This Joint Statement was released to the presssimultaneously in Pakistan and India on November 302008.Mumbai bloodbathWe are deeply shocked and horrified at the bloodymayhem in Mumbai, which has claimed more than ahundred and ninty lives and caused grievous injuriesto several hundred people, besides sending a wave ofpanic and terror across South Asia and beyond. Weconvey our profound feelings of sorrow and sympathiesto the grieving families of the unfortunate victims ofthis heinous crime and express our solidarity withthem.As usual, all sorts of speculations are circulatingabout the identity of the perpetrators of this act ofbarbarism. The truth about who are directly involvedin this brutal incident and who could be the culpritsbehind the scene is yet to come out and we do not wishto indulge in any guesswork or blame game at thispoint. However, one is intrigued at its timing. Can itbe termed a coincidence that it has happened on theday the Home Secretaries of the two countriesconcluded their talks in Islamabad and announcedseveral concrete steps to move forward in the peaceprocess, such as the opening of several land routesfor trade – Kargil, Wagah-Attari, Khokhropar etc –,relaxation in the visa regime, a soft and liberalpolicy on the issue of release of prisoners and jointefforts to fight terrorism? Again, is it just acoincidence that on this fateful day the Foreign
Minister of Pakistan was in the Indian capital holdingvery useful and productive talks with his Indiancounterpart? One thing looks crystal clear. Theenemies of peace and friendship between the twocountries, whatever be the label under which theyoperate, are un-nerved by these healthy developmentsand are hell bent on torpedoing them.We are of the considered opinion that the continuedabsence of peace in South Asia - peace between andwithin states - particularly in relation to India andPakistan , is one of the root causes of most of themiseries the people of the region are made to endure.It is the major reason why our abundantlyresource-rich subcontinent is wallowing in poverty,unemployment, disease, and ignorance and whymilitarism, religious and sectarian violence andpolitical, economic and social injustice are eatinginto the very vitals of our societies, even after morethan six decades of independence from colonial rule.At this moment of unmitigated tragedy, the first thingwe call upon the Governments of India and Pakistan todo is to acknowledge the fact that the overwhelmingmajority of the people of India and Pakistan ardentlydesire peace and, therefore, the peace process must bepursued with redoubled speed and determination on bothsides. The sooner the ruling establishments of Indiaand Pakistan acknowledge this fact and push ahead withconcrete steps towards lasting peace and harmony inthe subcontinent, the better it will be not only forthe people of our two countries but also for the wholeof South Asia and the world. While the immediateresponsibility for unmasking the culprits of Mumbaiand taking them to task surely rests with theGovernment of India, all of us in South Asia have anobligation to join hands and go into the root causesof why and how such forces of evil are motivated andemboldened to resort to such acts of anti-people
terror.It is extremely important to remind the leaderships ofPakistan and India that issuing statements andsigning agreements and declarations will have meaningonly when they are translated into action andimplemented honestly, in letter and spirit and withoutany further loss of time. It assumes added urgency inthe prevailing conditions in South Asia , with thepossibility that so many different forces prone toreligious, sectarian and other forms of intoleranceand violence may be looking for ways to arm themselveswith more and more sophisticated weapons of massmurder and destruction. The bloodbath in Mumbai mustopen the eyes of our governments, if it has notalready happened.We urge upon the governments of India and Pakistan toimmediately take the following steps: 1. Cessation of all hostile propaganda against eachother; 2. Joint action to curb religious extremism of allshades in both countries; 3. Continue and intensify normalization ofrelations and peaceful resolution of all conflictsbetween the two countries; 4. Facilitation of trade and cooperation betweenthe two countries and in all of South Asia . Wewelcome the fact that the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad andPoonch-Rawlakot borders have been opened for trade andthat the opening of the road between Kargil and Skarduis in the pipeline. 5. Immediate abolition of the current practice ofissuing city-specific and police reporting visa andissue country-valid visa without restrictions atarrival point, simultaneously initiating necessarysteps to introduce as early as possible a visa-freetravel regime, to encourage friendship between thepeoples of both countries; 6. Declaration by India and Pakistan of No FirstUse of atomic weapons; 7. Concrete measures towards making South Asianuclear-free; 8. Radical reduction in military spending and endto militarisation.
