[sacw] sacw dispatch (20 June 00)

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South Asia Citizens Web - Dispatch
20 June 2000
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex

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#1. Civil Society Dialogue on Human Rights, Justice & Peace in Jammu & Kashm=
ir
#2. SAHMAT Toronto Summer Project/June 23

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#1.

South Asia Forum for Human Rights
3/23 Shree Darbar Tole, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel : +
977-1-541026 Fax: + 977-1-527852
E-mail: south@s...

Civil Society Dialogue on
Human Rights, Justice and Peace in Jammu and Kashmir
June 10-11, Srinagar (J & K)

After 11 years of silence and deepening mistrust, civil society actors
and groups form various parts of India and Jammu and Kashmir took the
initiative to link up across the divide and wrest back the =91lost=92 space
for civil and humanitarian initiative for justice, peace and human
rights in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). On June 10 and 11, 2000, for the first
time since the outbreak of engulfing violence by militants and state
forces in Jammu and Kashmir, a two-day meeting of about 90 civil society
actors from various parts of India and Jammu and Kashmir was held in
Srinagar. Its significance is further reinforced by the fact that it
clearly privileged the importance of democratic process to realise a
'just' peace which is of critical importance at this juncture when there
are a growing number of interventions to impose a peace without justice.
The Srinagar initiative explored the possibility of jointly
strengthening the struggles for a just peace, protection of human rights
and enabling community level activists to cope with the traumatic impact
of violence on society in Jammu and Kashmir.
Background
Since 1990 when the upsurge in popular protest morphed into militancy,
the 'Kashmir' issue has been appropriated by militarised nationalism on
both sides of the border. In Pakistan, the religious right appropriated
the Kashmir issue claiming that 'protecting the honor of Muslim brothers
and sisters and recovering their homeland from foreign oppressors' was
the 'sacred' duty of every Muslim and therefore, that of the Pakistan
State. In India, both the religious right and the secular nationalists
projected the struggle of the Kashmiri people as an assault on the
integrity of the nation as well as its secularism. Together they whipped
up a militarised nationalism in the name of 'fighting Pakistan's proxy
war' thus setting the context in which defending the territorial
integrity of the 'Motherland' became both the 'divine duty' as well as
the 'secular commitment' of every Indian. In Kashmir itself it
altogether militarised the struggle legitimizing violence and squeezing
out the space for popular struggle. The victim on all fronts has been
the legitimate aspirations of the people and the democratic struggle
against oppression and the fascist response of the state. The most
unfortunate development of this hijacking of the Kashmir issue by the
religious right and ultra nationalists is that in both countries people
struggling for substantive democracy and genuine reforms shied away from
engaging with the Kashmir struggle, anxious to avoid entrapment in the
manipulative politics of militarised nationalism.
The Srinagar initiative, a dialogue between civil society groups from
various parts of India and Jammu and Kashmir, comes as a recognition
that the people who are at the forefront of the struggles for
substantive democracy, justice and peace in India and Pakistan share
common aspirations and objectives with the struggling peoples of Jammu
and Kashmir and therefore, these struggles are mutually strengthening or
mutually weakening. The suppression of civil and political rights and
the consequent obliteration of space for popular struggles in Jammu &
Kashmir therefore, has consequences for the strength of movements for
democratic struggles in various parts of India and similarly in various
parts of Pakistan.
This perspective is reflected in the Statement of Understanding which
was adopted by a group of Kashmiri activists from both sides of the Line
of Control as well as a few Indian and Pakistani civil society actors
who had come together in Kathmandu on July 16-17, 1999at the invitation
of South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR). The participants of the
Kathmandu meeting had formed a 'Core Group' which was given the mandate
to work for building alliances between civil society groups of Jammu and
Kashmir and various parts of India and Pakistan. They began
consultations with the representatives of the popular mass movements and
civil society organisations in India and Pakistan. Some of them also
participated the the Fifth Joint Convention of the Pakistan-India
Peoples=92 Forum for Peace and Democracy which was held in Bangalore,
India on 6-8, April 200. The Bangalore Declaration of April 8, 2000
adopted by the 5th Joint Convention of the Pakistan India Peoples Forum
for Peace and Democracy also called on its members and state/provincial
chapters to build alliances with civil society organisations of Kashmiri
people on both sides of the border. This commitment of Pakistan India
Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy is symbolized in the Forum's
decision to hold the meeting of the National Committee of India chapter
in Srinagar. The Pakistan chapter, it is understood, will also be
