ACHA Peace Bulletin 01.02.02– Page #
ACHA PEACE BULLETIN http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ACHAPeaceBulletin
A publication of Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (ACHA) www.asiapeace.org
Editors: Pritam K. Rohila & Azam Saeed
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ACHA PEACE BULLETIN (Volume IV, No. 1, January 02.2002 (Next issue, February 06.2002)
CONTENTS
Why Hope?
Petition To Pakistan’s President & India’s Prime Minister
Peace & Harmony News
Peace & Harmony Organizations
Joint Action Committee for People Rights, Lahore, Pakistan
SANSAD & INSAF, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Citizen’s Peace Committee, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
SAHMAT, New Delhi, India
Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP)
People for Peace, New Delhi, India
Citizens for Peace, Karachi, Pakistan
EKTA (Committee for Communal Amity), Mumbai, India
The Citizens' Peace Committee, Islamabad, Pakistan
Feature
The India-Pakistan NUCLEAR War, By Col. Brian Cloughley, Worldpress Despatch
Announcements
February 1, 2002 Juried Exhibition By South Asian Visual Arts Collective
Books, Journals, Videos
India And Pakistan Under A Nuclear Shadow
Teaching South Asia: An Internet Journal Of Pedagogy
Environment
Events
January 27 - February 3, 2002, India: Fifth Pani Yatra
February 7, 8 And 9, 2002, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India: International Conference On A Gandhian Alternative To Terrorism And War
Letters
We want Peace not war, Liaqat Ali & Associates
Any War Is Deplorable, Naeem Sadiq
A Way To Peace In South Asia, Satish Saberwal
Websites
India-Pak War Watch
South Asia Terrorism Portal
Women
REPORTS & ANALYSES
(For a copy send a blank email to pritamr@open.org with its subject as the UPPERCASE word in the article title. Please limit your request to 3 articles)
India
Making BUREAUCRACY Work, By Anil Agarwal
HISTORY as the Battleground, By Ram Puniyani
India-Pakistan Relationship
Blood BROTHERS: Now More Than Ever, India and Pakistan Must Remember All They Share, By Akbar Ahmed and Amit A. Pandya
BLOOD Brothers: Irreconcilable Differences Were There From the Start, By Dilip Hiro
Now Is the Time for India and Pakistan to Strike a BARGAIN, By Nayan Chanda
War-DRUMMERS at work, again, By Harish Khare
The LIMITS of power, By Admiral (retd) J G Nadkarni
This Is Not a TEST, By Nicholas D. Kristof
War must be avoided at all COSTS, By Tapan Kumar Bose
HOLY Or Unholy War, Who Will Decide , By Dr. Sakhawat Hussain Sandralvi
Hope That India, Pakistan Edging Back From BRINK, By Terry Friel and Raja Asghar
BANGLE And Bracelet Diplomacy, By Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal
In Kashmir SEQUEL, Seeking a New Ending, By Celia W. Dugger
With WRATH and Wire, India Builds a Great Wall, By Somini Sengupta
Fighting EMPTIES Indian Border Villages, By Somini Sengupta
With POMP and Jeers, India and Pakistan Shut Border, By Mark Landler
Religion
LIFE, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Islam, By Sage Stossel
How Islam LOST Its Way: Yesterday's Achievements Were Golden; Today, Reason Has Been Eclipsed, By Pervez Amir Ali Hoodbhoy
South Asia
FACE-Off in South Asia, The Washington Post
Is CONFEDERATION In South Asia Possible? By Asghar Ali Engineer
War on terrorism
Forgotten COMPUTER Reveals Thinking Behind Four Years of al Qaeda Doings, By Alan Cullison And Andrew Higgins
The REAL Roots of Terrorism, by Jack Beatty
Uneasy ALLY in Terror War Suddenly Feels More U.S. Pressure ,By John F. Burns
Connecting terrorism's DOTS, By Arnaud de Borchgrave
NORTH and South of Terrorism: Private Agendas of Ruling Powers in South Asia, Akhbar
LIVING in Terror, By S. P. Udayakumar
Terrorism and War EUPHORIA, By V.K.Tripathi
The New Delhi ORDER: Why can't India have a war on terrorism, too? By Anne Applebaum
Pakistan, India and the UNITED States, Strategic Forecasting LLC
India & Pakistan will fall into TRAP which terrorists always wanted, Sheriff Khan
Pakistan's ARREST of Militant Is 'Step Forward,' India Says, By Celia W. Dugger
Pakistan DETAINS Islamic Militants Arrests May Calm Tensions With India, By Craig Whitlock and Rajiv Chandrasekaran
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Why Hope? 9-11Peace.org Bulletin http://www.9-11peace.org/bulletin.php3
At one time it seemed that slavery had always been a part of human history and always would be. But through the courage, sacrifice, and hard work of thousands of people, slavery was abolished. Apartheid ended. The Berlin wall came down. In many countries, women were enfranchised.
