Project
Pakistan USA, a project of Dr. Mona Kazim Shah, organized a symposium on “War
is Not an Option,” at the Naveen Jindal School of ManagementDallas, Texas
recently.
Project
Pakistan campaigns for human rights issues, runs philanthropic projects, radio
shows with space for open mics, and works to encourage dialogue to resolve
conflicts and promote South Asian art and culture in the USA.
The
focus of the symposium was to bring youth from Pakistan, Kashmir and India
together for peace talks and healthy dialogue to take their voices further.
The
discussions highlighted the problems faced by India, Pakistan and Kashmir and
possible solutions. The four panelists included pro-peace, pro-dialogue
journalists, academicians, activists, artists with experience in this area and
some have even paid a price for their beliefs.
The
panelists were Beena Sarwar a journalist, artist and documentary filmmaker and
Raza Ahmad Rumi a journalist and policy analyst from Pakistan; Dr. Amie
Maciszewski, an international musician, and Amitabh Pal Managing Editor of The
Progressive, the author of "Islam Means Peace: Understanding the Muslim
Principle of Nonviolence Today” from India; and Dr. Nyla Ali Khan from the
University of Oklahoma from Kashmir .
Dr.
Amie Maciszewski started the proceedings by playing “Raag Pahari” on the sitar
giving a touch of Kashmir to the audience. For her, Kashmir is a borderland
that has been enriched by intercultural encounter, dialogue, and collaboration.
She believes that Symposia like this are important for dialogue, collaboration,
and ultimately mutual enrichment.
Dr
Nyla spoke about Kashmir and the haunting the Valley for numerous years. She
believes the younger generation of Kashmiris has witnessed valley’s
militarization and grown up traumatized; yet they have tremendous potential
which she hopes the right opportunities when available in academia and the
government and private sector will encourage their growth. Dr. Nyla highlighted
the basic reason of turmoil in the peace process saying, “The most negative
thought that would hinder any progress toward a peaceful resolution of the
Kashmir issue is the perpetuation of a politics that emphasizes, reinforces, or
creates cultural myopia and mono-cultural identities, which in a society as
diverse as ours, would be the bane of our existence. This damaging
short-sightedness results in intolerance, arbitrary justice, tyranny, and
ignorance. The contemporary political discourse in the state, particularly the
Kashmir Valley, doesn’t have to be limited to the framework of the two-nation
theory. Nor should dissatisfaction with the policies of the Governments of
India and Pakistan vis-à-vis Kashmir encourage the glorification of reactionary
politics.”
Dr.
Nyla suggested that both India and Pakistan should realize that translating the
political and social vision into reality requires an effective administrative
set-up and vibrant educational institutions (not just intellectualizing), to
produce dynamic citizens while remaining aware of the exigencies of the
present. She feels that politician’s unable to understand that the changing
nature of the struggle need, to look at it with a new vision and pioneering
spirit to prevent being marginalized.
A
political movement with insufficient attention to people’s welfare, good
governance, and rebuilding democratic institutions ends up leaving irreparable
destruction in its wake. Also any insurgency or militant nationalist movement
that lacks such a vision is bound to falter.
Elections
and establishment of a government are not the ends in themselves but are means
to nation-building and societal reconstruction. Religious-political rhetoric
remains rhetorical without a stable representative government. A resolution to
the Kashmir imbroglio promising peace, prosperity, and progress requires
unprecedented political will from leaders, policy makers, and civil society on
both sides of the Line of Control. The only solution to Kashmir crises that ever
came up was when General Pervez Musharraf presented his four points agenda.
They were doable and would have resolved the issues.
Dr.
Nyla is a strong believer that war is not an option rather firm and practical
action needs to be taken to resolve the crises. Since India and Pakistan were
founded on the idea of religious difference, the agendas of fundamentalist
groups now rule over the Indian subcontinent.
According
to her, the border carved at the time of Partition has led to further brutality
in the form of riots, pogroms, and organized historical distortions and
cultural deletions with which the histories of independent India and Pakistan
are replete. War leads to economic exploitation, death and destruction of
resources and terrible atrocities on women and children, and innocent civilians
bear the brunt of the arrogance of nation-states through exodus of communities
and refugee issue. The current plight of Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria speaks
volumes about the irreparable damage caused by war .