Signatories:Pakistan 1. Mr. Iqbal Haider, Co-Chairman, Human RightsCommission Pakistan and former federal Minister ofPakistan 2. Dr. Tipu Sultan, President, Pakistan Doctors forPeace & Development, Karachi 3. Dr. Tariq Sohail, Dean, Jinnah Medical & DentalUniversity , Karachi 4. Dr. A. H.. Nayyar, President, Pakistan PeaceCoalition, Islamabad 5. Justice (Retd) Rasheed A. Razvi, President,Sindh High Court Bar Association 6. Mr. B.M.Kutty, Secretary General , PakistanPeace Coalition, Karachi 7. Mr. Karamat Ali, Director, PILER, Karachi ,Founding member, PIPFPD 8. Mr. Fareed Awan, General Secretary , PakistanWorkers Confederation, Sindh 9. Mr. Muhammad Ali Shah, Chairman , PakistanFisherfolk Forum, Karachi 10. Mr. Zulfiqar Halepoto, Secretary, SindhDemocratic Front, Hyderabad 11. Professor Dr. Sarfraz Khan, Area Studies Centre( Central Asia), Peshawar University 12. Syed Khadim Ali Shah, Former Member NationalAssembly, Mirpur Khas 13. Mr. Muhammad Tahseen, Director, South AsiaPartnership (PAK), Lahore 14. Mrs. Saleha Athar, Network for Women's Rights,Karachi 15. Ms. Sheema Kermani, Tehreek-e-Niswan, Karachi 16. Ms. Saeeda Diep, President, Institute of SecularStudies, Lahore 17. Dr. Aly Ercelan, Pakistan Labour Trust, Karachi 18. Mr. Suleiman G. Abro, Director, SindhAgricultural & Forestry Workers Organisation,Hyderabad 19. Mr. Sharafat Ali, PILER, Karachi 20. Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah, PILER, Karachi 21. Mr. Ayub Qureshi, Information Secretary ,Pakistan Trade Union Federation 22. Ms. Sheen Farrukh, Director, InterpressCommunication Pakistan , Karachi 23. Mr. Zafar Malik, PIPFPD, Lahore 24. Mr. Adam Malik, Action-Aid Pakistan , Karachi 25. Mr. Qamarul Hasan, International Union of FoodWorkers (IUF), Karachi 26. Prof. Muhammad Nauman, NED University , Karachi 27. Mr. Mirza Maqsood, General Secretary, Mazdoor
Mahaz-e-Amal 28. Ms. Shaista Bukhari, Women Rights Association,MultanIndia 1. Kuldip Nayar, journalist, former Indian HighCommissioner, UK., Delhi 2. S P Shukla, retired Finance Secretary, formerMember, Planning Commission, Delhi 3. PEACE MUMBAI network of 15 organisations, Mumbai 4. Seema Mustafa, Journalist, Delhi 5. Manisha Gupte, MASUM, Pune 6. Dr. Ramesh Awasthi, PUCL, Maharashtra 7. Jatin Desai, journalist, Mumbai 8. Prof. Ritu Dewan, University of Mumbai 9. Prabir Purkayashta, DSF, Delhi 10. Prof. Pushpa Bhave , Mumbai 11. Paromita Vohra, filmmaker, Mumbai 12. Achin Vanaik, CNDP, Delhi 13. Meena Menon, Focus on the Global South, Mumbai 14. Romar Correa Professor of Economics, Universityof Mumbai 15. Anjum Rajabally, film writer, Mumbai 16. Anand Patwardhan, filmmaker, Mumbai 17. Kamla Bhasin, SANGAT, Delhi 18. Dr. Padmini Swaminathan, MIDS, Chennai 19. Sumit Bali, CEO, Kotak Mahindra Prime Limited 20. Dr Walter Fernandes, Director, North EasternSocial Research Centre , Assam , 21. Rabia, Lahore Chitrkar 22. Rakesh Sharma, filmmaker, Mumbai 23. Prof. Kamal Mitra Chenoy, JNU, Delhi 24. Prof. Anuradha Chenoy, JNU, Delhi 25. P K Das, architect, Mumbai 26. Neera Adarkar, architect, Mumbai 27. Datta Iswalkar, Secretary, Textile WorkersAction Committee, Mumbai 28. Madhusree Dutta, filmmaker, Majlis, Mumbai 29. Amrita Chhachhi, Founding member, PIPFPD 30. Mazher Hussain, COVA, Hyderabad 31. Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, Delhi 32. Prof. M C Arunan, Mumbai
