[sacw] SACW #1 (07 January. 02)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch #1 | 7 January 2002

------------------------------------------
#1. Peace is the only option (Kalpana Sharma & Ayesha Khan)
#2. It is High Time Liberal Muslim Leaders Show Some Courage=20
(Badruddin R. Gowani)
#3. Media for peace (Imtiaz Alam)
#4. Letter to the Pakistan President : Council of Advocates International
#5. India: Refugees in their own land
For the people along the border in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and=20
Rajasthan, the war clouds have cast a shadow on their lives.
(Shujaat Bukhari, Sarabjit Pandher and Sunny Sebastian)
________________________

#1.
The Hindu
Monday, Jan 07, 2002
Opinion

Peace is the only option
By Kalpana Sharma & Ayesha Khan

Let our leaders remember that their job as politicians is to find=20
political solutions to intractable problems.

IT IS strange to welcome the New Year with the imminence of war=20
staring us in the face. As planes drone over Karachi and newspapers=20
in Mumbai throw out images of Indian soldiers standing ready at the=20
border, we are compelled to make this argument for peace. As=20
journalists from India and Pakistan, we collaborated on a project on=20
peace when both our countries went nuclear in 1998 and simultaneously=20
spouted the rhetoric of war. Today, our arguments for peace and=20
dialogue hold an even more urgent relevance. Hence our need to repeat=20
them jointly.

With the global community of nations' appetite newly whetted for the=20
waging of war, preferably for war with vague moral purposes fought=20
with murderous accuracy and vengeance, our very own India and=20
Pakistan are now on the brink of jumping into the fray again.

The mood of madness began with the September 11 attacks in New York=20
and Washington. As the United States like a bewildered dumb giant=20
rubbed its bruised head and wondered why it inspired such hatred,=20
there was even then little hope that the giant would exercise=20
restraint and choose the remedy of politics over the remedy of=20
violence. It has now applied its brutal salve to Afghanistan,=20
installed the Northern Alliance, despite its dodgy human rights=20
record, into power and refused to count or acknowledge the number of=20
``the enemy's'' dead. India is pleased with the new regime in=20
Afghanistan, for its enemy's enemy is its friend and Pakistan's new=20
impotence in the affairs of its western neighbour suit it well. Now=20
that the U.S. and Israel have exercised their self-assumed right to=20
wage war against Afghanistan and Palestine based on charges of=20
terrorism, India sees its turn next.

But this mad logic will not lead to a solution of the outstanding=20
issues between India and Pakistan, and a war will not bring to an end=20
covert violence sponsored by intelligence agencies within each=20
other's countries. There will be no true winners in such a war, only=20
yet another brutal ``solution'' imposed by one enemy on another and=20
yet another refusal to count each other's dead.

We have just a few days left to recall some words of sanity that have=20
been raised since the world decided to go to war against ``terror.''=20
Michael Lerner, a Rabbi in the United States, wrote just days after=20
the September 11 attack that it was a world based on violence,=20
inequity and injustice that produced the killers, and that the United=20
States needed to recognise its own role in perpetrating the roots of=20
such violence. ``We may need a global day of atonement and repentance=20
dedicated to finding a way to turn the direction of our society at=20
every level, a return to the notion that every human life is sacred,=20
such0 that violence becomes only a distant memory.'' He described a=20
world that has lost the capacity to recognise the sacred in its=20
people, the essential humanity of everyone.

In the past decades, South Asia has been victim of ruthless acts of=20
violence, sponsored by intelligence agencies, foreign governments,=20
its own governments, and even some of its own extremist political=20
parties. In all cases, innocent people die, the sacred and humane=20
within us get buried in the earth or burnt at the pyres. Can the=20
leaders of India and Pakistan dare to take their people out of this=20
darkness and refuse to violate their humanity yet again?

Peter Mahoney, a veteran of America's dirty war in Vietnam, wrote=20
cautionary words after September 11 that our leaders would do well to=20
heed. Vietnam, he stated, had taught him an essential lesson:=20
``Soldiers are required to do their jobs because politicians fail to=20
do theirs. Make no mistake, the war on terrorism is the desperate act=20
of politicians who failed miserably in the leadership=20
responsibilities to those who elected them, and who, by the very act=20
of starting the war, have failed us even again.''

