Details of the plan for a second peace march from India to Pakistan - the dates, the cities, the budget, and contacts - are shared for all who are interested.

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those of you who wish to join india pakistan peace caravan pl. let faisal (9313106745 and 9968828230) know about it. we need to know for how long and from where to where you'll be part of the caravan. people must reach mumbai on 27th july to join the launching of caravan and must make plans to return from amritsar on 15th august upon completion of the caravan. also, if you can help us in fund raising that'll be great. the budget is given at the end of the following announcement.

India-Pakistan Peace Caravan – Amn ke Badhte Qadam

Probably nowhere in the world are people of two countries as emotionally entwined as are the people of India and Pakistan and yet there is an enmity thrust upon them. The cruel turn of the wheel of history resulted in political separation, leading to a blood-spattered migration of countless people on an unprecedented scale, severing of family ties, and deep scars that have left an indelible imprint on the collective consciousness of the two nations.

Post-partition, our tumultuous history has been interspersed with four wars and loss of innumerable innocent lives. Kashmir continues to be a sore point in our relations, threatening to take the two countries on a course of self-destruction. Fundamentalist groups within the religious and political space of South Asia continue to ensure that the fires of animosity are kept alive and take a heavy toll on both sides.

Targets of violence and of an atmosphere of antagonism, common people on both sides of the border want peace, friendship and normal relations to be established between the two countries. The ruling elites of the two countries are usually suspicious of each other, but whenever the common people of India and Pakistan get to meet, all reservations they might have about each other collapse and warm emotions of mutual affinity surge forth, very much like people of the same family meeting each other after years of separation. Enmity, hatred and distance melt away, warmth and friendship take over. In spite of the geographical boundaries forced upon us by historical circumstances, our common customs and traditions  – our language, our music, our food and cuisine, the mode of living on both sides of the border - assure us of our shared values, issues and concerns. The people are divided by borders but their hearts are one

We feel that if real peace and friendship has to be established between the two countries, the initiative will have to be taken by the people themselves. Various such initiatives have been witnessed over the last many years, the Indo-Pakistan Delhi to Multan Peace March in 2005 being one of them. Sufi saints and poets sang the song of love. The indelible imprints of this deep-rooted tradition are enshrined in the hearts and souls of the populace on both sides of the border. In consonance with this tradition, the March started from the dargah of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi and culminated at the shrine of saint Bahauddin  Zakariya in Multan , taking the message of love and brotherhood to the towns, cities and villages of the two countries. Subsequent to that, widening the scope of the initiative, a ‘Nuclear-Free, Visa-Free South Asia Convention’ was held in Delhi in August 2005, and in Lahore in 2007. Attempts to make it an annual affair have met roadblocks, the biggest being the prevalent visa-passport regime between the two countries.

Sustained efforts at the grassroots are required to bring about a change in mindset at the governmental levels. The problems and challenges we face are common – poverty, unemployment, the onslaught of globalisation and economic liberalisation endangering our economies, the dire need to look to the sectors of health and education. A loosening and gradual removal of barriers of trade and commerce, increasing movement of people across borders is bound to benefit both the countries. Economically strong India and Pakistan can bring about an era of peace and prosperity for the whole of South Asia . A spirit of give and take, of mutual co-operation, of creating an environment of friendship and peace rather than of jingoistic nationalism can see the two countries moving apace on a path of progress and development.

Moreover, women on both sides of the border have waged similar struggles against social, religious, state-led, economic and militaristic patriarchies. Feminist activists in India and Pakistan have, for decades, campaigned against not just what are crudely clubbed as ‘women’s issues’, but also opposed the neo-liberal model of economic development and political authoritarianism, religious fundamentalisms and their adverse impact on the lives of women, especially the poorest.

The last few years have seen the two governments taking steps for peace but these have been slow and intermittent, blow hot-blow cold attempts rather than being steady, continuous and sustained. The felt need of renewed efforts to pressurize the governments to listen to the voice of the peace-loving peoples of the two countries now emboldens us to take up another joint people-to-people peace initiative - the Indo-Pakistan Peace Caravan, Amn ke Badhte Qadam, simulataneously from Mumbai and Karachi to Wagha-Atari border in late July and first half of August, 2010. This Peace Caravan will provide an opportunity to the peace-loving people of both countries to give voice to their urge for peace and friendship, and help build an atmosphere that should ultimately persuade the two governments to listen to the voice of sanity.