Minister of Pakistan was in the Indian capital holdingvery useful and productive talks with his Indiancounterpart? One thing looks crystal clear. Theenemies of peace and friendship between the twocountries, whatever be the label under which theyoperate, are un-nerved by these healthy developmentsand are hell bent on torpedoing them.We are of the considered opinion that the continuedabsence of peace in South Asia - peace between andwithin states - particularly in relation to India andPakistan , is one of the root causes of most of themiseries the people of the region are made to endure.It is the major reason why our abundantlyresource-rich subcontinent is wallowing in poverty,unemployment, disease, and ignorance and whymilitarism, religious and sectarian violence andpolitical, economic and social injustice are eatinginto the very vitals of our societies, even after morethan six decades of independence from colonial rule.At this moment of unmitigated tragedy, the first thingwe call upon the Governments of India and Pakistan todo is to acknowledge the fact that the overwhelmingmajority of the people of India and Pakistan ardentlydesire peace and, therefore, the peace process must bepursued with redoubled speed and determination on bothsides. The sooner the ruling establishments of Indiaand Pakistan acknowledge this fact and push ahead withconcrete steps towards lasting peace and harmony inthe subcontinent, the better it will be not only forthe people of our two countries but also for the wholeof South Asia and the world. While the immediateresponsibility for unmasking the culprits of Mumbaiand taking them to task surely rests with theGovernment of India, all of us in South Asia have anobligation to join hands and go into the root causesof why and how such forces of evil are motivated andemboldened to resort to such acts of anti-people
terror.It is extremely important to remind the leaderships ofPakistan and India that issuing statements andsigning agreements and declarations will have meaningonly when they are translated into action andimplemented honestly, in letter and spirit and withoutany further loss of time. It assumes added urgency inthe prevailing conditions in South Asia , with thepossibility that so many different forces prone toreligious, sectarian and other forms of intoleranceand violence may be looking for ways to arm themselveswith more and more sophisticated weapons of massmurder and destruction. The bloodbath in Mumbai mustopen the eyes of our governments, if it has notalready happened.We urge upon the governments of India and Pakistan toimmediately take the following steps: 1. Cessation of all hostile propaganda against eachother; 2. Joint action to curb religious extremism of allshades in both countries; 3. Continue and intensify normalization ofrelations and peaceful resolution of all conflictsbetween the two countries; 4. Facilitation of trade and cooperation betweenthe two countries and in all of South Asia . Wewelcome the fact that the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad andPoonch-Rawlakot borders have been opened for trade andthat the opening of the road between Kargil and Skarduis in the pipeline. 5. Immediate abolition of the current practice ofissuing city-specific and police reporting visa andissue country-valid visa without restrictions atarrival point, simultaneously initiating necessarysteps to introduce as early as possible a visa-freetravel regime, to encourage friendship between thepeoples of both countries; 6. Declaration by India and Pakistan of No FirstUse of atomic weapons; 7. Concrete measures towards making South Asianuclear-free; 8. Radical reduction in military spending and endto militarisation.
