Imagine you’re in the middle of a fairly tense game of Monopoly with your sibling. Right as you’re about to build your hotel on Boardwalk, they shout, ‘I quit!’ Great news, right? You’re the undisputed Monopoly baron! But then, just as you start your victory dance, they decide they’re not quite out of the game yet. Confusing? Absolutely. Welcome to the recent situation at the Thailand-Cambodia border.
Basking in the glow of peace tweets and trending hashtags, citizens and news outlets on both sides rushed to celebrate the end of hostilities along their contentious frontier. Phones pinged with ‘Ceasefire Achieved!’ notifications. However, the diplomats and military officials were still busy crossing their ‘t’s and dotting their ‘i’s on the actual details of the ceasefire.
The Premature Peace Accolade
- It appears that in the age of instant communication, news travels faster than diplomacy. While the leaders were still in round three of ‘Who signs where?’ on the peace treaty, the world outside had already thrown three peace parties.
- Celebrations are in order, but maybe after making sure that both parties have actually agreed to stop firing! It’s like starting to celebrate your birthday weeks before it actually arrives. Sure, it feels good, but it doesn’t make it your birthday.
So, here’s a piece of unsolicited advice: next time a ceasefire is declared at any border or in any conflict, maybe take a moment. Pause, breathe, and check whether the ink has dried on that agreement, or if it’s even on the paper yet. In the rush to tweet about peace, let’s ensure there’s actual peace to tweet about!