She
believes a strong and prosperous India is a guarantee to peace in the region,
along with a strong and prosperous Pakistan to strengthen that guarantee. The
goal should be to find a solution to the deadlock which enables peace in the
subcontinent, while maintaining the honor of everyone involved.
Amitabh
Pal said, “Indians and Pakistanis deserve a better future than the fate their
leaders have bestowed on them for more than half a century and both countries
need to work toward that – stepby step. These generations are hopefully, not
burdened by the weight of history that oppresses so many in India and Pakistan.
We have to work toward persuading them because after we are gone, they are the
ones who will be at the helm. Only if their minds are changed, can the future
of the two countries be any different.”
Regarding
his book ‘Islam means Peace’ he said, “The idea of Muslims being inherently
violent goes against a lifetime of my observations. So, after the September 11
attacks, I felt a responsibility to correct the distorted picture that has
emerged of Islam. My book provides a rebuttal to the general misperceptions of
Islam by showing that the tradition of nonviolence within Islam has been rich.
My journey of exploration starts with the source texts (the Holy Quran and the
Hadiths) and the Messenger of the religion. I chronicle the religion’s history
to refute the stereotype that it was spread largely by violence. And I give
examples of the myriad peaceful movements in the Muslim world (such as the
lawyers’ agitation against Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan) to show how
nonviolence has been practiced in recent times. Obviously, the message of Islam
has been highly distorted by Al Qaeda, ISIS, and their ilk. My purpose is to
show how this is not what Islam says, and to provide an alternative perspective
that can be readily appreciated.”
Raza
Rumi a journalist and an author of the book “Delhi by Heart: Impressions of a
Pakistani Traveler,” gave his views on how social media had impacted the
relations between the south Asians. He believes after the Holocaust, partition
of the subcontinent resulting migrations hold great significance, as both
episodes were directly related to politics and religion. In present
circumstances citizens of India and Pakistan are suffering from lack of basic
necessities of life but there is no end to weapons and missile expansion and
strengthening of military at the borders.
Speaking
of the electronic and print media, including social media, he said these
mediums have caused more damage to the cause of a peaceful solution finding
than anything else. Whenever there are chances of something good coming out of
talks, the old narrative of hate politics and war starts erupting and no one is
able to focus on the positive steps.
According
to Rumi, “The media is a powerful player now, even stronger than state actors.
It has a vital role in shaping public opinion for peace-building. However, the
disturbing corporatization of media means that you have to sell conflict for
profits. This is why peace and diplomacy find less traction and more
sensational stuff is witnessed with grave implications for future peace
efforts.”India and Pakistan need to start trade to improve their economies to
have a prosperous market.
Beena
Sarwar spoke to the audience on a very positive note, “Politicians, business
people and even common people are capable of bringing about change; youth does
not have the baggage to carry on the animosity. Most want to live in peace with
good relations. I believe that the change is happening, but it will take time.”
She added, “I don’t see any way our region can progress unless there is peace
between our two countries. The people of both countries want good relations.
There are political hurdles and disagreements but that is no reason to prevent
trade and travel. If USA and China can trade with each other and allow their
people to meet, if the people of France and Germany who were bitter enemies
once can live together, why can India and Pakistan not move towards better
relations?”
The
generation which has grown up with mutual hate rhetoric, is more sensible and
realize that war is not the solution to this crises. Beena said, “There will
always be some who will fall prey to the propaganda, but by and large, people
are far smarter than the media give them credit for. People have found their
own ways of communicating and bypassing the barriers to a great extent. The
‘religious quarters’ may say what they like but people know the difference
between propaganda and news. The Pakistani public has never voted in the
“religious parties” though they may pay lip service to them, maybe because
these ‘religious quarters’ are quick to label anyone as lesser Muslims or
anti-Islam.”
The
symposium was on webcast a many people say the interactions live in Pakistan
and India also, the audience were open and receptive to the speakers and their
suggestions, and it can be said that overall the symposium was a success.
The
Kashmir issue must be resolved and that can happen only when both India and
Pakistan sit down and talk amicably. All these years Kashmir has suffered due
to these two countries, its time the issue is resolved once and for all. In the
recent UNGA session PM Nawaz Sharif presented four points to resolve the long
standing issue peacefully but India has refused to pay heed to it. Such
emotional out bursts will not help the humans of Kashmir nor is it going to
help the current scenario of the region. Times, politics and strategies of this
region have changed it has to be understood by the leaders before it is too
late.
This article was published in The Nation on 23 Oct 2015
