A PROFILE
The initiative towards formation of Pakistan-India
People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy was taken in late 1993
and the first joint declaration was announced on September 4, 1994 at
Lahore. The objective of this initiative was to facilitate common people
in both the countries to listen to voices that are different from the
belligerent voices of the respective Governments.
It is with the objective of asserting the sanity of
the peace loving people of India and Pakistan that concerned citizens
and groups in both the countries have come together to formulate strategies
for promoting peace and strengthen democracy in the sub-continent. Democratic
rights activists, business people, trade unionist, environmentalists,
women’s movements, artists, writers, social workers, professionals,
academicians, students, scientists and mass movements have joined hands
in a concerted attempt to persuade their respective governments to enter
into meaningful negotiations and adopt policies that will reduce tensions
and pave way for lasting peace and friendship. To this end, the Forum
has organised so far six Joint Conventions, the first in Delhi February
1995, the second in Lahore in November 1995, the third in Calcutta in
December 1996, the fourth in Peshawar in November 1998, the fifth in
Bangalore in April 2000 and the sixth in Karachi in December 2003. Each
convention was attended by an average of 350 delegates - from both the
countries - in historic meetings that discussed five major issues:
(I) War, de-militarisation, peace and peace dividends;
(II) Democratic solution to Kashmir problem;
(III) Democratic Governance;
(IV) Religious intolerance in India and Pakistan; and
(V) Globalisation and Regional Cooperation. The last
was added at the 5th joint convention in Bangalore.
In all the six joint conventions, the themes were discussed
in groups and in plenaries and specific recommendations were made. At
the end of each Joint Convention common resolutions and declarations
were made. Copies of which were sent to both the Governments.
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Some of the salient points of the five themes :-
1. War, Demilitarization, Peace and Peace Dividends.
There should be no resort to war to resolve bilateral
disputes. India and Pakistan should take steps for a mutual and balanced
reduction of conventional forces by 25% and move systematically towards
maximum transparency with regard to force levels, deployments, programmes,
exercise, etc.
Both countries should restrain from nuclear preparations
and move towards regional disarmament, independent of the control of
other Nuclear Weapon States. They should participate in all efforts
regarding the crucial issue of global nuclear disarmament.
Adhere to the provisions of Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty
The Nuclear Weapons States must accede to a treaty
on “No First Use” of nuclear weapons and to a commitment
on “No Use Ever” against non-nuclear weapons states.
All states must commit themselves to cease production
of additional fissile materials for nuclear weapons and other explosive
purposes.
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2. Democratic solution to Kashmir
The two governments should recognise that Kashmir is
not merely a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan but concerns
the lives and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir on both
sides of the Line of Control (LOC).
Peaceful democratic solution, which involves the people
of Jammu and Kashmir.
Cessation of all hostilities along LOC by all forces
belonging to the Government of India and Pakistan directly or indirectly
under their control. Take positive steps to promote peace and tranquillity
and establish democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir on both sides
of the LOC so the preconditions are created for moving towards a just,
people-based solution.
In India to stop violation of human rights in Jammu
and Kashmir and in Pakistan to take all possible measures to stop the
supply of arms by all forces which lead to violations of human rights
of the civilian population of Jammu and Kashmir.
3. On Religious Intolerance in India and Pakistan
Ending hostilities between India and Pakistan. This
will enable both countries to build a more tolerant and just society.
Citizens’ organisations should put constant pressure
on both governments to reduce harassment of ordinary people and grant
visas with greater ease and reduce the costs of telecommunication and
postal exchange between the two countries.
The legislative, judicial and executive organs of the
state in both countries should be free from religious influence and
diktats.
The Forum should disseminate, in whatever fashion possible,
the alternate voices from Pakistan and India to combat the misinformation
and Propaganda perpetrated by governments and sections of the media.
Easy access to information on secular, democratic struggles
and initiatives across the border should be promoted.
Removal of myths and prejudices perpetuated in our
respective education systems, especially in the social sciences, is
a vital step in this direction.
Education in religious institutions must include a
secular curriculum. This is vital to inculcate a spirit of openness
and enquiry.
Information on the strategies adopted by communal and
fundamentalist ideologies - specifically how they feed on the stereotypical
and demonising images of the “other” - also need to be shared
on a regular basis.
This could be a first step towards jointly prepared
resource books, pamphlets and other literature compiled on the basis
of shared information.
Reforms in the discriminatory personal laws being the
common need for women in both Pakistan and India, joint strategies should
be worked out towards this objective on the basis of pooled experiences.
Setting up of an alternate people-to-people television
channel that produces joint documentaries, plays and telefilms to counter
the hostility generated between the two countries.
Thousands of letters must be exchanged between India
and Pakistan every week to pressurise governments to open up channels
of communication and telecommunication.
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4. On issues of Governance Underlying Pakistan-India
Relations
Demilitarization of domestic governance in both countries
must begin with reducing the oppressive role of the police and the military
in dealing with democratic movements, repealing anti-democratic laws
and restoring law and order to protect the common citizens.
Democratization of domestic governance by strengthening
the institutions of a federal nature, moving towards greater decentralization
of power, increasing the accountability of politicians to the people,
empowering civil society vis-?-vis the state, through which people become
the principal actors in decision-making.
Both governments must pay serious attention to breaking
up the politician-criminal nexus and reactivate the institutions to
deliver justice to the citizens.
Both governments must undertake not to foment the forces
of hatred and animosity that are currently at work in the two countries.
Both governments must urgently work to withdraw visa
restrictions so that citizens of the two countries can invite each other
and also travel without restrictions. The goal must be to achieve freedom
of movement of people, information and service between the two countries
by a fixed deadline.
State-controlled media should be given more autonomy
and made accountable to the people.
The right to livelihood and basic needs and social
security be central to governance.
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5. Globalisation and Regional Co-operation
The need for struggle against forced integration of
South Asian economies and the necessity of forging a joint struggle
against the common threats to the economy and polity of India and Pakistan
by unfettered globalisation.
This struggle to counter the threat of globalisation
has to be linked to the struggle for democratisation of our respective
societies. Hence the struggles of dalits, women, workers, Adivasis and
other marginalised sections needs to be linked to the movement for alternative
development in the sub-continent. In this context it is essential to
emphasise the interlinkages between the processes of democratisation
and anti-globalisation.
Existing direct and indirect trade relations must be
formally recognized and enhance.
That a group of citizens, able to move freely across
the borders, should be set up in order to monitor violations by the
border forces of both countries. An important case in point is that
of the fisher people of both countries who are periodically detained
by the coastguards of Pakistan and India for the so-called violation
of the “economic zone”, which is yet to be marked by the
two Governments.
For more information contact:-
National Secretariat
Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD)
A-1/125, (FF), Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi -110
029 India
Tel: 91-11- 51652451/452 Fax: 91-11-51013382
Email: pipfpd@pipfpd.org Website: http://www.pipfpd.org
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