initiating a civil society dialogue with Kashmiri civil society groups
on their side of the border in July-August this year.
The SAFHR initiative catalyzed the emergence of the Jammu &Kashmir
=46ederation of Civil Society Organisations (JKFCSO). Members of about 20
civil society organisations representing business and commercial
interests, lawyers, doctors, teachers, environmentalists, human rights
activists, women and child rights activists, writers, poets and trade
unions of Jammu and Kashmir came together to form this federation. In a
place where the government and its various agencies ruthlessly suppress
any form of popular expression of dissent and where the militant
organisations look upon every civil society initiative at alliance
building with suspicion, forming an independent civil society
organisation was not an easy task. The pioneers of JKFCSO took
considerable risks in taking this step. As the participants from Jammu &
Kashmir candidly admitted, they would never have dared to speak up let
alone organise a civil society meeting without the demonstrated
solidarity of civil society groups from various parts of India.
The Srinagar initiative is supported by the South Asia Forum for Human
Rights (SAFHR) a Kathmandu based regional public forum oriented towards
promoting a culture of peace within a democratic framework. SAFHR works
through a network of 35 partners comprising civil society organisations
committed to promoting human rights and peace in the region. The two
national chapters of Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace and
Democracy are partners of SAFHR.
The Meeting
The two-day deliberations began with a public meeting on June 10, which
was attended by over 200 persons from various parts of Kashmir and Jammu
in addition to the delegates from outside Jammu and Kashmir. The
delegate sessions on Human Rights, Civil Society Alliance Building and
Peace and Political Initiatives were attended by about 90 delegates of
which 40 were from outside Jammu & Kashmir. Delegates included lawyers,
human rights and social activists, retired armed forces personnel and
civil servants, doctors, teachers, engineers, psychologists and
journalists.
In the two-day dialogue, it became starkly evident that in the last ten
years of conflict all space for democratic dissent and popular struggles
for social justice had been completely destroyed. The ubiquitous
violence of the Indian State, which permeates all aspects of life of the
people of Jammu and Kashmir and the systematic denial of justice in the
name of 'national security ' has convinced the Kashmiris that they can
never get justice from the Indian State. New Delhi may claim that the
UN Security Council Resolution of plebiscite is no longer valid but most
Kashmiris still believe that the political status of Jammu and Kashmir
is not yet settled. This unsettled nature of the territory=92s political
status has created a sense of insecurity among the people which is
further compounded by the increasing numbers of custodial killings,
widespread use of torture, custodial rape and enforced disappearances.
New Delhi's interventions in Jammu and Kashmir throughout the last 50
years are seen essentially as attempts to manipulate different classes
and communities of Jammu and Kashmir and buying them over through grant
of privileges.
It also became apparent that failure of the Indian civil society
organisations and mass movements to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir has
alienated the people of Jammu and Kashmir from Indian civil society.
Many Kashmiri participants asked the delegates from different parts of
India as to why they did not intervene in Kashmir before. They
emphasised again and again that what they wanted from Indian civil
society was not 'relief' but partnership in their struggle for human
rights, justice and peace. The delegates from Jammu and Kashmir pointed
out that despite the claims to the contrary by the local administration,
it was clear that the social delivery systems had collapsed, Public
Health Centres had ceased functioning and more than 400 schools in the
valley were still closed. Environmental degradation in the
subcontinent=92s prime reserve forests had reached crisis proportions.
There was critical need for a humanitarian response to reach out to the
people of J & K after 10 years of neglect.
For most of the delegates who had come from various parts of India, it
was their first exposure to the human face of the Kashmir story. The
killing by a BSF officer of Rafiq Bakal, a local shopkeeper of Lal Chowk
brought home to the visiting delegates, the arbitrary state terror which
still stalks ordinary civilians in the heart of Srinagar.
The two-day intense deliberations, in plenary and working groups, was in
many ways the first interaction between civil society actors of a
'victim community' and a 'non-victim community'. For civil society
actors from outside Jammu and Kashmir it was an eye opener to discover
that despite the near destruction of the social capital of Kashmir,
there were independent initiatives for the care of orphans; the
Association of Parents of the Disappeared demanding justice for the
missing; Green Kashmir campaigning to save DAL Lake and the forests and
a Student initiated Helpline to help needy students and give career
counseling.
Given the professional orientation of the delegates who had gone to
Srinagar from various parts of India, four concrete areas of joint
activity were identified at the first dialogue of civil society
activists.