Activism is contingent on a kind of tough optimism, a stubborn belief that our power is our own and that it is enough to change the world. In other words, activism and social change must be preceded by hope. This hope is necessary if we are ever to escape the cycles of violence between nations and create a lasting peace.
Hope is not always easy to come by. Despite our best efforts, governments wage war, conflicts rage on, and innocent people are killed. At least, this is often how it seems. As Jan Oberg writes in TFF's press info #139:
"Contrary to violence and war, non-violence and opportunities for reconciliation don't make it to the headlines. As a matter of fact, they don't make it to the media at all. Destructive news furthers pessimism and the feeling of powerlessness. Constructive or good news furthers the opposite and signals that peace may, in spite of all, be possible. [T]hose in power, as well as power-loyal media, naturally prefer the former rather than the latter."
This week we are devoting ourselves to the good news. There ARE positive signs that efforts for peace worldwide are working and growing. Below are our favorites, but because
these initiatives rarely draw attention to themselves, there are thousands more that we haven't heard of. In the New Year, it is our hope that we can build on these successes. The customary season's greeting is too appropriate to pass up: Let there be Peace on Earth, and Goodwill toward All.
PETITION TO PAKISTAN’S PRESIDENT & INDIA’S PRIME MINISTER
*Give Peace a Chance: A Petition by AsiaPeace (ACHA’s Discussion Group) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsiaPeace
28 December 2001
To
General Pervez Musharraf, President and Chief Executive of Pakistan
&
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India
Dear Sirs,
The 13 December dastardly attack on the Indian Parliament, which claimed more than a dozen lives, including that of the five perpetrators, has rudely reminded the world that terrorism continues to flout all norms of civilized behaviour and is a threat to regional and world peace. No effort should be spared to trace out the culprits and bring them to justice.
The Indian Government alleges that the terrorists were members of two Pakistan-based militant jihadi groups, the Jaish-e-Muhammad and the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. It has also been suggested that the Government of Pakistan was in the know about plans to attack the Indian Parliament. On the other hand, the Government of Pakistan has condemned the attacks and promised fully to co-operate in any investigation aiming to capture the culprits and bringing them to justice. General Musharraf has taken steps to curb the activities of those two above-mentioned groups. However, Pakistan has also alleged that the attack was masterminded by the Indian intelligence agencies with a view to giving Pakistan a bad name and reputation in front of the world community.
As usual, India and Pakistan have taken up belligerent stands threatening to inflict death and destruction upon each other rather than working together as good neighbours to sort out the complications which have arisen as a result of this latest outrage. Troops have been amassed on both sides of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control in Kashmir, nuclear missiles have been mounted and both sides seem to be inching towards a major armed confrontation that is likely to include an exchange of nuclear strikes.
It is our plea to both governments not to act irresponsibly and plunge South Asia into a war which neither side can win. On the contrary it is likely to render South Asia into an uninhabitable desert filled with radioactive sands and winds that will erase all signs of life and civilization in that region and beyond.
We, therefore, urge the two governments to consider all peaceful means of resolving the latest crisis. If India has strong evidence to support its charges it should consider the Pakistani offer to co-operate in the investigation of that crime. If it can prove that the Pakistani intelligence agencies were somehow involved in that act of terrorism it should provide such evidence to the world. It can also try to seek redress through relevant United Nations agencies. Even the Security Council can be approached for action. On the other hand, Pakistan should once and forever do everything in its power to weed out the militant networks and organizations that have for years been terrorizing its own citizens and those across the border. It should by now dawn upon all Pakistanis that the Kashmir Dispute can only be resolved through dialogue with India. The Lahore Declaration (February 1999) and Agra Summit (July 2001) were steps in the right direction. It should be followed by similar initiatives immediately so that the basis of a lasting peace can be laid in South Asia.
I am submitting this statement (collected via email in only 24 hours) on behalf of 50 members and friends of Asiapeace, which is a world-wide network of concerned individuals dedicated to working in the interest of peace, democracy, human rights, justice and enlightened humanism in
South Asia.
Sincerely,
1.
Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed
Moderator and Co-Chair, Asiapeace
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, Tel: work: 00 46 8 16 26 24, Ishtiaq.Ahmed@statsvet.su.se
2.
Pritam K. Rohila, Founder and Co-Chair, Asiapeace
Retired Psychologist, Portland,OR, USA.
