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PPI on 08/02/2010 15:26:00
New Delhi, More than a dozen NGOs from India in association with their Pakistani
counterparts are planning a march in May next to promote peace and harmony in
the region.
Feroze Mithiborwala President of Awami Bharat said march combination of a
Rath-cum-Padyatra would begin from Mumbai and follow route from Dahanu,
(Maharashtra), Surat, Baroda, Ahmedabad, Mehsana (Gujarat), Udaipur,
Chittorgarh, Ajmer, Jaipur (Rajasthan), Agra, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Delhi,
Panipat (Haryana), Chandigargh (Haryana-Punjab), Ludhiana, Amristsar (Punjab),
Wagah (India-Pakistan border) before entering Pakistan and culminating in
Karachi. It is expected to travel over 2000 kilometers in India and around 1000
kilometers in Pakistan by May 31, 2010.
Saying consensus is building for India and Pakistan peace and vast majority of
people in both countries are in its favour, Feroze said at time when both
governments are now having talks, ``we would only be adding to creating larger
space within people of two countries, as well as powers that be." Titled as
India-Pakistan pilgrimage for peace and harmony, march has been borrowed from
Mahatma Gandhi's Salt Satyagraha launched during British rule in the
subcontinent.
"Considering religio-cultural history of South Asia, that has deep devotion to
Sufi & Bhakti Saints & for where Pilgrimages, either to Amarnath or Ajmer, are a
holy & spiritually purifying act, we chose name for our peace march", added
Feroze."Throughout course of our journey for peace, we would appeal to people to
contribute a Mutthi bhar mitti - fist full of soil, that would then be collected
from every city, town & village along the way. By this, people would feel that
they are part of larger process of peace & unity", he said.
Noting Peepal is tree under which Buddha received his enlightenment and South
Asia currently needs dose of same kind of enlightenment, he said, "We will also
carry saplings – preferably Peepal from each of these places & plant them in
GARDEN OF PEACE that we will create along with a PILLAR OF PEACE or
Bharat-Pakistan Shanti Stambh. This could then be made in all cities towns &
villages across the two countries. We do need lot of emotional markers on our
cultural landscape - We will create same with soil of two countries."
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
India, Pakistan NGOs plan march in May to promote peace, harmony
Monday, February 8, 2010
The audacity of Afghan peace hopes
M.K. Bhadrakumar:
to read click below:
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2010020455060800.htm&date=2010/02/04/&prd=th&
Thursday, February 4, 2010
think.........
“Understand that all battles are waged on an unconscious level before they are begun on the conscious one, and this battle is no different. The power structure wishes us to believe that the only options available are those which they present to us, we know this is simply not true, and therefore we must redefine the terrain of this conflict, and clearly, it is a conflict of worldviews and agendas.”
“Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power”
Remembering Howard Zinn
Remembering Howard Zinn
You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train
Howard Zinn, US historian and activist, dies aged 87
By Alison Flood
follow the link:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article24523.htm
Second Anuradha Ghandy Memorial Lecture
The Anuradha Ghandy Memorial Committee cordially invites you to attend the Second Anuradha Ghandy Memorial lecture.
Topic: Will the US Meet Its Waterloo in Afghanistan and Iraq?
Speaker: Jan Myrdal
Date: 6th February 2010
Time: 4.30 PM
Venue: Multi-Media Room, St Xavier’s College, 5 Mahapalika Marg, Mumbai, 400001
Introduction to the Speaker:
The Swedish radical left author, writer and columnist, Jan Myrdal, the son of Nobel laureates Alva and Gunnar Myrdal, and a central figure in the protest movement against the Vietnam War, has penned more than 30 books, among which are Confessions of a Disloyal European (1968) and India Waits (1986). He is a prominent votary of the defence of civil liberties in the best traditions of liberalism, a trenchant critic of US imperialism and Israeli colonial settlements in the Middle East, and a supporter of the Islamic resistance as an authentic representative of popular aspirations there.
Anuradha Ghandy (1954-2008) was a leading organizer and thinker of the revolutionary movement in India. Early on, she developed a sense of commitment to the poor; she joined them in their struggle for bread and roses, the fight for a richer and a fuller life for all. Tragically, cerebral malaria took her away in April 2008. The memorial lecture is instituted in her memory to celebrate the spirit that made her selflessly adopt the cause of the damned of the Indian earth—the exploited, the oppressed, and the dominated—as her own.
Anuradha Ghandy Memorial Committee,
Mumbai, 27th February 2010
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"After a war, the silencing of arms is not enough. Peace means respecting all rights. You can’t respect one of them and violate the others. When a society doesn’t respect the rights of its citizens, it undermines peace and leads it back to war.”
-- Maria Julia Hernandez
An Open Letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister
The Chief Minister
Maharashtra
Dear Mr Ashok Chavan,
Every society gives enough warning signals before turning totally anti democratic and fascist in nature. If we go back in history we will find that even in fascist Germany the first attack came on the freedom of expression of artists and intellectuals. It is very natural as the struggle for peace, democracy, secular thought, justice and communal harmony is waged by sensitive and creative people. The dream of an equal and just society has always been projected by either the mass movements of ordinary poor and marginalized people, secular political forces, human rights activists or has been portrayed by artists, poets, film makers, theatre directors etc. So those people whose agenda and preoccupation is to spread hatred and disharmony always attack the artists, activists, intellectuals and thinkers.
Unfortunately in the past we have ignored these danger signals and violent acts thus allowing the perpetrators of hate mongering not only to go scot free but also to further vitiate the atmosphere.
What has been happening in Maharashtra the past few months is absolutely shocking and is an attack on the democratic rights of the citizens of not only Maharashtra but all Indians.
I am writing to you as a member of the National Integration Council, Ministry of Home Affairs and I request you to immediately take steps to ensure that the goondaism unleashed by the Shiv Sena and MNS is stopped immediately.
I request you to ensure that Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan , whose effigies were burnt in Mumbai and especially Shahrukh Khan, who has received threats in the past few days, are given adequate security, that there is no disturbance when their films are released or screened in theaters. I request you to ensure that no taxi driver or auto rickshaw driver is harassed for not knowing or speaking Marathi (its good that you backtracked on January 20 from a similar unconstitutional stand on the question of issuing licenses to the taxi drivers) and that their constitutional and democratic rights of working or living in any part of India are not violated by Shiv Sena hoodlums on the roads.
The kind of filthy language which is being used and threats which are being issued against the senior leaders of your own party are absolutely unacceptable and need to be condemned strongly.
I request you to urgently arrest and prosecute those who are behind the recent incidents.
Sincerely yours
Shabnam Hashmi
Member, National Integration Council, MHA
CC Home Minister, GOVT of India