Indians, even those who may harbour bitter hatred for Pakistan and=20
resent its belligerent Muslim identity and the very fact of its=20
creation, and are deeply angered by its obsession with Kashmir and=20
support for the militancy in that State, should ask themselves today=20
whether they elected the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies for=20
the purpose of leading their country into war or into an age of peace=20
and prosperity.

And Pakistanis, particularly its disgraced political cadres, must=20
also consider whether the lack of clear foreign policy objectives in=20
its leaders and their obsession with matching India's might as well=20
as their reliance on the sinister ISI for achieving domestic and=20
regional objectives have brought them anything better than chronic=20
insecurity and the tattered dreams of a true democracy. Indeed, it is=20
the failure of our politicians on both sides of the border that will=20
lead us into a new war.

Let us not succumb to the distorted and sanitised view of war as=20
projected in the western media through its coverage of the war in=20
Afghanistan. As we face our new potential war, let us be honest about=20
the essentials. Innocent people will die by the thousands. Maybe our=20
children will die. Can anyone countenance the death by violence of=20
their children, or even those of their enemy? Our over-burdened=20
exchequers will be further depleted in pursuit of these violent=20
objectives, and even less money will be spent on the people. Hence=20
our so-called leaders, on both sides, need war propaganda to banish=20
from our imagination any thought of the humanity or the sacred in us=20
all that should be nurtured, not destroyed.

As troops mass along the border, land mines are laid, and anti-=20
aircraft missiles placed upon our apartment buildings, we need to=20
remember one last thing. The U.S. President, George W. Bush, and=20
Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, are still hedging their bets=20
as they go after their terrorist enemies. As Nicholas Kristof of The=20
New York Times pointed out in a recent article: ``One study found=20
that foreign terrorists struck America 2,400 times between 1983 and=20
1998, but that the United States hit back militarily only three=20
times: for Libya's bombing of a nightclub in 1986, Iraq's attempt to=20
assassinate former President Bush in 1993, and Al-Qaeda's bombing of=20
American embassies in Africa in 1998. Quite responsibly, we pick=20
fights only with 97-pound countries.'' Israel, too, can wipe out=20
Palestine when and if it desires to do so.

But the balance of power between India and Pakistan is not the same,=20
and as India considers a similar remedy for the scourge of terrorism=20
as its American and Israeli predecessors, it has to remember this=20
reality. A conventional war, even a limited one, can devastate large=20
swathes of one or both countries, while a nuclear war is too=20
unthinkable to countenance.

South Asia must not go the way of the West, a region that has led the=20
world in a culture of violence, global inequality, and a series of=20
unjust wars in the last 50 years where only the mighty stand a chance=20
to get out alive. The humanity has been taken out of the human,=20
particularly the one who lives in the developing world. We need not=20
follow suit like good post-colonial subjects. Let our leaders=20
remember that their job as politicians is to find political solutions=20
to intractable problems. Our role as citizens is to insist on=20
preserving the humanity in us all, and protecting the future for our=20
children.

_____

#2.

It is High Time Liberal Muslim Leaders Show Some Courage

Badruddin R. Gowani

Not infrequently, one hears or reads that all the religions of the=20
world teach tolerance and justice. However, if one goes through=20
different scriptures and religious writings s/he would find, besides=20
teaching on moral and ethical values, contradictory statements and,=20
in many instances, outright intolerance of other communities and=20
women. In these circumstances, it would be naive to think that some=20
(and occasionally many) followers - of any religion - are not going=20
to go for those instructions which can create beneficial divisions.