Statement supported by:
3. Owais Hasin , (Member Asiapeace) architect, Pakistan
4. Prof. Asghar Ali Engineer, (Member Asiapeace) Mumbai, India
5. Parwez Wahid, (Member Asiapeace), USA.
6. Ikram Rabbani Rana (Member Asiapeace), Former Minister of Health, Punjab, Pakistan.
7. Karamat K. Ghori, Former Pakistani Ambassador, Toronto, Canada
8. Prof. Sukhpal Singh, (Member Asiapeace), Ahmedabad, India
9. Prof. Tom Hart, Stockholm School of Asian Studies, Sweden
10. Prof. Ram Puniyani, (Member Asiapeace), EKTA, Committee for Communal Amity, Mumbai
11. Dr. Zafar Iqbal, (Member Asiapeace), Washington, USA
12. Prashanth K.A. (Member Asiapeace),Asst.Director,CISRS, Mumbai-400008.
13. Mustafa Hussain, (Member Asiapeace), Copenhagen, Denmark
14. J. Sri Raman, India.
15. Prof. Mubarak Ali, (Member Asiapeace), Lahore, Pakistan.
16. Sukla Sen, (Member Asiapeace) Human Rights Activist, Mumbai, India
17. Dr. Ajay K Mehra (member Asiapeace), Delhi, India
18. Rafiq Mangi [Development Professional], Pakistan
19. Harsh Kapoor (Asian Citizens Website), France
20. Prof. Maneesha Tikekar, (Member Asiapeace), Mumbai, India
21. Dr Manzur Ejaz, (Member Asiapeace), Washington D.C, USA
22. Ameek Ponda, (Member Asiapeace), USA
23. Prof. Kamal Chenoy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
24. Renu Madan, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02238, USA
25. Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, Editor, The Milli Gazette, New Delhi
