| The Fourth Convention of Pakistan-India
Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy was held in Peshawar, Pakistan,
on 21-22 November 1998. |
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| Over three hundred Pakistanis and Indians
participated in this convention to discuss the ways and means
of breaking out of the political and militaristic impasse created
by the decision-makers of the two nations. The participants at
the two-day meeting endorsed the decisions taken at the first
three conventions and reiterated the importance of building on
the work done up to now. |
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| The delegates noted that a significant
change had taken place between the third and fourth conventions
- the worsening of peace prospects in the region as a result of
the nuclear tests conducted by both India and Pakistan. The convention
was unanimous in the condemnation of both governments decision
to introduce nuclear weapons in the subcontinent and demanded
the implementation of concrete measures towards de-nuclearisation. |
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| The convention held that the interests
of the people of Pakistan and India cannot be served by the continuation
of policies of external and internal militarisation, systematic
violation of human rights, resort to authoritarian and draconian
laws against legitimate democratic interests and activities of
citizens, discrimination against women and children in the name
of culture or religion and unjustifiable interference with movement
of people, information and goods across national boundaries. Governments
of both countries must institute processes to reverse the harmful
policies and practices followed in the past. Citizens groups in
both countries have to play a vital role in putting pressure on
the policy makers toward these ends. |
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| Ultimately, peace and democracy in
Pakistan and India, and in the subcontinent, cannot become a reality
unless the Kashmir question and other political issues are resolved
to the satisfaction of all the parties involved and the people
affected by them. Resolution of these issues cannot be delayed
indefinitely and the convention demands that the governments of
the two countries make much more serious, transparent and urgent
attempts to put an end to the adversarial relations between them
within a short period. |
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| The following resolutions and recommendations
were adopted in the different sessions of the convention: |
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| Resolution on Kashmir |
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| We the members of Pakistan-India Peoples
Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) are deeply concerned at
and condemn the atrocities committed in Kashmir by the Indian
security forces against women, including rape and molestation
in a systematic way, and on un-armed civilians through the use
of arrest, detention, and torture. We similarly condemn violations
by sections of the militants. |
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| We demand that the Government of India
pull back its troops from the civilian areas and that the Pakistan
Government should make efforts to stop armed activities of militants
in order to put an end to military and armed actions which have
led to violence and violations of human rights. This must be done
to make third party mediation unnecessary. |
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| We also ask the governments of India
and Pakistan to pull back their troops immediately from Siachen
since the conflict there has caused loss of human lives and proved
to be a burden on the exchequers of the two countries which runs
into thousands of millions of rupees every year. Finally we urge
the two Governments to finalise agreement on Tulbul Navigation
and Wullar Barrage issue in accordance with the Indus Water Treaty. |
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| Resolution on demilitarization and peace |
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| We, the members of PIPFPD, reaffirm
our commitment to a nuclear-weapon-free world, including South
Asia. We unequivocally denounce the nuclear explosions by Indian
and Pakistan and the jingoism that followed, and express our solidarity
with the anti-nuclear movements. We believe that nuclear weapons
enhance neither the security nor the power or the prestige of
countries in a globalizing world. The Forum calls upon both the
governments to make a dignified exit from the nuclear arms and
missile race, adhere to the provisions of the CTBT, desist from
deploying the weapons already in their respective arsenals, and
divert their scarce resources from nuclearization to programmes
for improving the lot of their own people who are victims of grinding
poverty, ill health and illiteracy. Successful implementation
of these programmes alone can ensure both India and Pakistan national
security and global recognition as major powers. We reaffirm the
following resolutions adopted in the previous conventions: |
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| We urge the governments of India and
Pakistan to work for mutual reduction of war-waging capabilities
by 25% over a period of three years, simultaneously curtailing
military spending. |
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| We appeal to the governments of India
and Pakistan to agree to non-use of military capabilities against
each other, to stop cross border clashes, to prevent cross border
support for insurgencies and proxy wars, to demilitarize Siachin,
to pull-back heavy weapons to mutually accepted areas, to open
military exercises to observers from the other country, to ensure
greater transparency in the defence budgets, to strongly support
and work together to promote all international efforts to achieve
a nuclear-weapons-free world; not to use or threaten to use nuclear
weapons against each other under any circumstances. |
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| The Forum expresses deep concern over
increasing internal militarisation of the two nations, and the
use of armed force by the state against its own people as well
as on various ethnic and religious groups to resolve disputes. |
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| In pursuance of the Forums commitment
to the outlawing of the use of force in the settlement of any
bilateral dispute, the Forum urges the governments of India and
Pakistan to sign a mutual peace treaty. |
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| The Forum recognizes the great danger
that the existing nuclear weapons pose for the security of the
peoples of the two countries. We express our deep concern over
the possibilities of an outbreak of nuclear war between the two
countries as a result of accident, miscalculation or mis-perception.
