LETTERS

Costa Rica provides a good example of using money wisely

The Editor: Centuries of recurring wars are probably the most shameful transgressions of our inhumanity against others of the human race.

Canada is the world’s ninth largest exporter of arms. It is difficult to obtain solid figures on our annual arms exports. However, during the war against Iraq, it is estimated that Canadian exports to the U.S. military amounted to $4 billion to $6 billion.

We know there are millions of people and thousands of organizations that yearn for, and work tirelessly for, a more peaceful world.

An example of just one such person is Oscar Arias, a former eight-year president of Costa Rica, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987. In a moving and eloquent speech on April 25, Oscar Arias stressed the horrible effects of war and noted that in 2011 global military spending amounted to $1.73 trillion. He went on to say that this is the same world in which 925 million people go to bed hungry every day and where 16,000 children die every day from hunger-related diseases.

Along the same vein, he mourned the fact that besides being foolish, war is immoral. He added that some of the world’s political and military leaders have an insane addiction to militarization.

Costa Rica has no army. The funds required to maintain a military force are instead used for educational purposes. Costa Ricans have decided that “security lies in human development.”

In the meantime some Canadians and their politicians are obsessed with spending billions of dollars to purchase jet fighter planes. This is just another step in the process to ensure that the rigors of war are maintained in perpetuity. — Leo Kurtenbach, Saskatoon

News about McBrien welcomed

The Editor: What a joy to see Rev. Richard McBrien’s name and photograph again in the Prairie Messenger (May 15). Althought it is not an article written by McBrien, it filled the void by bringing me more up-to-date about him.

I am so grateful. My prayers are for him and for the Prairie Messenger. — S. Sturley, Winnipeg