that's what my teacher told me when I was small.    And that made us children finish our daily homework.   Then I was small and afraid of the teacher, and now I have grown to be one myself .  Now I think I know what I still do not know.  I want to know the mysteries of life and living, but I may never get to know them.

   But one thing I do instinctively know is that I may be reborn because of the 'sins' I have committed as a cop in my life, such as getting the persons in custody to speak up, or dispersing, can-charging, tear-gassing, arresting, putting in prison and even opening fire to disperse unlawful assemblies ?  And in the process, I received some certificates - at their cost ! If that is not enough, towing away by cranes, as they are also called back home, the wrongly parked cars of my friends and the VIPs and getting nicknamed "C rane Bedi"

   At the United Nations, I learnt the art of creating a permanent seat or place for myself - read 'for next life'-- by leaving unfinished work. However, I do admit this is not something unique to be United Nations.  I am internally convinced that I brought it alone from my work experience in India.  My leaving the work half-way  is today a 'strategic'  plan (my boss's favourite word).  I learnt all about strategies and added the doctrine of reincarnation or 'over the horizon' and 'institutional memory'.  In other words, I made   a doctrinal shift! If I give you one more such acquisition, it is the making of a CONOPS - Concept of Operations, as we called them- one of the most used acronyms in the Department of Peace-Keeping Operations.  And who says we from the Police Division did not make enough ? With or without the help of OO ( Office of Operations)! all our most used jargons!

    I had learnt to respect and regard the United Nations right from my school days.  We observed UN Days in school and college.  We read the charter with great reverence.  We used to have mock sessions.  And, of course, we were awestruck by the General Assembly and the Security Council.  The United Nations, for all of us, is the symbol of 'moral capital' serving the Charter and principles.  I used to visit the United nations as a tourist, sit on the India seat and get myself photographed.  Working in it was never even considered, because for me it was far away, different, mysterious  and beyond-reach world of foreign affairs and diplomacy.  But the way boss, a French national, identified me was human plus divine design.  And I will remain grateful to him for his lifelong learning.

      Our United Nations is the one and only 'mother' destination  for world peace and harmony.  It is the only home of all nations, poor or rich, big or small.  The United Nations owes to the billions to remain the most credible and visible space for all. All that is does concern the most vulnerable, for whom there is none else.  And this is what I have seen first hand - which for me has been a rare privilege.

      But for many of us, our flagship, the 'mother' the UN itself is in stormy weather.  The Blue Flag and the Blue Helmet is a weakening sanctuary.  Increasingly, the United nations and its personnel are being targeted on  various counts.  On the other hand, there is a growing trend towards marginalization of the world body, thereby rocking its very foundation.

     One  of the constant challenges before the United Nations is its dependence on external financial support, along with erosion of credibility.  The gigantic ones that persist are ones of poverty and disease.  If that was not enough, there is the vulnerability of human security-most of the times aggravated by mal-governance.

     How does  the ' world body'  address this ?  We the workers who are entrusted with the responsibility of Peace-keeping are duty-bound to rise above our insecurities and geographies and make our 'careers as causes' for protecting and promoting the core values of the United Nations, along with ensuring peace and development for the weak and uprooted.

     While I take a bow, I now return to my 'homework' that I did leave behind, incomplete, besides the responsibility I have towards my ageing father.  I will be glad to be of any service  in Delhi.  I am only three digits away.  Just Call 100 - the Police Control Room will know my whereabouts.

     I Share with you a belief I try to practice :

     Change is the Law, Growth is optional.  Choose Wisely.

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