About the escalating tension between India and Pakistan

A N A P P E A L*

We the following signatories from West Bengal are deeply concerned about the escalating tension between the two neighbouring countries, India and Pakistan, and the jingoism in support of armed conflict as the method to resolve this tension.

The recent civil unrest in the Kashmir Valley has cost nearly 100 lives, even more are injured and those blinded by pellets include children. Yet the leaderships of the two countries have used the tragedy as a political weapon to berate each other in the UN Human Rights Council and the General Assembly. The attempt is to completely deny the legitimacy of the struggle of the Kashmiri people for cultural, linguistic, and social identity and self-rule.

As a result of armed attacks across the international borders, and irresponsible threat of nuclear reprisal, a war-like situation has been drummed up. This has deeply vitiated the atmosphere in the region leading to the cancellation of the SAARC summit. Evacuation orders, forcing villagers to flee their homes in border villages, have already resulted in the displacement of over 5 lakh people in India alone, causing immense hardship; land mines are now being laid out here, destabilising the border region. The Indian government’s threat to scrap the Indus Water Treaty is a gross violation of the rights of the lower riparian state and its cancellation will create a massive humanitarian disaster, affecting innocent civilians and leading to the collapse of agriculture and supply of drinking water in several parts of Pakistan.

We appeal to the governments of India and Pakistan to emulate the spirit of the grieving father, Onkar Nath Dalui. On hearing the news of the “surgical counter-strikes” after the death of his son, Gangadhar Dalui, a soldier from West Bengal killed in the attack on the Indian armed forces camp at Uri, he said that though his son is dead, he fervently hopes more loss of life will be averted through reconciliation and peace between the two countries.

Wars are not known to resolve any issue, they only result in further devastation and misery for ordinary people.  We urge the leadership of the two countries to renew the process of dialogue as there is no alternative to normalise the situation. Let us as citizens of the two countries raise our voices for peace so that future generations can enjoy freedom from the sub human levels of poverty, ill health and unemployment inflicting South Asia. Let us also resolve that if Kashmir is the cause of tension in the region, we will all shun war and carry forward on the path of dialogue involving the people of Kashmir for lasting peace.