India and Pakistan must therefore immediately agree to enter into
bilateral treaties to avoid an accidental nuclear war between
the two countries. |
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| The Forum condemns the Nuclear Club
for its double standards, and demands that the members of the
Club work towards genuine and total nuclear disarmament across
the globe. |
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| Resolution on governance |
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| PIPFPD resolves that the peoples right
to information should be scrupulously respected and constitutionally
protected except where information is withheld in public interest
and a competent court upholds such withholding. Right to information
acts should be passed without further delay. |
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| All decisions of Government at every
level be transparent and this transparency be ensured by an act
of parliament. All expenditures including defence be placed before
parliament in detail. |
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| We deprecate any attempt of governments
to introduce religion in political, administrative or any other
matters of public policy. |
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| Due to the non-performance of political
parties the people are becoming increasingly disillusioned with
them. To regain public confidence, internal democracy within the
political parties must be ensured. Legislatures should genuinely
reflect the wishes and opinions of the people. Electoral processes
be made completely free and fair, and separate electorates, wherever
they exist, should be abolished. |
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| The Forum notes with great concern
that corruption is rampant at all levels of government, including
administration and corporations, and is corroding the system of
justice. No relief is available to the people. Fool-proof machinery
should therefore be evolved to eradicate the menace of corruption. |
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| All holders of public offices including
legislatures, should be required by law to declare their assets
at the time of assuming office, and annually thereafter. These
statements of assets must be open for scrutiny by any citizen,
and independent, quasi-judicial commissions should be set up to
examine them. Bodies of vigilant citizens and NGOs should take
upon themselves the duty of ensuring effectiveness of the process.
They may approach the courts of law, too. |
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| Decentralization and devolution of
political and economic power relating to administration and development
down to the grassroots level is extremely essential to good governance.
Wherever such a system does not exist, it should be made part
of the constitution. Where it exists, it should be strengthened
and made free of bureaucratic interference. |
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| Genuine autonomy in internal administration and
development activities must be guaranteed to all states and provinces.
Economic viability for all states/provinces should be guaranteed
and the spirit of federation allowed to prevail in all centre-state
relations. Regional economic imbalances should be corrected. |
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| Representation be given to women and
minorities at all levels of political parties, in legislatures
and other organs of government and it should be done in direct
proportion to their share of the population. Governments have
to honour their commitment to implement the provisions of CEDAW
and CRC. |
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| Resolution on intoleranceWe the members
of the Forum strongly condemn all acts of intolerance and discrimination
against women, and particularly the violent punishments"
meted out to women in the "sacred name of religion"
by the self-styled custodians of religion.We call upon our respective
Governments to repeal all legislation that discriminates against
women, and to promote an atmosphere conducive to the attainment
of womens rights to equality, development and peace.We call upon
our respective Governments to ensure the freedom of expression
and to stop the increasing incidents of violent suppression of
any form of dissent.We believe that there is need for space outside
the religious discourse, where individual, rational, objective,
scientific thought and the spirit of inquiry can flourish. |
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