The month of September is credited to have produced many jargons in international affairs compared to the other 11 months of a year. The said month occupies many sizeable columns in international affairs of far-reaching consequences for future successive generations relating to political history both in print and electronic media around the world.
September – the 9th month of the year is also the most eventful month as many events and happenings of world importance related with global peace, development, security, defense and diplomatic summits (howsoever negative that may be) have taken place in this very month during the second half of last century and first decade of 21 century.
It was in September when the life of a great world statesman and peacemaker Dag Hammarskjold, the then UN head had come to an end in a mysterious air crash in Zambia in the ill-fated night of 17-18 September 1961.
These events recorded in the month of September originated mainly in Europe, casting the impact throughout the world. Germany’s invasion in Poland on the 1stSeptember 1939, the declaration of war on Germany by Britain and France on the 3rd September in the same year germinating the seeds for the World War Second (1939-1944) and the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers of New York and Pentagon in the Washington DC are some among many examples that took place in September, let alone the infamous Black Septembers that has different story to tell.
It was in September when the life of a great world statesman and peacemaker Dag Hammarskjold, the then UN head had come to an end in a mysterious air crash in Zambia in the ill-fated night of 17-18 September 1961. Not only this, but the annual General Assembly of the United Nations in New York also begins from the third Tuesday of every September (that runs for three months).
It is still a mystery whether it was planned sabotage due to the vested interest of influential powers or crash due to technical failure.
The UNO (United Nations Organization) – the world body born in 1945 after the end of Second World War chose month of September to commence its work as a protector and promoter of international peace and security by deliberating upon political, economic, social and other humanitarian issues to save the world from the scourge of war that had brought untold sorrow on the humanity during the first half of 20th century. Dag Hammarskjold as UN Secretary-General offered his life for the cause of international peace and security.
Hammarskjold was born on 29 July 1905 in Sweden and died on September 17-18 in a mysterious air crash that had carried 15 officials including Dag himself on board in the northern Rhodesia now Zambia. It is still a mystery whether it was planned sabotage due to the vested interest of influential powers or crash due to technical failure.
Dag Hammarskjold served the United Nations as its secretary general from 10 April 1953 to until his death, 18 September 1961. Initially, he was elected for a five-year term and was reelected for the second term in 1953 following the completion of his first five-year term.
Amongst the previous eight UN secretaries-general counted from its inception in 1945 to date Dag Hammarskjold, he has been the most talked about, written and discussed personality from a casual chat on a tea table to debate forum of intellectuals. Hammarskjold thoughts and ideas delivered in his official capacity has been captured in several books by different authors highlighting the wisdom, mission, and vision of the man on world peace and security, spirituality, humanity and actions, and others.
Roger Lipsey’s book on “Hammarskjold – A Life”, Susan Williams’ book on “Who killed Dag Hammarskjold?” Brian Urquhart’s book on “Hammarskjold”, Rajehswar Dayal’s book on “A Life of Our Time- Dag Hammarskjold” and Paul R. Nelson’s book on “Courage of Faith- Dag Hammarskjold” are some examples among many.
These books reflect aspects of Hammarskjold’s multi-dimensional personality, life and contributions in the promotion and maintenance of world peace and security for the sake of humanity. Other writers have authored different books with a different focus on Dag’s time responsive personality while some have authored more than one book portraying Dag as a dynamic statesman, a renowned diplomat, top negotiator, poet, philosopher, and spiritualist.
Hammarskjold own book “ Markings” posthumously published by Leif Belfrage, one of the close associates of Dag and also Sweden’s permanent undersecretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in mid-sixties of the past century has earned a great name and fame for him.