Signatories:Pakistan 1. Mr. Iqbal Haider, Co-Chairman, Human RightsCommission Pakistan and former federal Minister ofPakistan 2. Dr. Tipu Sultan, President, Pakistan Doctors forPeace & Development, Karachi 3. Dr. Tariq Sohail, Dean, Jinnah Medical & DentalUniversity , Karachi 4. Dr. A. H.. Nayyar, President, Pakistan PeaceCoalition, Islamabad 5. Justice (Retd) Rasheed A. Razvi, President,Sindh High Court Bar Association 6. Mr. B.M.Kutty, Secretary General , PakistanPeace Coalition, Karachi 7. Mr. Karamat Ali, Director, PILER, Karachi ,Founding member, PIPFPD 8. Mr. Fareed Awan, General Secretary , PakistanWorkers Confederation, Sindh 9. Mr. Muhammad Ali Shah, Chairman , PakistanFisherfolk Forum, Karachi 10. Mr. Zulfiqar Halepoto, Secretary, SindhDemocratic Front, Hyderabad 11. Professor Dr. Sarfraz Khan, Area Studies Centre( Central Asia), Peshawar University 12. Syed Khadim Ali Shah, Former Member NationalAssembly, Mirpur Khas 13. Mr. Muhammad Tahseen, Director, South AsiaPartnership (PAK), Lahore 14. Mrs. Saleha Athar, Network for Women's Rights,Karachi 15. Ms. Sheema Kermani, Tehreek-e-Niswan, Karachi 16. Ms. Saeeda Diep, President, Institute of SecularStudies, Lahore 17. Dr. Aly Ercelan, Pakistan Labour Trust, Karachi 18. Mr. Suleiman G. Abro, Director, SindhAgricultural & Forestry Workers Organisation,Hyderabad 19. Mr. Sharafat Ali, PILER, Karachi 20. Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah, PILER, Karachi 21. Mr. Ayub Qureshi, Information Secretary ,Pakistan Trade Union Federation 22. Ms. Sheen Farrukh, Director, InterpressCommunication Pakistan , Karachi 23. Mr. Zafar Malik, PIPFPD, Lahore 24. Mr. Adam Malik, Action-Aid Pakistan , Karachi 25. Mr. Qamarul Hasan, International Union of FoodWorkers (IUF), Karachi 26. Prof. Muhammad Nauman, NED University , Karachi 27. Mr. Mirza Maqsood, General Secretary, Mazdoor
Mahaz-e-Amal 28. Ms. Shaista Bukhari, Women Rights Association,MultanIndia 1. Kuldip Nayar, journalist, former Indian HighCommissioner, UK., Delhi 2. S P Shukla, retired Finance Secretary, formerMember, Planning Commission, Delhi 3. PEACE MUMBAI network of 15 organisations, Mumbai 4. Seema Mustafa, Journalist, Delhi 5. Manisha Gupte, MASUM, Pune 6. Dr. Ramesh Awasthi, PUCL, Maharashtra 7. Jatin Desai, journalist, Mumbai 8. Prof. Ritu Dewan, University of Mumbai 9. Prabir Purkayashta, DSF, Delhi 10. Prof. Pushpa Bhave , Mumbai 11. Paromita Vohra, filmmaker, Mumbai 12. Achin Vanaik, CNDP, Delhi 13. Meena Menon, Focus on the Global South, Mumbai 14. Romar Correa Professor of Economics, Universityof Mumbai 15. Anjum Rajabally, film writer, Mumbai 16. Anand Patwardhan, filmmaker, Mumbai 17. Kamla Bhasin, SANGAT, Delhi 18. Dr. Padmini Swaminathan, MIDS, Chennai 19. Sumit Bali, CEO, Kotak Mahindra Prime Limited 20. Dr Walter Fernandes, Director, North EasternSocial Research Centre , Assam , 21. Rabia, Lahore Chitrkar 22. Rakesh Sharma, filmmaker, Mumbai 23. Prof. Kamal Mitra Chenoy, JNU, Delhi 24. Prof. Anuradha Chenoy, JNU, Delhi 25. P K Das, architect, Mumbai 26. Neera Adarkar, architect, Mumbai 27. Datta Iswalkar, Secretary, Textile WorkersAction Committee, Mumbai 28. Madhusree Dutta, filmmaker, Majlis, Mumbai 29. Amrita Chhachhi, Founding member, PIPFPD 30. Mazher Hussain, COVA, Hyderabad 31. Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, Delhi 32. Prof. M C Arunan, Mumbai
No comments:
Post a Comment