26. Kripa Sunder, USA
27. Dr. Ambrose Pinto s.j., Principal, St. Joseph`s College, Bangalore, India
28. Sharmila Gopinathan,(Member Asiapeace) Boston, USA.
29. Lalita Ramdas,(Member Asiapeace) India
30. Prof I.K.Shukla,(Member Asiapeace) Co-founder:Coalition for an Egalitarian & Pluralist India
31. Syed M. Shahed (Member Asiapeace), USA
32. Asha R. Shahed, (Member Asiapeace), USA
33. Robin Khundkar, (Member Asiapeace), USA
34. Syeda Khundkar, USA
35. Imran Khundkar, USA
36. Prof. Ahmad Faruqui, Fellow, American Institute of International Studies, USA
37. Prof. Bilal Hashmi,Western Washington University, USA
38. R. Arul, Chennai, India
39. Prof. Qamar-ul Huda Boston College, USA
40. Fr. Cedric Prakash s.j. (Member Asiapeace) Ahmedabad, India.
41. Prof. Neera Chandhoke, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
42. Gulzar Ahmad, (Member Asiapeace), USA
43. Meliha Ahmed, Sollentuna, Sweden
44. Sahir Ahmed, Sollentuna, Sweden
45. Ahmed Faqih, Urdu and Punjabi Poet, Norrviken, Sweden
46. Zubair Ghazi, (Member Asiapeace) Manchester, UK
47. Prof. Dr Anis Alam, Punjab University, Physics Department, Lahore, Pakistan
48. Dr. Mohammad Tanveer, Journalists Resource Centre, Lahore, Pakistan
49. Jaspal Singh Sidhu, Journalist, UNI, New Delhi, India.
50. A. Shakoor Rana, SAF-PAK, LAHORE, Pakistan
PEACE & HARMONY NEWS
It was a huge anti-war rally in Delhi on November 9, 2001. More than 40 thousand peasants, workers, intellectuals, students, artists and others marched on the streets of Delhi raising slogans against imperialism, WTO, communalism, religious intolerance and naked aggression of Afghanistan. The rallyist had come from almost all parts of India and the whole city came to
a standstill. The rally was organized by CPI-ML. Shamsul Islam shamsul@bol.net.in
NSCN-K offers ceasefire to rivals: PTI
Fed up with the constant violence, Nagas have been calling on the various militant groups in the state to cease hostilities. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/18naga.htm
LTTE declares month-long ceasefire http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/19ltte1.htm
Lankan govt welcomes LTTE ceasefire offer: PTI
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/20lanka.htm
India welcomes LTTE ceasefire
The external affairs ministry hoped this would mark the beginning of a process that would restore peace in the island nation. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/20lanka2.htm
Lankan govt agrees to truce with LTTE: PTI http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/21lanka.htm
Hoho urges rebels, Naga tribes to make peace
But there was no representative from the NSCN-IM, the biggest rebel group, at the meeting of the supreme council of Naga tribes. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/21naga.htm
Lanka's prime minister arrives
Ranil Wickremesinghe, accompanied by Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando, is in India on a three-day visit. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/22lanka.htm
Pakistan freezes assets of LeT http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/24pak3.htm
India offers help to resolve Sri Lankan crisis
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also agreed to give a boost to bilateral trade. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/24sri.htm
India, neighbours in pact for free trade area http://www.rediff.com/money/2001/dec/24trade.htm
Pak renews offer of Vajpayee-Musharraf meet
'We have no hesitation. We have always stood for dialogue and meetings,'a foreign office spokesman in Islamabad said. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/27pak4.htm
Pakistan rules out nuclear war with India
Nuclear weapons are 'deterrents' and not meant to be more than that, defence spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi said. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/27pak3.htm
Congress warns govt against war with Pak
'War is a serious business... one has to go to war only when one can't help it. One should not talk lightly of going to war', senior Congress leader Dr Manmohan Singh said.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/27cong.htm
Lashkar and Jaish illegal outfits: Pak
Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said the country had to focus on the mushrooming growth of 'private armies', whose ideology and existence was unacceptable to his government.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/27parl.htm
Sri Lanka formally invites Norway to revive peace efforts: PTI
The government is also awaiting a response from the International Committee of the Red Cross on a request to carry messages between the government and the LTTE.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/27lanka.htm
We don't want war with India: Pakistan
Speaking to BBC, Pakistan High Commissioner in London Abdul Qadir Jaffer said relations between India and Pakistan were now at the lowest ebb.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/26pak3.htm
29 left-wing ultras surrender in AP
Director General of Police H J Dora said that the surrendered extremists, including five women, had been part of the banned People's War Group of Naxalites.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/26ap.htm
Sri Lanka asks Norway to revive peace talks
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also announced the lifting of economic embargo in rebel-held areas in the northeast by January 15.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/26sri.htm
OIC urges India, Pak to show restraint
'Resorting to the use of force will never resolve the problems, but would rather aggravate hostility,' a statement from the Islamic body said.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/28oic.htm
India will do utmost to avoid war: Vajpayee http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/29bjp1.htm
No immediate plans to ban Pakistan TV: Government
Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj said while the Centre had the powers to ban any TV channel, it did not want to be arbitrary.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/29ptv.htm
Pak asks India for air passage for Musharraf
India on Friday had said it would allow Pakistan President to overfly India to reach Kathmandu for the SAARC summit. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/29pak.htm
Pakistan arrests former chief of LeT
Hafiz Mohammed Saeed was held for making inflammatory speeches.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/31pak1.htm
India welcomes Pak action against LeT, JeM
Jaswant Singh said India would, however, insist on elimination of cross-border terrorism in Kashmir. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/31tara.htm
Indo-Pak foreign secretaries interact at SAARC meet
'They were talking and joking, not fighting as you would like to believe', SAARC spokesman Pushkar Rajbhandhari told reporters in Kathmandu.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/31parl3.htm
I cannot see the dignity
'The profoundest truth about war is that it dehumanises us. It turns everything we know and cherish about ourselves, our notions of civility and civilisation, into so much blood-spattered tripe,' says Dilip D'Souza http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/31dilip.htm
Pakistan has shut ISI's Kashmir wing: report
'The New York Times', quoting intelligence sources, said Pakistan would, however, continue to back groups with 'roots in Kashmir' like the Hizbul Mujahideen.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jan/02isi.htm
Pak may extradite terrorists under SAARC convention
Pak Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said India will have to make a case against each accused in its own courts and provide evidence in support of its case.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jan/02saarc1.htm
Serving Rajasthan cops can now grow beards
The new government order is aimed at Muslims, an official spokesman said.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jan/02rajas.htm
Pak hands over 85 Al Qaeda fighters to US
Pakistan newspaper Ausaf reported that the captured Al Qaeda fighters were blindfolded and handed over the US commandos at Kohat airbase.
http://www.rediff.com/us/2002/jan/02ny1.htm
PEACE & HARMONY ORGANIZATIONS
*Joint Action Committee for People Rights, Lahore, Pakistan (December 31report from Lahore by I. H. Rashid, Via AsiaPeace)
A peace rally was organised on December 31 at Lahore Press Club by various human rights and professional organisations, trade unions, lawyers, writers, political workers and intellectuals. Led by Asma Jehangir, they left the Press Club at 3:15pm in buses, wagons and cars for Wagah border check-post to conduct a peaceful demonstration. When they reached the check-post, a large number of people were already present to watch the usual daily flag-lowering ceremony ceremony by the guards of both Pakistan and India before sunset.