This article is about liberal Muslim leaders=92 lack of commitment and=20
courage to unadulterated secularism. Before proceeding any further,=20
it is necessary to quote some of the Quranic verses and the Prophet=20
of Islam's sayings to make my point clear:

Women
"[O Mohammed] Say: It is a filthy [thing], so keep away from women=20
during menses..." (SB v1 p.177)
Aisha: "The Prophet used to lean on my lap and recite Quran while I=20
was in menses" (SB v1 p.179)
Abu Said al-Khudri: "Once Allah's apostle... said, ''O women! Give=20
alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of hell-fire=20
were you [women].' ... '[Because] you curse frequently and are=20
ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient=20
in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could=20
be led astray by some of you. ...'" (SB v1 pp. 181-182.)
"Heaven lieth at the feet of mothers" ("The Wisdom of Muhammad" by=20
Allama Sir Abdullah Al-Mamun Al-Suhrawardi, 222.)
"Fear God, in whose name you plead with one another, and honour the=20
mothers who bore you. God is ever watching you" (Koran 4:3)
Um Salama: "The Prophet used to kiss me while he was fasting" (SB v1 p.192=
.)
"Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior=20
to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them.=20
Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because God=20
has guarded them. As for those from whom you fear disobedience,=20
admonish them and forsake them in beds apart, and beat them. Then if=20
they obey you, take no further action against them. Surely, God is=20
high supreme. (Koran 4:34)
"Women are the twin-halves of men. ("Muhammad" 419.)
"Do you beat your own wife as you would a slave? That must you not=20
do" (Ibid. 413.)
"Admonish your wives with kindness" (Ibid. 411.)
"If you fear that you cannot treat orphans [i.e., orphan girls] with=20
fairness, then you marry other women who seem good to you: two,=20
three, or four of them. But if you fear that you cannot maintain=20
equality among them, marry one only or any slave girls you may own.=20
This will make it easier for you to avoid injustice" (Koran 4:1)
"Try as you may, you cannot treat all your wives impartially" (Koran 4:128=
)
Blessed are the believers, who are humble in their prayers; who avoid=20
profane talk, and give alms to the destitute; who restrain their=20
carnal desires (except with their wives and slave-girls, for these=20
are lawful to them: transgressors are those who lust after other than=20
these); who are true to their trusts and promises, and diligent in=20
their prayers. These are the heirs of Paradise; they shall abide in=20
it for ever. (Koran 23:1)

Polytheists and other monotheists
"God will surely punish the hypocrites and the idolaters, both men=20
and women; but to believing men and to believing women He will turn=20
in mercy. God is ever forgiving and merciful" (Koran 33:73)
"Believers, Take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your=20
friends. They are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks=20
their friendship shall become one of their number. God does not=20
guide the wrong- doers" (Koran 5:51)
"Be courteous when you argue with the People of the Book [i.e., Jews=20
and Christians], except with those among them who do evil. Say: "We=20
believe in that which has been revealed to us and was revealed to=20
you. Our God and your God are one. To Him we submit" (Koran 24:96)
"The unbelievers among the People of the Book and the pagans shall=20
burn forever in the fire of hell. They are the vilest of all=20
creatures" (Koran 98:1)
"Believers do not seek the friendship of the infidels and those who=20
were given the Book before you, who have made of your religion a jest=20
and a diversion. Have fear of God, if you are the believers" (Koran=20
5:57)
"When the bier of anyone passeth by thee, whether Jew, Christian, or=20
Muslim, rise to thy feet" ("Muhammad" 102.)
Aisha: "The Prophet never left anything having images or crosses in=20
the house. He would destroy them. (Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani=20
and Laleh Bakhtiar, "Encyclopedia of Muhammad=92s Women Companions: And=20
the Traditions They Related".)
"Fight for the sake of God those that fight against you, but do not=20
attack them first. God does not love aggressors. (Koran 2:190)
"Slay them wherever you find them. Drive them out of the places from=20
which they drove you. Idolatry is more grievous than bloodshed. But=20
do not fight them within the precincts of the Holy Mosque [,Ka=92ba,]=20
unless they attack you there; if they attack you put them to the=20
sword. Thus shall the unbelievers be rewarded: but if they desist,=20
God is forgiving and merciful.
Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God=92s religion=20
reigns supreme. But if they desist, fight none except the=20
evil-doers" (Koran 2:191-193)
"God will not forgive idolatry. He will forgive whom he will all=20
other sins. He that serves other gods besides God has strayed far=20
indeed" (Koran 4:116)
"You and your idols shall be the fuel of Hell; therein shall you all=20
go down. Were they true gods, your idols would not go there: but=20
there shall they abide forever. They shall groan with anguish and be=20
bereft of hearing" (Koran 21:96)

Monopoly
"Monopoly is unlawful in Islam" ("Muhammad" 306.)
"The holder of a monopoly is a sinner and offender" ("Muhammad" 307.)