In the course of this Peace Caravan, we seek the support of people on the following points :

1.       The movement of people across the borders should be made easier. At present there are all sorts of restrictions on such movement, some of which are apparently ridiculous. We would like these restrictions to be removed, for the people on both sides of the border  have an intimate attachment with each other. There exists an emotional bond between the two – very much unlike the sense of animosity and mistrust that is reflected in the attitudes of the two governments. Due regard should be given to the wishes and aspirations of the people by the two governments, and they should be allowed to freely and easily meet and interact with each other. In fact, the visa-passport regime should be done away with.

2.       India and Pakistan must establish unconditional friendship forthwith respecting the wishes of common people of both countries and then try to resolve the issues. A solution to all contentious issues between India and Pakistan should be found peacefully through mutual discussions around the table. These issues include the issue of Jammu and Kashmir  (which, in our view, should be resolved by taking into consideration the wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir ), and the issue of terror-related activities on account of which the people of both countries are suffering.

3.       India and Pakistan should dismantle their atomic-nuclear establishments at the earliest. Both countries should destroy landmines laid in the border areas and send their forces back to the barracks. We want that both countries should stop wasting valuable resources in the name of defence budget,  and plan for these resources to be used for the eradication of poverty in the sub-continent. Those who are a part of the Peace Caravan believe that real security lies not in the piling of arms and ammunition but in building a relationship based on mutual trust and faith. Notwithstanding claims to the contrary, the fact is that underground landmines and nuclear bombs rather than causing damage to the ‘enemy’, only end up causing much greater harm to your own people. It would, therefore, not be inappropriate to call these weapons anti-people.

4.       The two countries must end proxy and/or low intensity wars against each other forthwith and restrain their intelligence agencies from fomenting trouble across the border.

Peace and development are possible only in an environment of trust and mutual goodwill: this, indeed, is the message of this Peace Caravan. We very well understand that our aims and objectives cannot be achieved through just this effort. We also believe that this Peace Caravan is just one element in the many initiatives being taken up by the two peoples for Peace. Let us, then, join hands for the SUSTAINED creation and development of an environment of mutual trust, goodwill and peace between the two countries – indeed, peace in South Asia as a whole.

Endorsing organizations (till date): Institute for Peace and Secular Studies, Sangat – A South Asian Feminist Network, South Asia Partnership, PEACE, Labour Party, INSAF, CMKP, Centre for Study of Secularism and Society, Peace Keepers, Asha Parivar, Democratic Commission for Human Development, National Alliance of People’s Movements, Punjabi Khoj Ghar, ANHAD, Giyan Foundation, Kriti, Seimorgh, Ayodhya ki Awaz, Tehrik-e-Niswan, Swayam, PILER, Phule Ambedkar Vichar Manch, Mass Foundation, Jagori, National Youth Forum, NCDHR, People’s Development Foundation, Sadbhav Mission, ASR, NACDOR, IPSS, Disha, NCJP, COVA, Bulleh Shah Foundation, Dosti Trust, Women Action Forum, Sungi Development Foundation, Global Gandhi Forum, Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal, Awami Bharat, SUPRO (Bangladesh), Jana Avakasha (Sri Lanka), Help-O (Sri Lanka)

For more details about the Peace Caravan or interest in participating, you may contact the following: (1) Saeeda Diep, Institute for Peace and Secular Studies, 91 G Johar Town, Lahore, Mobile: 0092 321 844 5072, 0092 300 844 5072, (2) Faisal Khan, INSAF, A-124/6, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi-110016, Mobile: 0091 9313106745, 0091 9968828230, (3) Karamat Ali, PILER, Karachi, 0092 300 8237528, 0092 213451145/6/7, (4) Feroze Mithiborwala, Awami Bharat, Mumbai, 0091 9820897517, (5) Kamla Bhasin, kamla@sangatsouthasia.org, (6) Aslam Khawja, lathrolak@yahoo.com, (7) Sandeep Pandey, ashaashram@yahoo.com

Financial contributions in India may be sent in the name of PEACE to A-124/6, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi-110016. Financial contributions in Pakistan may be sent in the name of Institute for Peace and Secular Studies to 91 G Johar Town, Lahore .

