It is no accident that the countries that are most strongly opposed to the interjection of human rights considerations in international negotiations and agreements are also most strenuously opposed to NGO participation in international negotiations. Indonesia, Malaysia and China are taking a strong stand against giving NGOs a role where governments prefer to act alone. Soka Gakkai International has learned from its own experience how it can perform services for the benefit of humanity at large that are not delivered by any government, and in the process it too has found itself an object of criticism. Indeed, any effort to enrich human virtue is at risk, not only from evil sources, but also from conflicting political interests that are seeking ends that are good in themselves. Even working toward peace is not free of political risk.
Scandal is sometimes the price of virtuous action.
Perhaps that principle was learned first when imported food was donated to famine-stricken countries, only to discourage farmers from planting their fields. Peace as a mission is as complex as a military conquest. Politicians forget sometimes that peacemaking is a private as well as public function. The wisest course in the service of peace is to use advocacy resources for public education, and to monitor the political process as it works out public programs.