Usury
"The taker of usury and the giver of it, and the writer of its papers=20
and the witness to it, are equal in crime" ("Muhammad" 408.)

One can see that some of the above verses and sayings respect people=20
of other faiths and women, and talk of economic justice. Whereas=20
some others are not in any manner flattering to women, or to members=20
of a couple of other monotheistic religions, or to those who believe=20
in a pantheon of deities. (During the formative years of Islam, it=20
was meant for those Arabs who had not yet converted and continued=20
worshipping different gods, and when Islam came to South Asia, in the=20
beginning of the eighth century, it was directed toward Hindus.) The=20
fundamentalist Muslims take the above verses literally =96 either out=20
of pure ignorance or with some aim to achieve their political or=20
other ends.

Religious fundamentalism is now a global phenomenon, but the most=20
affected region is South Asia, particularly the two=20
(enemies-who-tried-to-be-friends-but-now-on-a-warpath) nations of=20
India and Pakistan (located next to Afghanistan =96 the hub of=20
extremist Islam). South Asia is a communal inferno. (Pakistan=92s=20
religious extremists are nowadays on TV screens worldwide, however,=20
the gradual inroad the Hindu extremists in India are making in=20
various fields but are non-visible on the global screen are equally=20
alarming.) In addition, it is experiencing an economic, political,=20
and cultural regression, which in turn is tearing apart the remaining=20
secular fabric of society. (The suited booted White beardless=20
Christian Taliban with capitalistic mindset have the same thinking=20
pattern as other religious fanatics. Just one example: "The feminist=20
agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist,=20
anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their=20
husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy=20
capitalism, and become lesbians" Televangelist Pat Robertson's 1995=20
fundraising letter, cited in Clyde Wilcox, "Onward Christian=20
Soldiers? The Religious Right in American Politics" p.9)

In Muslim countries, a tug of war is going on between the=20
fundamentalists and the liberals. When the statues of Buddha are=20
destroyed, women are stoned to death, or the minorities are harassed,=20
the fundamentalists justify their heinous acts by quoting religious=20
verses and sayings. As a defense against fundamentalist onslaught,=20
the liberals quote those verses and sayings which portrays Islam as a=20
tolerant and a progressive religion =96 with of course, a strategy to=20
propitiate the Western criticism. Then after issuing few general=20
statements about toleration, they get busy in carving out niches for=20
themselves and giving interviews to print and electronic news media.=20
The liberal Muslim leaders residing in or visiting the Western=20
countries follow the same tactics. Nowadays, one can see Muslim=20
leaders =96 that is male leaders -visiting the White House, attending=20
the Remembrance Day service, meeting the legislators, attending the=20
Iftar parties (that is, breaking the daylong fast at sunset) with=20
government officials.

In this tug of war, the most ignored =96 and the one who suffers the=20
most =96 are the average Muslims who are the victims of the inhuman and=20
intolerant policies and gets confused between the fundamentalist=20
Islam and the liberal Islam. (I should clarify that not all Muslim=20
countries are uniformly rigid: some as Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, and=20
Indonesia are somewhat on the liberal end =96 though repressive and=20
undemocratic =96 whereas Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan =96 until a clear=20
picture emerges -are on the rigid end. In between are several shades=20
of Islam. Messrs. Rabbani, Dostum, ... are not any better than the=20
Taliban.)