Dag’s image as an extraordinary diplomat is never equaled — neither by his predecessors nor by his successors. His multidimensional personality was just unmatchable. Numerous discussions and studies on Hammarskjold’s death show that he died on way to negotiation for international peace as UN Secretary-General. His tactical diplomacy came to an end with his death. His unnatural death in a plane crash has floated many conspiracy theories doubting the involvement of some big powers who wanted to sabotage the peace process because many countries favored Hammarskjold to seek the solution of the international problem by coining the phrase “ Leave it to Dag” in the 38th floor, the office of UN SG.
Despite such laudable remark of Kennedy on Dag |Hammarskjold, he (Dag) was not a noncontroversial UN head.
In the words of John F. Kennedy, the US president at the time of Hammarskjold’s death in 1961, Dag was “the greatest statesman of our century” further eulogizing him for his dedication to the cause of peace, his untiring labor to achieve it, his courage under attack, willingness to accept all responsibility in trying to strengthen the United Nations to make it more effective instrument. In another reference, he had remarked Dag’s death as organization’s death.
Despite such laudable remark of Kennedy on Dag |Hammarskjold, he (Dag) was not a noncontroversial UN head. Kennedy’s then USSR counterpart president Nikita Khrushchev who while blaming Hammarskjold for his handling the Kalanga, Congo conflict had called for resignation from the post to which Dag had responded: “It is very easy to vow to the wish of big power, it is another matter to resist”.
Dag’s role as a mediator during the Suez Crisis and capture of a US reconnaissance plane by the USSR had established him as a great negotiator in 1960. The UN peacekeeping force that Dag Hammarskjold established in 1957-58 as proposed by the minister for external affairs of Canada Lester B Pearson, achieved a success – a great leap forward from that time of its launch till today as it clearly manifests how farsighted he was in initiating an instrument for maintenance of peace and order in the world.
Dag Hammarskjold and Nepal
Nepal joined UNO on 14th December 1955 when Dag Hammarskjold was in office. Nepal was earlier stopped from being a member of UNO due to the veto of the then USSR (now Russia) during the tenure of first SG Trigvi Lie. The first Nepalese permanent representative to the UN Rishikesh Shah interacted quite frequently with Dag. Shah himself grew as a diplomat by having interacted with Dag and gained recognition for his commendable performance. This was more than clear when Shah was elected chairman of the UN Commission tasked with investigating the death of Hammarskjold.
That a Nepali diplomat was chosen to chair such a probe commission was no lesser achievement for Nepal when the country was struggling for global exposure, unlike today. Nepal’s first elected premier BP Koirala also met Dag when former was in New York leading Nepalese delegation to the UN GA in 1960. It is the same Koirala trip in which Nepal disagreed with the Soviet Union proposal forwarded by Nikita Khrushchev to go for troika for the post of UN Secretary General.
Hammarskjold’s poem after his visit to the famous Buddhist shrine in Swayambhunath, Kathmandu
reads;
“The brilliant notes of the flute
Are heard by the God
In the cave of birth
Himalayan ice cliffs …
A lace of rest. Charcoal fires
Deep in the mirror
Vishnu is at peace” (A New Look at Everest, National Geography magazine 1961)
The poem reveals Dag’s love for Nepal eulogized a country of peace. After eight years, Dag’s visit was followed by his successor’s visit U Thant to the Lumbini on whose suggestions the present Lumbini development project is shaping up.
The Investigation Commission, formed after Dag’s death in a mysterious fatal air crash, was suspended in 1962, if not closed forever. It is fortunate part of the unfortunate incident that the investigation on that fatal air crash is to revive now, though after five decades, thanks to the former UN secretary- general Ban Ki-Moon, the then UN SG to the General Assembly. The findings of such revived investigation Commission constituted under the stewardship of the former chief justice of Tanzania sir Mohamed Chande Othman are expected to bring justice to the departed soul of Dag Hammarskjold famous for his extraordinary diplomatic skill. It is of specific interest for Nepal because Rishikesh Shah, Nepal’s envoy to UN was chosen as chairperson to that commission.
(To be continued…)
Views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the stance of Khabarhub.
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