One - Mobilising for joint struggles for peace, justice and democratic
rights . Activities like joint rallies and public meetings will be
organised in different parts of India so that the struggle for peace and
justice in J & K can be supported by the democratic struggle groups in
various parts of India. Mass organisations and other civil society
groups would be encouraged to send volunteers to Jammu and Kashmir to
participate in political and social struggles

Two - Joint activity on human rights. Activities were envisaged both at
the level of theory and practice. Introduce at the University level in
the state a course on human rights education as has been incorporated in
other universities in various parts of India under a University Grants
Commission scheme. At a more practical level, a legal cell would be
constituted to assist in jointly pursuing cases of gross human rights
violations.

Three - Counseling and training for trauma affected. The objective was
to assist the Kashmiris to cope with the impact of generalised violence
and especially that of torture at the social level. A core group of
trained psychologists, doctors and social workers with experience of
working in trauma affected areas would work at the community level in
different parts of J & K training professionals and activists.

=46our - Joint Solidarity Campaigns to Save the Environment ? Establish
solidarity links with environmental movements in various parts of the
country and strengthen information sharing and skills and training for
environmental activists in J & K

( The Srinagar Declaration adopted by the Two-day dialogue is enclosed)

SRINAGAR DECLARATION

Adopted on 11, June, 2000, at the Plenary of a two day conference on
"Peace and Justice in Kashmir", held in Srinagar.

We, members of civil society from various parts of India and Jammu and
Kashmir, Convinced of the indivisibility of democracy, peace, justice
and human rights in Jammu and Kashmir (hereafter, J&K):

Deeply concerned at the trauma and turmoil experienced by the people of
J&K, particularly over the last eleven years:

Conscious of the suffering of the civilians, particularly women,
children and the aged;
Recognizing the virtual collapse of health and educational services in
the state:

Distressed at the widespread unemployment;

Anguished at the attempts to create a divide between various communities
in J&K;

Outraged at the misgovernance and rampant corruption in the state;

Saddened by the insensitivity demonstrated by major sections of India=92s
media towards the plight of the people of J&K;

Demand immediate steps for the cessation of all forms of violence and
repression, including the withdrawal of security forces to the barracks
and reciprocal measures by militants;

Seek an immediate release of all Kashmiris detained under TADA, NSA,
PSA, Armed Forces Special Powers Act and all other draconian
legislations, a repeal of all such laws and a guarantee for protection
of civil and political rights;

Appeal to the civil society of India and Kashmir for providing
immediate relief to all victims of violence in J&K, especially women and
children;

Urge the government to take immediate steps for the restoration of
health and educational facilities and the economic resuscitation of the
state;

Reiterate the need for the revival and strengthening of the age-old
traditions of tolerance, pluralism and communal amity that have
flourished in J&K;

Condemn the apathy of the central and state government to corruption and
misgovernance in the state;

Appeal to the media to report truthfully to the Indian people the
situation prevailing in J&K;

Oppose division of J&K along religious, sectarian or regional lines;

Demand an immediate and unconditional tripartite dialogue for a
resolution of the Kashmir issue, in consonance with the wishes of the
people, to ensure sustainable peace, democracy and justice in J&K.

_______

#2.

SAHMAT, The Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust from New
Delhi and Hoopoe Curatorial present a major exhibition
'Dust on the Road' at the York Quay Gallery,
Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, from June 23 till
September 4, 2000. The exhibition will showcase the
activities, projects and initiatives which have become
landmarks in cultural activism in India in the last
eleven years since the formation of SAHMAT, and have
led to the groups reputation of an almost unique
collaboration between artists, performers,
intellectuals, academics and social activists on
issues of social conscience which has had a wide
impact.

'Dust on the Road', besides displaying scores of
posters, videos and books, will also present excerpts
from the exhibitions: 'Images and Words' 1992, 'Hum
Sab Ayodhya' 1993, 'Punchline' - Cartoonists against
Communalism 1994, 'Postcards for Gandhi' 1995, 'Gift
for India' 1997 and 'Harvest of Hatred' 1999. Large
banners and stage backdrops from street events will
form a backdrop to these displays.