Please subscribe to indopakpeacecaravan@yahoogroups.com if you’re interested in being part of the Peace Caravan.

India-Pakistan Peace Caravan – Amn ke Badhte Qadam

28^th July to 14^th August, 2010

Mumbai to Attari border

Date – Place – Contact Person(s)

27^th July – Mumbai, evening candle lighting at Gateway of India – Varsha V.V., 09869289453, Kishore Jagtap, 09324514101

28^th July – Mumbai, karwan begins, Mani Bhawan – Varsha V.V., 09869289453, Kishore Jagtap, 09324514101

29^th July – Mumbai – Varsha V.V., 09869289453, Kishore Jagtap, 09324514101

30^th July, day – Vapi – Jabir Bhai Bhoga, 09913303623

30^th July, night – Valsad – Jabir Bhai Bhoga, 0991330623

31^st July, day – Navsari – Mahesh Kothari, 09879583785

31^st July, night – Surat – Kishore Desai, 09879124650

1^st August, day – Bharuch – Paragji Bapuji, 09426142151

1^st August, night – Vadodara – Hansmukh Patel, 09426321832

2^nd August, day – Kheda – Syed Aleemuddin, 09879466247

2^nd August, night – Ahmedabad – Mahadev Vidrohi, 09428825908, Danish, 09898990409

3^rd August, day – Anand – Rohit Prajapati, 0265 2320399

3^rd August, night – Godhra – Laxmi, 09979422122, Shafi Umerji, 09998243435

4^th August, day – Dahod – Jayanti Bhai, 09426461132

4^th August, night – Ratlam – Rajesh Bairagi, 09425202527

5^th August, day – Nagda – Rajesh Bairagi, 09425202527

5^th August, night – Kota – Gulsher Saheb, 09829146758

6^th August, day – Sawai Madhopur – Abdurazzak, 09829805967

6^th August, night – Gangapur City – Absar Ahmad, 09413051650

7^th August, day – Bayana – Zahid Bhai, 09250148154

7^th August, night – Bharatpur – Abduraheem Saheb, 09250148154

8^th and 9^th August – Delhi – Bipin Rai, 09999464609, Dhananjay Tripathi, 09312691435, Shah Alam, 09873672153

10^th August, day – Sonepat – Rammohan Rai, 09354926281

10^th August, night – Panipat – Rammohan Rai, 09354926281

11^th August, day – Karnal – Ram Singh, 09416657498

11^th August, night – Ludhiana – Dr. Arun Mitra, 09417000360

12^th August, day – Jalandhar – Ramesh Yadav, 09872318484

12^th August, night to 14^th August – Amritsar – Ramesh Yadav, 09872318484

The karwan will merge with the candle lighting programme at Attari border on the night of 14^th August which is traditionally organized every year by Sh. Kuldip Nayar and friends. A similar candle lighting event will take place on the Wagha side of border by Pakistani friends. Depending on granting of visas some Indian delegates will participate in a convention on 15^th August in Lahore . Before that Pakistani delegates will participate in the convention organized by Kuldip Nayar sahab and friends on 13^th August in Amritsar .

For overall information about route on Indian side please contact Faisal Khan, 09313106745 and 09968828230.

Budget:

Preparatory expenses, Rs. 25,000

Vehicles, Buses, 2 nos., 2 X Rs. 1,37,750 ( including fuel cost, Rs. 30,000) and Jeeps, 2 nos., 2 X Rs. 50,000, total Rs. 3,75,500

Decoration of vehicles, Rs. 50,000

Launching of caravan, Rs. 30,000

Printing of literature, Rs. 1,00,000

Food expenses on way, Rs. 1,00,000

Travel expenses, Rs. 50,000

Miscellaneous, Rs. 50,000

Grand Total, Rs. 7,80,500 (Rupees Seven Lakhs Eighty Thousand and Five Hundred only)