These three countries represent a struggle that is playing out in many other places around the world too. It is the struggle to reconcile national, regional and local identities with the long-term and short-term histories of the area.
In all three of these countries the people are struggling with violence that is the result of the frustration that all sides feel because they cannot see a way forward that reconciles their differences while retaining their dignity. The current model of national identity, that is a relic of colonial times, was not designed to represent the identity of the people living within the borders, but rather to signify the identity of the controlling authority. The modern age holds out the promise of self-determination and self identification through the espousal of principles such as democracy and individual freedom. Our traditional definitions of geographic boundaries, legal systems and government responsibilities do not provide a mechanism that reflects these modern aspirations.
The Standards of LIFE provides a model for representation, government and legal structures that are aligned with the principles of democracy and individual freedom. The multilayer structure described in the Standards of LIFE is directly applicable to all three of these difficult, and currently intractable, situations. If adopted by the leaders in these countries, it would provide a practical avenue down which all those concerned could direct their energies without resorting to violence and confident that the result would be an equitable and respectful solution.
The multilayer model for representation in the Standards of LIFE also provides great degree of flexibility in the future definitions of boundaries, this allows for easier and more rapid adoption of solutions to the current situations because all parties are aware that there is the possibility for change built into the structure.
Paired with the principles of variable law and proportional representation, the government and legal structures described in the Standards of LIFE provide a holistic solution to end the turmoil and the violence in all three of these areas as well as the many others around the world suffering from the same absence of a path forward.
Standards of LIFE 