1. Suleiman Khurshid, President, PIPFPD, WB Chapter
2. Ranabir Samaddar, Vice-President, Pakistan India Forum for Peace & Democracy (PIPFPD), W. Bengal and Chair Professor, Calcutta Research Group.
3. Sushil Khanna, Vice-President, PIPFPD W.B. & Former Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
4. Prabir Sinharoy, Secretary, PIPFPD W.B.
5. Rajashri Dasgupta, PIPFPD W.B. & Journalist
6. Uttam Kr. Ray, PIPFPD W.B. & Advocate, Kolkata High Court
7. Krishna Bandyopadhyay, PIPFPD W.B., Activist and Writer
8. Amit Chakraborty, PIPFPD W.B.
9. Nilanjan Dutta, PIPFPD W.B. & Activist
10. Gita Chatterjee, PIPFPD W.B. & Medical Practitioner
11. Kavita Panjabi, PIPFPD W.B. & Professor, Jadavpur University
12. Salil Biswas, PIPFPD, W.B. & Author
13. Subhashis Chatterjee, PIPFPD W.B.
14. Dipankar Roy, PIPFPD, W.B.
15. Swapan Sarkar, PIPFPD, W.B.
16. Bharatjyoti Roy Choudhury, PIPFPD, W.B. & Writer
17. Pulak Chanda,  PIPFPD, W.B. & Writer & Editor
18. Raktim Ganguly, PIPFPD, W.B.
19. Vidyanand Jha, PIPFPD W.B. & Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
20. Partha Chatterjee, Honorary Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta
21. Amiya Dev, Former Professor of Jadavpur University & Former Vice-Chancellor of Vidyasagar University
22. Amiya Bagchi, Emeritus Professor, Institute of Development Studies Kolkata and Adjunct Professor, Monash University
23. Subhendu Dasgupta, Former Professor, Calcutta University
24. Keya Dasgupta, Former Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Kolkata
25. Sibaji Bandyopadhyay, Former Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Kolkata
26. Aniruddha Deb, Consultant Psychiatrist
27. Antara Dev Sen, Editor, The Little Magazine
28. Santosh Rana, Writer, Activist
29. Dipak Piplai, Social Researcher
30. Anuradha Kapoor, Director Swayam
31. Samudra Dutta, Editor, Sramajeebee Bhasa Patrika
32. Anchita Ghatak, Secretary, Parichiti- A Society for Empowerment of Women
33. Madhura Chakraborty, Researcher and Activist, Video Volunteers
34. Aditi Roy Ghatak, Journalist
35. Moinak Biswas, Professor, Jadavpur University
36. Nilanjana Gupta, Professor, Jadavpur University
37. Mallarika Sinha Roy, Asst. Professor, JNU
38. Baidik Bhattacharya, Asst. Professor, University of Delhi
39. Samita Sen, School of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University
40. Soma Roy Karmakar
41. Trina Banerjee, Asst Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Kolkata
42. Samantak Das, Professor, Jadavpur University
43. Parthasarathi Bhaumik, Asst.Professor, Jadavpur University
44. Abhijit Roy, Professor, Jadavpur University
45. Kalyani Chaudhuri, Former IAS Officer
46. Sarmistha Dutta Gupta, independent researcher, writer and hon. secretary Ebong Alap
47. Sanjib Mukhopadhyay, PIPFPD, WB & Medical Practitioner, Kolkata
48. Mritiunjoy Mohanty, Professor Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
49. Kirity Roy, director MASUM and PACTI
50. Dolon Ganguly, Azad Foundation
51. Madhuchhanda Karlekar, Founder- member of Sachetana, Women’s advocacy group
52. Ratnabili Ray, Anjali
53. Sipra Mukherjee, Professor, department of English, WB  State University
54. Nisha Biswas, Activist, Women Against Sexual Violence
55. Ruchira Goswami, National University of Juridical Sciences and Nari Nirjatan Pratirodh Mancha
56. Shampa Sengupta, Disability & Gender Rights Activist, Kolkat
57. Sutanuka Ghosh, Assistant Professor, Jadavpur University.
58. Srabani Sarkar Neogi, South Kolkata Hamari Muskan
59. Sudeshna Banerjee, Independent Researcher, editor and publisher
60. Rimple Mehta, Assistant Professor, school of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University
61. Anuradha Bose PhD retd. Academic
62. Debolina Dasgupta. Teacher (retd)
63. Achin Chakraborty, Director, Institute of Development Studies Kolkata
64. Saswati Ghosh, WSS, West Bengal
65. Meher Engineer, Independent Scientist and Education Worker
66. Biswajit Roy, Journalist
67. Soma Marik, Associate Professor, RKSM Vivekananda Vidyabhavan
68. Kunal Chattopadhyay, Professor, Jadavpur University
69. Amitadyuti Kumar, Rights Activist
70. Manas Bhattacharya, formerly of The Telegraph
71. Mandira Sen, Director, Stree Samya
72. Sujato Bhadra, Rights Activist
73. Sabyasachi Deb, Poet
74. Ishita Chakraborty, Assoc. Professor, Vidyasagar College & Writer
75. Sitangsu Sekhar, Activist
76. Sangram Banerjee, Activist
77. Partha Banerjee, Activist
78. Pranab Nayak, Editor-Ikshan
79. Pritha Chatterjee, Singer & Activist
80. Nirmalya Banerjee, Film Director
81. Bolan Gangopadhyaya, Writer & Activist
82. Promod Gupta, Documentary Film Director
83. Prasip Das, Researcher
84. Raghabendra Chattopadhyay, Former Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

*Issued by Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD), West Bengal Chapter. Contact: Prabir Sinha Roy, Secretary, Phone: 983112338.