But how long is this going to work? Not too long. Since September=20
11, 2001, the Muslim countries are in a state of daze. Whereas, the=20
US media does not have to rein in its prejudices anymore, people like=20
Bill Mahr (a host of a talk show, "Politically Incorrect") has=20
stooped to the level of Jerry Springer (a TV show host). It seems=20
the custodians of "civilization" =96 that is those who call themselves=20
"civilized" are at present conducting a trial of Muslims. Let them=20
say whatever they want to; no need for Muslims to be defensive.=20
Saying that, it is also not a time to hide things under the rug.=20
Drastic changes are needed. Muslim leaders should come out in open=20
and be bold enough to accept that there are contradictions in the=20
religious writings. Then they should issue some kind of joint=20
declaration which clearly states that countries cannot be run by the=20
Islamic laws; that they will have to discard the seventh century=20
mentality and don the twenty-first century spirit where societies are=20
multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-gender, and=20
multi-preferential; that the laws in the scripture and in the sunna=20
were meant for that particular time period.

Few of the changes are:
* ; Religion should not have any place in the constitution. In=20
every Muslim (or for that matter in any) country there are enough=20
intellectual and intelligent people of all races, castes, classes,=20
genders, preferences, ideologies, and religions, and they can form a=20
constitution in accordance with the democratic, economic, ethnic, and=20
cultural needs of that country.
* Women and minorities should be treated as equal citizens =96=20
100%, without any ifs or buts. This only possible when a country=20
has unadulterated secularism. Religion should not be allowed to=20
enter the realm of state functioning because when it does, the women=20
and the minorities are the first victims and the society slides=20
toward regression and repression. Abolish the separate electorates=20
for minorities. Also the practice of chadar, veil, and burqa (a=20
head to toe covering) or what journalist
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown calls "shroud" should be discarded.
* ; Those Muslims whose practices differ from the ones who have=20
power (political or violent) should be allowed to stay within the=20
Islamic fold or those who were forcefully thrown out but want to=20
rejoin, such as Ahmadis, should be permitted to do so. (In 1974,=20
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto=92s government under
Islamic pressure declared them as non-Muslims. Since then, the Sunni=20
extremists have been trying to declare Twelvers, Ismailis, and other=20
Shias as non-Muslim. Many tolerant Sunni Muslims are also targeted.=20
Pervez Musharraf=92s government should eliminate the communalist=20
content from the Pakistani passport forms which requires the=20
applicant to declare whether s/he is Muslim or not.
* ; Government ceremonies should absolutely avoid any religious=20
recitations. (Recently, Muslims and other foreigners in the US must=20
have realized how vulnerable they are when the Stars and Stripes=20
hurricane hit them. It is not over yet.) Many a times it is a=20
subtle threat to the minorities.
* ; Saudi Arabia=92s export of Wahhabism =96 most cruel form of Islam*=20
must be curbed.
* ; Those who want to pray do not need a reminder. Alarm clocks and=20
electronic azan devices can do the same work. Show consideration to=20
infants, children, students, sick, and all other people, by=20
discontinuing azan or muezzin=92s call.
* ; In Western countries, in Africa, in India many Muslims fast in=20
the month of Ramadan and have never
complained about people eating outside or about eating places=20
doing business during daytime. So those Muslim countries which=20
prohibit eateries from doing business during the daytime must lift=20
the restriction.
* ; Cast out all the Sharia laws. Enforce total ban on all forms of=20
physical punishment including flogging
stoning, and chopping of body parts. Also, prohibit the death=20
penalty. (Who knows, may be the US would follow the suit.)
* ; Repeal all the blasphemy laws. Despite a billion plus=20
followers, if Islam feels insecure when somebody criticizes it then=20
even if the whole world becomes Muslim the slogan "Islam is in=20
danger" will not disappear. (In many cases, it is the members of=20
helpless minorities who are targeted for "blasphemy" out of personal=20
enmity or for any other reason.)

Before ending, I should remind the reader that amazingly in Pakistan=20
=96 a country created in the name of religion (Israel is another),=20
secularism came three days before its inception. Its founder=20
realized the contradictory nature of its birth: it was created for=20
the Muslims of India (which had a Hindu majority), but inherited a=20
substantial minority of Hindus and Sikhs. In addition, more than 30%=20
of Muslims decided to stay in India. On August 11, 1947, Mohammed=20
Ali Jinnah (who is usually held responsible for the tragic partition=20
of India, although, the British, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi,=20
Jawaharlal Nehru, and other leaders were to be blamed too) addressed=20
the first constituent assembly of Pakistan. Following are the few=20
extracts:
You may belong to any religion or caste or creed =96 that has nothing=20
to do with the business of the state.
We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all=20
citizens and equal citizens of one state.
... In course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims=20
would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that=20
is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense=20
as citizens of the state.