Two members of SAHMAT from New Delhi will be in
Toronto for the opening, photographer Ram Rahman and
designer Rajinder Arora. Rahman will also present a
gallery tour and talk on Saturday June 24th at 2 pm.
Also present will be many of the Canadian artists who
have made work in response to SAHMAT's presentation.
Many of the original 'Gift for India' boxes made by
artists from Canada will also be on display.

contacts: ramrahman@y..., shabhashmi@h...,
sahmat@n...

A Press Release from the York Quay Gallery with more
details follows:

Exhibition addresses activism and human rights=0Bat York
Quay Gallery
June 23 to Sept. 4, 2000
Dust on the Road:

Hoopoe Curatorial presents Canadian artists
in dialogue with SAHMAT

TORONTO, June 7, 2000 & Touring to cities throughout
Canada this year and next, and India in 2002, Dust on
the Road is an exhibition of the works of the
Delhi-based activist and arts organization called
SAHMAT (whose name means agreement in Hindi). The
exhibition makes its debut in Toronto on Friday, June
23, 2000, at York Quay Gallery. Admission is free.
New works by Canadian artists Stephen Andrews, Shelly
Bahl, Michael Belmore, Millie Chen, Carol Conde and
Karl Beveridge, Stan Denniston, Richard Fung and
Amelia Jimenez respond to the examples collected from
SAHMAT exhibitions and community projects in India.
This, the first presentation of SAHMAT in Canada,
examines important issues of everyday activism and
human rights that concern both Indians and Canadians.
At 2 p.m. on June 24, a special gallery tour and talk
(free of charge in York Quay Gallery) will be led by
Delhi-based photographer and activist Ram Rahman, one
of the exhibition's contributing artists.
Human rights are not aspirational in nature, they are
not privileges and they should never be the
"trickle-down" effect of international trade. Human
rights are actual legal rights that nations are bound
to support at home and promote internationally, over
other interests.
-Warren Allmand, International Centre for Human
Rights and
Democratic Development, Montreal

=46ormed in response to the murder of Indian street
activist Safdar Hashmi, the work of SAHMAT has made
the domain of culture one of the primary forums in
India for responding to issues of social justice.
Organized by members of the Hoopoe Curatorial -
Jamelie Hassan, London, Ontario-based artist and
activist; from Montreal, Peter White, an independent
curator and former journalist with The Globe and Mail;
and Vancouver-based Phinder Dulai, author of Ragas
from Peripheries (Arsenal Pulp Press, 1995) and
Basmati Brown (Nightwood Editions) for release in July
- Dust on the Road is part of a four-year initiative
intended to create an awareness of issues shared by
artists in Canada and in India.
The exhibition is a co-presentation by the Hoopoe
Curatorial and York Quay Gallery at Harbourfront
Centre, with support from the Canada Council for the
Arts, McIntosh Gallery at The University of Western
Ontario (London), London Community Foundation, Shastri
Indo-Canadian Institute and Raj Palta: Toronto's South
Asian Youth Magazine. On view at York Quay Gallery in
York Quay Centre, Dust on the Road will run from June
23 to September 4, 2000.
On display simultaneously in an adjacent space in York
Quay Centre is an exhibition of colour photographs by
David Ferguson entitled Fruit of Consequence, mounted
in the Photo Passage. Inspired by the interpretive
and symbolic possibilities of still life, Ferguson
arranges found objects in a formal composition and
photographs them while employing various experimental
strategies. These include multiple exposure and
camera or subject movement during exposure to create a
sense of subject motion and passage of time which
blend elements of the composition.
A third exhibition in York Quay Centre, entitled
Picturesque, will be on view in Case Studies from June
23 to September 10. Participating artists Katherine
Harvey, Sheila Ayearst, Jack Niven, Janet Morton,
Reinhard Reitzensteinb, Jim Reid, Bob Wilkie and
Gretchen Sankey will create new installations that
expand on the traditional subject of landscape.
A reception (free to the public) to celebrate the
opening of all three exhibitions will take place at
York Quay Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, on Friday,
June 23, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. For more information,
the public can call the Harbourfront Centre Info Desk
at (416) 973-3000 or visit our website at
www.harbourfront.on.ca.

Media Relations:

Shari Lynn Sare, (416) 973-4518;
<shari@h...>
for visual arts at Harbourfront Centre

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