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.

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