_____

#3.

The News International
7 January 2001
http://jang.com.pk/thenews/

Media for peace

Imtiaz Alam

More than 150 leading media persons met in Kathmandu to address the=20
role of media in promoting peace. After long deliberations they=20
unanimously agreed on a declaration that provides guidelines for=20
professional conduct and a platform for action.

Following are some excerpts: We the media-persons belonging to=20
various organisations and media fields from the member countries of=20
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), having held=20
a most frank and fruitful exchange of views at the Second South Asian=20
Free Media Conference at Kathmandu, Nepal, on January 1-2, 2002;

Recalling the principles inspiring the Joint Statement issued by the=20
First South Asian Free Media Conference, in Islamabad, on July 1-2,=20
2000, and the commitments made therein; Reaffirming our faith in=20
peace, democracy, justice and the well-being of the family of the=20
South Asian peoples and drawing upon the ideals of truth, integrity=20
and humanism of our calling;

Taking serious note of the most dangerous situation prevailing=20
between and within some of the states that threatens the very=20
existence of the peoples, and recourse to violence and terrorism in=20
the countries of South Asia posing serous threat to civil society,=20
democratic institutions, peace and stability of the region;

Alarmed at the ongoing inter-state and intra-state conflicts that=20
have the potential to unleash wars and civil strife, including=20
nuclear war, which could cause a tremendous loss of life, devastation=20
of environment, destruction of precious resources, infinite misery to=20
the peoples, including denial of human and social rights. Have=20
reached a broad-based consensus on the following understanding that=20
reflects our deep concern about the impending dangers, the true=20
democratic spirit of our humane commitment to the cause of peace and=20
well-being of our peoples in South Asia and our professional calling:

Rejecting the tendency to prefer violence to negotiations,=20
bellicosity to understanding, conflict to confidence building, arms=20
race to management and stabilisation, evading the causes of tensions=20
to possibilities of resolution, annexation to addressing the=20
aspirations of the suppressed indigenous people, repression to=20
respect for human rights, including women rights, terrorism to=20
respect for human life and, unconstitutional government to=20
representative regime, disregard for good neighbourly relations to=20
peaceful co-existence;

Apprehending that such an aggressive, uncivilised, undemocratic,=20
self-serving, rigid, irrational and repressive path in inter-state=20
and intra-state matters relating to social and ethnic contradictions=20
and historically-rooted conflicts will breed further violence, on the=20
one hand, and create a social soil for nationalist jingoism,=20
religious and ethnic extremism, fascism, authoritarianism and=20
terrorism, on the other;

Realising that in such a poisonous environment not only the people at=20
large but also the intelligentsia and the media are likely to be=20
swayed by one-sided, prejudiced, hateful and chauvinistic notions of=20
incorrigible jingoism and intolerance for the other side of the=20
divide, resulting in derogation of professional integrity,=20
impartiality, understanding, rationality and every consideration for=20
amity, reconciliation, accommodation, plurality, mutually beneficial=20
co-existence, equity, freedom, democracy and human rights;

Acknowledging that many media practitioners, reporters of conflicts,=20
opinion makers, broadcasters, film-makers, writers, editors,=20
moderators, strategic and socio-political analysts generally tend to=20
be overwhelmed by the false consciousness and illusions of 'national=20
pride', 'national interest', 'one's own greatness', 'one's own war',=20
'foreign danger', 'foreign hand', 'infallibility of national=20
consensus', 'popular opinion' and aggressive national chauvinism and,=20
in turn, take lead and compete in reinforcing these "necessary=20
illusions" bordering jingoism, hate, irrationality, exclusion and=20
extremism that facilitate self-serving 'national consensus' against=20
the demonised 'enemy' and the other 'hateable' de-humanised side of=20
the divide that is self-conveniently dubbed as 'all-wrong' as opposed=20
to the erroneous 'all-right' on one's own side;

