the traditionally accepted political definition of peace and the very word itself comes from the influence of the ancient romans who defined peace, pax, as absentia belli, the absence of war.
in the modern nation-state world, peace has often been understood as the absence of international war between two or more state-organized armies. however, constraining the concept of peace to the absence of international war ignores the relevance of civil war, internal genocide, terrorism, and other violence. since world war ii, wars between states have decreased while violent internal conflicts increased. since 1992, however, internal conflicts have decreased though there are still numerous and problematic intractable conflicts. present day sudan, as an example, is not engaged in a war with another sovereign state. however, few would deny that what amounts to genocide is taking place in its darfur region.
peace therefore, in the sense of the absence of hostilities, is best understood as the absence of violence between groups, whether they are part of a state apparatus or not. johan galtung, a very influential peace researcher, calls peace understood simply as the absence of violence "negative peace." it is labeled as such because although direct violence is not taking place, the points of conflict, which can lead to violence, are not necessarily resolved.
和平鸽在哭泣就在战争狂魔吞噬着伊拉克的时候，在一张报纸上，我看见一幅“极不和谐”的新闻图片：一个疲惫不堪的美国兵坐在沙地上，眼神痴木，大概在遥望大洋彼岸的家乡；一架大炮炮筒直指烽烟滚滚的远空。就在这硝烟弥漫的战场一隅，栖息着一只和平鸽！奇怪的是这只白羽红嘴的鸽子静静地立着，凝然不动，似乎在蔑视那枪林弹雨那疯狂轰炸那呼啸而过的导弹……
它累了，它一定刚刚飞遍这战火燃烧的国土，俯瞰过一幕幕惊心动魄的景象——
庞然大物航空母舰在蓝色海湾来回游弋。b52轰炸机的阴影笼罩在宁静的天空。爆炸的火光此起彼落撕破了天鹅绒似地的夜幕。失去父母的婴儿撕心裂肺地哭喊。到处是鲜血，呻吟，尸骸，废墟……
我凝视着这只勇敢的和平鸽，心灵在痛苦地抽搐，在汩汩地流血！我仿佛变成了这可爱的鸽子，负载着自己的悲伤和愤怒，飞旋在硝烟弥漫的伊拉克的土地上，目睹那人类的悲剧……
伤心欲绝的老奶奶抱着死去的小孙女，她茫然地看着天空悲号着——啊，和平鸽在流泪！
小男孩伏在妈妈的尸体上嚎哭着，那碧蓝的眼睛里充满了惊恐和茫然——啊，和平鸽在控诉！
衣衫褴褛的难民们离乡背井，扶老携幼，奔波在漫漫黄土路上——啊，和平鸽在祈祷！
人类最早期文明的象征巴格达博物馆17万件珍贵文物遭到浩劫——啊，和平鸽在呐喊！
啊，你一定是从毕加索爷爷的画板上飞出的那只和平鸽！哦，你从莱茵河畔的白色别墅飞来，还是从蓝色多瑙河的优美旋律里飞来；你是从古老的万里长城上空飞来，还是从密西西比河岸的广场上飞来？在那些洒满了和平阳光的国度里，你一定看见一幅幅幸福和谐的画面：年轻的爸爸妈妈推着婴儿车缓缓走在花间小径上；小学生背着五颜六色的书包奔在上学路上；老人们漫步在林间聍听婉转的鸟鸣……
啊，和平鸽！我看见你洁白的羽毛有些凌乱，你的胸脯微微喘息，你一定在目睹文明古国惨遭战火的浩劫时，才伤心欲绝，从心里流下了泪珠！从你沉静悲伤的目光里，我知道你跟我一样在远望在思索——是啊，在浩茫无际的大宇宙里，我们居住的地方不过是个小小的地球村，那五大洲就是我们安居乐业的住宅小区，那三大洋就是家门前三个蓝色池塘，肤色不同的民族原本就是亲如手足的一家人啊！可为什么要同室操戈，自相杀戮呢？为什么要让鲜血、尸骨、废墟和数不尽的噩梦充斥我们的家园呢？
啊，和平鸽，你带上毕加索爷爷的殷切希望在炮火中无畏飞翔吧，在五大洲的蓝天上自由的翱翔吧！飞吧飞吧，我的鸽子，我的心伴随着你，风雨里你从不退缩从不迷航！我相信，终有那一天，在和平的阳光里，青绿的橄榄枝一定会插遍地球村的每个角落！