The Hindu : `War has never solved any issue'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 02, 2002

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National

`War has never solved any issue'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 1. Under the banner of South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), members of civil society from the subcontinent today issued a call for peace, reminding the Governments of India and Pakistan of the historical truth that war had never solved any issue.

Stating that people desired only peace, the signatories to the statement noted that a war between the two countries at this juncture would further ``fuel the focus of militancy, terrorism and quasi-religious bigotry that have already soured relations between these closest neighbours, and also plagued domestic peace on both sides''.

Apprehensive of the ``diabolic designs'' of terrorists clouding the minds of the Pakistani and Indian Governments, SAHR said:

``Both Governments do not seem to have any control over events and seem to be on the brink of disaster.

This is what terrorists want and this is what people on both sides must resist.''

This could be done only through political will from both the Governments, SAHR said and urged India and Pakistan to eschew war, and trust the process of sustained dialogue to resolve all causes of tension.

``This demands immediate restoration of democratic rule in Pakistan, and an honest pledge by its Government to disassociate itself from any form of militancy which is essential not only for peace in the region but also for the rejuvenation of Pakistan's society. Militancy must be neutralised in order to bring peace.

It will also demand reinforcement of India's secular ideals,'' it said.

In a bid to invoke the neighbourly spirit, SAHR reminded the two Governments that ``geography has thrown us together, and we cannot run away from our duty and obligation towards one another''.

``We have to march together on the path for a better tomorrow. Hostilities will only increase the sufferings of people on both sides, destroy whatever is being preserved as part of civilisation, and push back whatever the agenda we may have for the development of our people.''

The signatories to the statement are: I. K. Gujral, Farah Kabir, Subrata Chowdhury, Sigma Huda, Mahfuz Anam, Hameeda Hussain, Iktedar Ahmed, Asma Jehangir, Mohammadi Siddiqui, I. A. Rehman, Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, Sairah Irshad Khan, Devendra Raj Panday, Syeda Hameed, Nirmala Deshpande, Kamla Bhasin, Kuldip Nayar, Damaris Wickremesekara, J.C. Weliamuna, Sathivale Balakrishnan, Saifuddin Soz, Mina Acharya, Cecil Choudhary and Lakhmali Dasanayake.

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