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Peaceniks
welcome end to Attari border 'confrontation'
Friday November 05, 2010 06:39:56 PM,
IANS
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Mumbai:
On the eve of US President Barack Obama's visit to Asia starting
Saturday, Indian and Pakistani peace activists Friday welcomed the
end of the face-to-face show of bravado at the Attari border
between the two countries.
In a statement, the activists expressed happiness that the
authorities on both sides of the border have finally decided to
end the 'militarist gestures' by replacing them with 'friendly
smiles and handshakes' during the daily Flag Lowering Ceremony.
The activists said they had been calling for change in the
confrontationist character of the ceremony since long and now this
has been done by the directors-general of Pakistani Rangers and
India's Border Security Force in their recent meeting.
The activists said more could be done between the two countries if
the two governments are sincere for a relationship of genuine
peace and friendship.
They urged the sides for removal of all symbols of militarism such
as tanks, missiles, guns and war planes displayed in public places
like road junctions and parks in various towns and cities of the
two countries.
All war-like propaganda and hate materials against each other
should be expunged from history books and other educational text
books in the two countries, they said.
Release all the remaining fishermen detained by the two countries,
order the maritime security authorities on both sides not to
arrest or detain the fisher folk if their boats inadvertently
trespass into each other's territorial waters and let them off
with a warning, the activists said.
Both the countries must also release the citizens of the two
countries, arrested for overstaying and other minor violations of
travel rules and who have completed their terms of punishment,
they said.
The activists demanded easing of visa restrictions for citizens on
both sides, opening of the Khokhrapar-Munabao border for regular
road and rail trades, allowing exchange of newspapers and
magazines, and restoring beaming of television news channels.
The signatories to the statement are:
Pakistan - Karamat Ali (PILER), B.M. Kuty (Pakistan Labour Trust),
Tipu Sultan (Pakistan Peace Coalition), Samina Khan (Sungi
Development Foundation), A.H. Nayyar (Pakistan Peace Coalition),
Mohammad Tahseen (SAP-PK), Abdul Khaliq Junejo (JSQM), Syed Iqbal
Haider (ex-senator), Mohammad Ali Shah (Pakistan Fisherfolk
Forum), Senator Hasiz Khan Bizenjo.
India - Kuldip Nayyar (veteran journalist), Mahesh Bhatt
(filmmaker), Kamla Bhasin (SANGT), Admiral L. Ramdas (Retd. Indian
Navy chief), Jatin Desai (Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace
& Democracy Maharashtra), Mazher Hussain (COVA), Meena Menon
(Focus on the Global South).
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