Medicine and Reconciliation

Writing this from Dubai, while waiting for my plane to return to Kuala Lumpur. Been away for most part of this week, attending a Workshop in Amman, Jordan, dealing with Medicine and Reconciliation.

1) It is indeed strange that the medical specialties have not been utilized more in achieving reconciliation among people.

2) As doctors ,nurses and paramedics, we have often been in the forefront dealing with human sufferings. It is through this involvement that we see the common values in all mankind.

3) Pain, joy, suffering and wellbeing manifest itself in the same manner across people of different geographical boundaries.

4) In the same manner, the Palestinian people feels humiliated through displacement from their homes, such feelings are shared by others in similar predicament elsewhere on this earth. Hence there is no room for discrimination, whether in the form of apartheid policies or similar unjust practices

5) Here in Amman, we met people who had suffered, but willing to forgive for the sake of greater good. But as one speaker noted, forgiveness starts with admission of mistakes . Once this implied admission is secured , forgiveness opens up endless possibilities for reconciliation among common people which may be somewhat at odds with the wish of some aloof leaders.

6) I found this 2 -day meeting enriching. Meeting people with same sufferings and endurance but coming from different ends of the conflicts. It is only through talking, that they shared common values, and that is in the form of sufferings. How strange. If sufferings and pain manifest in the same manner, surely joy and elation also knows no boundaries.

7) We left the meeting with a conviction that we will do more to help alleviate suffering. Afterall, isnt that part of this noble profession? We will seek to relay this message to everyone, that although we are all burdened by our history and geography, we can still reconcile ,heal pains and sufferings without necessarily having to wait for a greater solution. Afterall this greater solution may not come during our lifetime.