PRESS RELEASE ON PEACE VIGIL

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, June 5, 2002

Contacts: Lubna Ejaz (202) 262 0565 Shivani Chaudhry (202) 785 8700
    Neil Tangri (202) 387 8030 Chaudhary Shafi (240) 605 4200

Pakistanis and Indians for Peace

Washington, D.C. -- In a first for the Washington, D.C. area, local Indian
and Pakistani organizations held a joint peace vigil in front of the two
embassies. Supporters turned out to urge the two governments to find a
peaceful solution to the current crisis. 

"We oppose war of any kind, conventional or nuclear," said Chaudhary Shafi
of the Pakistan Association of Greater Washington Metropolitan Area. "We
have fought three wars already and they've produced no solution. More
fighting will mean more death, more refugees, and more misery but won't
solve the problems." Speakers emphasized that even threats of war were
counter-productive in the quest for solutions.

The groups also delivered petitions to the embassies, calling for military
de-escalation, a resumption of diplomatic negotiations, and investment in
people's basic needs in both countries.

"We urge our governments to reach a just, constructive and realistic
solution to the crisis. In our opinion, a military 'solution' is no
solution at all," said Shivani Chaudhry of the DC Collective, a South Asian
coalition for peace and justice.

Others at the vigil emphasized that the governments of Pakistan and India
must seek alternative approaches to the problems facing both countries.
"Peace means no war; but peace also means a guarantee of food, employment,
health care, and personal freedom," said Lubna Ejaz. "These are the
priorities of most people in both countries."

As the vigil shows, Indians and Pakistanis are united in their desire for
peace. One of the vigil organizers, Indira Ravindran, summed up by saying,
"This is our message to our governments: people to people, we are one. Any
solution to the current crisis must reflect this."

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June 5, 2002
                                            

Her Excellency Dr. Maleeha Lodhi His Excellency Mr. Lalit Mansingh
Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States Ambassador of India to the
United States

Dear Ambassador Mansingh and Ambassador Lodhi,

As organizations representing the Indian, Pakistani and South
Asian-American communities in the U.S., we are writing to you with a call
for peace. We represent between us several religions, languages, ethnic
groups, professions, and political orientations, and come to you with a
simple message that 'People to People, We are One.' We are deeply troubled
by the recent downward spiral of events in our region, and we fear that our
governments are headed towards a disastrous military standoff, without
having adequately explored all available diplomatic, political and
international legal mechanisms for conflict resolution. 
A military "solution" to the current crisis between India and Pakistan is
no solution at all. Rather, it places us directly at the mercy of forces
and agendas external to our region. These two countries, encompassing one
people, joined by blood, culture, and history, must devote their resources
to meeting the legitimate needs of their citizens rather than the
destructive forces of war. 

At the risk of stating the obvious, we emphasize that from a purely
social/economic perspective, our countries cannot afford war. We realize
that you are adequately aware of the unspeakable consequences of a nuclear
confrontation in our region. Our purpose in issuing this joint appeal is to
urge our governments to immediately withdraw even the threat or rhetoric of
war. This climate of fear will set us back by several decades. Aside from
undoing the goodwill and trust built up by citizens' groups in Pakistan and
India, this also permits the forces of intolerance on both sides of the
border to seize the upper hand. 

We have more in common than not. Whether in the form of joint activities of
the Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy, or the inspiring
struggle for rights by Pakistanis and Indians in the New York Taxi Workers'
Alliance, our peoples have found ways of coming together to address our
common interests and differences. Surely, our governments, with all the
resources at their disposal, can do the same. AS AN IMMEDIATE MEASURE, WE
URGE BOTH GOVERNMENTS TO RESUME POLITICAL AND DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS AT
THE HIGHEST LEVELS, AND END THE CURRENT STANDOFF. Communications lines
between citizens must remain open. Our governments must once again approach
the negotiating table with a commitment to openness, and to finding just
and creative solutions to the specific disputes that hinder cooperation.
Promoting bilateral trade and commerce, and people to people contact are
constructive proposals presented by citizens on both sides of the border.

We urge you to regard this as a pragmatic and carefully considered appeal,
not wide-eyed optimism. We have witnessed that, all through history,
including most recently, the Cold War, and the perverse logic of
realpolitik has actually made the world a very unsafe and insecure place.
Our governments must adopt a humane, people-centered and original approach
that respects international norms, rather than draw inspiration from the
unilateralism and wanton militarism currently prevalent in the world. Our
vision is one of a South Asia where every child, woman and man is free from
poverty, illiteracy, cultural or religious repression, and lives a natural
life span uninterrupted by nuclear missiles or conventional warfare. 

Thank you.

Sincerely,
(Please turn over for names of endorsing organizations)

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ENDORSING ORGANIZATIONS: 

Asha for Education - DC
Association for India's Development - Boise Chapter, USA
Association for India's Development - Duke Chapter, USA
Association for India's Development - San Diego Chapter, USA
Association of Indian Muslims, USA
Association of Pakistani Scientists & Engineers in North America, USA
Coalition of Asian Pacific American Democrats, USA 
DC Collective (South Asians for peace and justice), USA
Dharma Megha, USA
Educational Subscription Service, USA
Forum of Indian Leftists, DC
Foundation for Democratic Reforms in India, USA
Friends of South Asia, Bay Area, USA
Hyderabad Association, USA
India Development Society, USA
India Foundation, USA
Indians for Collective Action, USA
International Service Society, USA
M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, USA
Pakistan American Christian Coalition, USA 
Pakistan Association of Greater Washington Metropolitan Area, USA 
Pakistan National League, USA 
Pakistan Post Newspaper, USA
Seva International Inc., USA
South Asian Center, USA
South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA), USA
The Network of South Asian Professionals, DC (NetSAP)
Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment, USA
Vedanta Society of East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Washington Watch Inc., USA
Young India, USA

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