Accepting media-person's enormous responsibility at the present most=20
critical juncture in region's history and most crucial role in=20
nation-building and history-making, we recognise our pivotal=20
responsibility to the collective survival, interdependence, mutually=20
beneficial co-existence, expose one-sided vested interests, report=20
and appreciate the other-side of the half-truth, not-becoming=20
instrumental in distorting facts or providing cover-up to one's own=20
aggression or demonising the 'enemy' or facilitating the subversion=20
in other country, appreciation of the diversity of the unity of=20
opposites, oppose jingoism and chauvinism, defend the fundamental=20
human rights and equality of all our peoples, promote equality for=20
minorities and fullest affirmative support for the deprived and=20
disenfranchised indigenous peoples, diversion of our resources from=20
military and nuclear build-ups to human and social sustainable=20
development and work for greater South Asian collective identity and=20
unity-in-diversity, non-discriminatory progress and cooperation=20
without the hegemony of the stronger over the weaker and the bigger=20
over the smaller;

Noting with serious concern that the media-persons daring to oppose=20
or deviate from the official standpoints of powerful establishments=20
are discouraged, harassed, accused, abused, victimised, emotionally,=20
physically and materially damaged and, in some cases, even prosecuted=20
for being 'enemy agents' while those who project and reinforce the=20
false, dangerous and aggressive brinkmanship of the powers that be=20
and violate all occupational ethics and standards of scholarship and=20
objectivity are praised, rewarded and given unmerited prominence;

Have agreed to pursue, as far as possible in our peculiar=20
circumstances, the following path while keeping our professional=20
integrity, independence, truthfulness, self-critical introspection,=20
overall responsibility to our South Asian region, its various peoples=20
and an unflinching belief in the universal democratic and humane=20
values:

1. That the participants of the Second South Asian Free Media=20
Conference affirm their firm commitment and support to peaceful means=20
over all forms of violent behaviour, negotiations over military=20
brinkmanship, understanding over bellicosity, amicable resolution of=20
social conflicts within the states and historically-rooted disputes=20
between the states over perpetuation of conflicts, recognition of the=20
free will and satisfaction of the aspirations of the peoples over=20
repression, reconciliation over incompatibility, confidence-building=20
over aggravation of tensions, management over intensification of=20
conflicts, stabilisation of nuclear regime over unpredictable=20
standoffs, disarmament over unbridled arms race, mutuality of=20
interests over exclusivity, peaceful co-existence over animosity,=20
upholding of peoples rights over repression, safety of people over=20
state oppression, democratic governance over unconstitutional regimes=20
and cooperation over confrontation;

2. That we resolve to distance from, and expose, as for as possible=20
in our particular circumstances and within our relative room to=20
manoeuvre, all such policies/acts that are meant to promote=20
confrontation, war, terrorism, repression, destruction, loss of=20
innocent lives, jingoism, chauvinism, religious and ethnic extremism,=20
expansionism, hegemonism, aggression, exclusion of people,=20
demonisation of the other side of the divide, de-humanisation of=20
inter-state and intra-state 'adversaries', external interference,=20
militarisation, occupation and marginalisation of peoples and=20
curtailment of human rights and dislocation of people on any pretext=20
whatsoever;

3. That we call upon the South Asian states, that are at loggerheads=20
with one another and those involved in conflicts with sections of=20
their own populace, to enter into meaningful and purposeful dialogue=20
with the parties concerned, take confidence-building measures to=20
stabilise and improve the situations and, in the meanwhile, find some=20
amicable solutions that satisfy the democratic and social aspirations=20
of the peoples, remove causes of the conflicts and take into account=20
the mutuality of legitimate interests of the concerned states,=20
without making the peoples and South Asia's future hostages to one=20
conflict or the other;

4. That we call upon all governments of South Asia to take effective=20
measures against terrorism and terrorist outfits;

