[sacw] [ACT] STATEMENT BY INDIA PAKISTAN PEACE ACTIVISTS (31 Jan 2000)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch
31 January 2000
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[For Urgent World Wide Release !!
Please widely distribute !!]
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Movement in India for Nuclear Disarmament (MIND)
&
Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC)

PRESS STATEMENT

The recent announcement by the Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes
unveiling a "limited wars" doctrine is alarming evidence of the dangerous
path along which those who govern India are moving towrads. Recent news
from Pakistan also suggests a tussle among the ruling generals with
significant voices among them pushing for a "tougher" stand vis a vis
India. This coupled with the continuing voices of nuclear threat mongering
and blackmail on both sides of the border (especially exchanged during the
Kargil conflict) pushes the subcontinent into one of is gravest crises ever.

Several citizens forums have called for the cessation of the present
climate of jingoism and chauvinism and stressed the need for sobriety and
peace. The visits last week of several senior retired army officials from
Pakistan and their recognition and commitment (reciprocated by their
counterparts in India) to taking bold steps to foster peace in the region
are an indication of the possibilities that still exist to urgently
initiate a process of mutual restraint and dialogue.

We urge the peoples and governments of both countries to urgently forge a
bold plan of action to reverse the present process of sliding into a
political deadlock that may justify continuing "limited wars" at the
expense of greater amity and security for the peoples of South Asia.

Pakistan: India:

MB Naqvi Sumit Sarkar
Anis Haroon Imtiaz Ahmad
Karamat Ali Smitu Kothari
Abdul Khaliq Junejo Kumkum Sangari
Brig. (retd). Abid Hameed Rao Praful Bidwai
Tahir Mohammed Khan Achin Vanaik
Sheema Kirmani Seema Mustafa
BM Kutty Prabhat Patnaik
AH Nayyar Tanika Sarkar
Nusrat Jamil Kamal Mitra Chenoy
Beena Sarwar Utsa Patnaik
Jennifer Bennet Nirmala Deshpande
IA Rehman Anuradha Chenoy
Dr. Qureshi

January 29, 1999

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SOUTH ASIA CITIZENS WEB DISPATCH is an informal, independent &
non-profit citizens wire service run by South Asia Citizens Web
(http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex) since1996.