Bombing, Bombing, Bombing....Killed, Killed, Killed....War, War, War--nowadays only these words, only these thoughts echo in our minds. Everyday, each day, we rise from our beds in the morning not without a quiver of fear, apprehension, fright in our hearts. What if a full-scale war breaks out that very day? What if a strike is declared on all the markets and stores, and we have to go without food for days? What will happen, what will we do, if we are awoken one night from deep sleep by the ominous sound of the dreaded war siren?

No, this is not a passage out of a fiction novel...it is the truth. The truth that is actually happening at this very moment at the border of neighboring countries, Pakistan and India. Both are at loggerheads with each other, keen to devastate and annihilate completely the other's army, forces and camps. However, during the bombardments and artillery shellings, do they know what the citizens, the children of both the countries are going through? What they don't realize is that what they are destroying is not simply land and equipment. It is the entire future of the youth. Our future depends on the consequences of this aged battle over the state of Jammu and Kashmir: either a bright, friendly, peaceful future or a dark, broody, quarrelsome future. When will they learn? When will they learn that it is not necessary to resort to war and violent measures even in the severest of situations? And that every problem, every crisis, CAN be solved by peaceful talks and discussions?

Why is it that WAR is always the one and only 'solution' for them? It is probably the easiest way out of a dispute for them, but is it the same for us? Don't they care about us? Don't they care about what the innocent civilians of Kashmir are undergoing and have been undergoing for the past 50 years? They are humans, they have feelings and emotions. Do they think that it's good news for them when they learn that another of their family members has been killed by gun fire, or that their relative's house has been bombed or their children beaten and murdered? Do they think they enjoy it when they witness their mothers being raped by soldiers, or when they see their fathers whipped, butchered and shot and then thrown into the river? Do they honestly think its funny to bomb their mosques and temples and schools and hospitals?
Have they no compassion? Have they no morals? Have they no families and friends of their own? Can't they even try to put their feet in a Kashmiri's shoes and experience the pain, the suffering, the heartache? Have they no heart?

It's a sad, sad world we're living in today. People don't seem to feel, to sympathize, to understand anymore. What's wrong with them? Are these so-called world leaders blind? Can't they see the reality? How can they veil their eyes against the pathetic, pitiful, mortifying videos aired on TV 24 hours a day? How, we ask you HOW can they have peace of mind and conscience when they glibly say that no crimes and no human rights violations are being committed in the region?

How can they simply ignore the fact that ethnic cleansing and genocide IS being carried out on a tremendous scale in the territory? What more proof, what more evidence do they need?? Can't they see the misery, the plight of the Kashmiris? Can't YOU see?
Why can't they, two sides so close and yet so distinct, just ignore the differences between them for once, only once, to settle an ancient, heart-rending dispute that has destroyed the lives of millions and left this Heaven on Earth nothing but a grave of fire?

The breeze stood still. A big black cloud was hovering over the sky. That moment was unforgettable. That day every thing was going wrong. That was the longest day in their lives. It all happened very fast. The plane came and the coffin was removed with great respect. Marching on both sides the soldiers brought the coffin towards the house. The mother was in a bad state. Her eyes were swollen red. Seeing the coffin arriving, her eyes were again filled with tears. The sister had just fond memories of her brother in front of her eyes. Right then she was beside her mother trying to console her and tell her that everything would be all right. However, everyone knew that things would not be right. The wife knew that she now had to live alone all her life. The little son who was not more than 5 or 6 years old never even knew that he would never ever see his father again. All he knew was that his father had gone far away to a heavenly land. Do not ask how his father's condition was. His one and only beloved son had gone forever. Their hearts felt very heavy. It felt as if it were about to burst. The time had come to bid the final good-byes to the beloved son.

The soldier's body was taken to the crematorium. It was covered with the national flag. Then in that very moment the last shots were fired, and the bugle sang its last tune. Everyone saluted the soldier, and then the flag was lifted. Now the son had to burn/bury the body of his father. Imagine the plight of that weak little thing knowing that he was burning/burying his father. With nervous hands the body of that soldier was burnt/buried. Now the soldier was on his own.

Can you all picture this in your mind for a minute? Think if it happened to you? How would you feel? In the same way just think how his family would have felt? What was his fault? Nothing, his only fault was that he fought in the war and was killed in it. So do you think war is bad? We do and so we are writing this article.

So many people have lost their lives. These people were not more than 30 years old. These years are the prime time of their life. However, before they have a chance to live in the real sense of the world, they die. Isn't it unfair on their part?

When there is peace in both the countries, then the money, which would have been used for war, will be saved, and that can be used for developing both the countries. Both the countries can help each other being developed. The money can be used for education, communication, industry, and development of natural resources.

So the question is, why do we fight -can't we stay in peace? Why follow the same path our ancestors followed or are following? What do we get from all these wars? Have you ever thought of how the soldier's wives would live? All their dreams were shattered, and dreams remained dreams. Not only is it an emotional strain but a mental, physical, economical and social strain. Due to the war the economy of the country is hindered, and tension prevails in the whole country.

Why can't we stop wars? Why? Isn't there any way we can stop wars? We think the main thing is that we should understand each other, let go, not keep remembering the past, the old facts, forget them and start a new life. And one important thing is not getting carried away with all those people who promote hatred towards each other. It is rightly stated that "We should not decide the Future over the Past". Okay, sometimes things are hard to forget. However, we need to try to forget them. We need to build an effort to forget them.

Sometimes we wonder why we fight for just a piece of land. Is it all worth it? Shedding so much blood, money and time. Instead of fighting why do we not use this same money to develop our nation? Why do we not use this money to educate our fellow citizens? Help the starving children? To develop our industry?

We think we need to think seriously over this. We are waiting for that day to come when we can proudly say: "Hey, you know, she is my best friend and guess what? She is from Pakistan, and I am from India,", and vice versa. So what? We are like any other friends. The time has come to tell the elders that we do not like this and will never support them in any way if they continue going all the same way.

Last but not the least we just want to say one thing: "Why live in the shadow of History, when we can create tomorrow's History."

Manal Ahmad, Pakistan and

Maitreyi Doshi India.