5. That we as practitioners of media, to the best of our ability and,=20
in the given situation, pledge to uphold the whole truth, not only=20
about ourselves but also about the others, regardless of the views of=20
establishments, responsibility, and avoid becoming instrumental in=20
fomenting war phobia, nationalist hysteria, jingoism, hate against=20
others, extremism, distorting the facts, misleading nomenclatures,=20
insulting other peoples, injuring sacred feelings, desecrating sacred=20
places, ridiculing the traits and traditions of other peoples and=20
nations, and promote better understanding, amity, realism, free flow=20
of unbiased information, respect for human rights, empowerment of the=20
peoples, including women and disadvantaged groups, strengthening of=20
democratic institutions and peaceful resolution of all conflicts and=20
disputes to the satisfaction, above all, of the concerned peoples,=20
while addressing the legitimate interests of states and non-state=20
parties;

6. That we will spare no efforts in creating a peaceful, friendly,=20
democratic, and interactive atmosphere for the resolution of social,=20
political and ethnic conflicts in our own countries in the interests=20
of our own peoples and amicable, peaceful and just settlement of all=20
disputes between states and do our best in promoting informed=20
debates, free exchange of views, exposing falsehoods, distortions,=20
accusations, extremism, jingoism and aggressive nationalist phobia=20
and war hysteria, encouraging dissent, defending everyone's right to=20
disagreement and expose the beast within;

7. That we will strive to promote a media for peace, instead of a=20
media for war, and find ways and means and use our influence in=20
facilitating peace, reconciliation, stabilisation,=20
confidence-building and solution-seeking processes and evolving=20
multiple mechanisms and alternative approaches in place of current=20
fixated national consensus on various strategic, socio-political=20
issues and disputes and inflexible bureaucratic set-ups that thrive=20
on confrontation and protracted stalemate.

_____

#4.

Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 13:14:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Hamid Bashani <bashani2000@y...>
Subject: Letter to the president

Council of Advocates International
----------------------------------
tele 416-929102......Fax 4169291471

Toronto (press release)

President Musharraf must clearly define the term
'right of self-determination' before seeking this
right for the people of Kashmir.The right of
self-determination is an unconditional democratic
right and equally applies to the people of Azad
Kashmir.The government of Pakistan cannot brutally
deny that right to the people of Azad Kashmir and
advocate the same for the people of Jammu Kashmir.
Pakistan has been denying the democratic rights of the
people of Azad Kashmir for last fifty years and
harboring terrorism in Jammu Kashmir on the name of
the same rights. It is time for Pakistan to=20
re-assess it policy and take more human and democratic
approach toward the issue. This was stated by Hamid
Bashani, the secretary general of the Council of
Advocates International.In a letter to president
Musahrraf, he said =EC the Kashmir issue is not a
sectarian or communal issue and cannot be resolved on
religious basis. Pakistan further complicates the
issue by supporting pro-Pakistan religio-political
parties and pressure groups. These parties and groups
are acting as umbrella for militant outfits and
fundamentalist terrorist organizations. They take
dictations from them and act as their political front.
The umbrella groups, which claim that they are the
sole representatives of the people, and enjoy full
support of Pakistan, base their politics in mosques
and on fundamentalist militants. They do not represent
the people of Kashmir rather they have made them
hostage. Pakistan is totally out of touch with reality
and perusing a policy, which is leading people of
Kashmir toward complete devastation. He noted that
fundamentalist warmongers and Islamic expansionist
section of ISI and military designed this policy. This
policy had to fail because it could not be implemented
in a state with a long history of secular values,
religious tolerance, and peace. Pakistan has invested
more than $ 40 billion dollars during last fifty years
for promoting hatred and terrorism in Kashmir. Such a
huge amount of money could have made a considerable
difference in Pakistan where people are suffering from
hunger and extreme poverty. He said the Pakistan
government should bring about fundamental changes in
the Kashmir policy by making a difference between the
policy of enslavement and the policy of liberation.
Any movement of liberation in Kashmir has to be
strictly secular and democratic otherwise it can only
add to the miseries and suffering of the people of
Kashmir and cannot be justified and dubbed as a
movement of liberation.

_____

#6.

The Hindu
Sunday, Jan 06, 2002

Refugees in their own land
For the people along the border in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and=20
Rajasthan, the war clouds have cast a shadow on their lives.
Shujaat Bukhari, Sarabjit Pandher and Sunny Sebastian report.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/stories/2002010600661400.htm

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