As the rally crossed the main gate, raising slogans against war and for peace, the commanding officer at the Wagah checkpost, Faisal Ghauri of the Pakistan Rangers, ordered the guards to
stop the rally from proceeding to their destination. The white peace flags, banners, posters, placards, which contained the slogans against war and terrorism were snatched from the participants and torn into pieces. The guards forcibly drove back the processionists beyond the main gate, hurling invectives and baton-charging the participants, not sparing even the women.
Some of the women were caught by neck and thrown on the ground while lawyers wearing black suit and journalists holding their notebooks were also hit.
*SANSAD (South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy, and INSAF(International South Asia Forum), Vancouver, BC, Canada, Via Hari Sharma, President, INSAF, (604) 420-2972
A Public Rally was held in Vancouver, B.C., on the morning of Saturday, December 29. People came from all over the city of Vancouver as well as many suburban communities: Burnaby, Delta, Richmond, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Surrey, Coquitlam. While most of the people were from Punjab (India) and Pakistan, there were also people from many other parts of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Middle-east, the Philippines, and also from the Anti-War, Anti-Racism Movement of Vancouver.
Concerned with menacing war clouds over India-Pakistan border, approximately two hundred people assembled at the steps of the Art Gallery in downtown Vancouver. They carried banners and placards with slogans like: "War is not the Answer", "No More Wars between India and Pakistan", "India-Pakistan CAN be Friends". "Make Friends - Not Enemies", "India: do not do a 'Bush in Afghanistan' or 'an Israel in Palestine' ". A few little children came with a banner of their own: "Not Bombs, We Want Food, Books, Good Health".
Sixteen people spoke at the Rally - echoing the messages of the slogans on the banners and the placards. Again and again it was reiterated that all the previous wars between India and Pakistan have not solved any of the outstanding issues of discord between the two countries. In fact, the basic issues of the masses - grinding poverty, hunger, housing, education, health, gender and caste based oppression - have remained unresolved, while vital and scarce resources are wastefully deployed in militarization.
At the end, the Rally unanimously adopted a resolution to be delivered to the authorities in India and Pakistan, and to the international community.
The Resolution:
Recognizing that the December 13 assault on India's parliament building was an utterly deplorable and condemnable act;
And recognizing also that the Indian government should not have shunned the various options that were available to it, instead of arbitrarily creating a war-like hysteria,
We the people assembled at the steps of Vancouver Art Gallery on December 29, 2001
o Urge that the governments of India and Pakistan immediately pull back their armed forces to the position that existed on or before December 13, 2001;
o Urge immediate restoration of normal diplomatic relations between the two countries that were cut down by India's initiative;
o Urge immediate restoration of the Bus and Train services across the Indo-Pak border, arbitrarily stopped by the Indian government;
o Urge the immediate re-opening of airspace to the civilian flights of the two countries, which was closed down by India's initiative;
o Urge that steps be immediately taken to peacefully negotiate the outstanding issues of dispute;
o Request that the Canadian Government use all available influences to bring normalcy at the borders of India and Pakistan.
Organized by INSAF and SANSAD, the Rally of December 29, 2001 had the support of Canada Urdu Association, Council of Muslim Community of Canada, India-Pakistan Friendship Society
Pakistan-Canada Association, Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS), Punjabi Vichar Manch, Shree Guru Ravidas Sabha, South Asian Cultural Association
*Citizen’s Peace Committee, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (via Aasim Sajjad Akhtar" <aasim@sdpi.org)
Citizen’s Peace Committee, Rawalpindi, & Islamabad is organizing a peace rally at 3:00 p.m., on Saturday, December 29, 2001, at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi to :
1.
Call for both Pakistani & Indian governments to show restraint an dresume dialogue for peace;
2.
Demand that extremist groups within Pakistan be disarmed and disbanded; and
3.
Demand that human rights violations by Indian forces in Kashmir be stopped and the Kashmiri right to self-determination be granted.
*SAHMAT, New Delhi, India
SAHMAT will start the New Year on January 1 with a gathering of concerned citizens to protest against the ongoing campaign that forebodes an outbreak of war, on Safdar Hashmi Marg at 2:30 p.m., according to a December 30 report in the Hindu by Shabnam Hashmi. The program will include a street play, recital of anti-war poetry, a theatre and dance performance and a poster based on Ashoka's edicts. Computers would also be installed at the site to enable people to access material regarding terrorism and war on the net.
For the past 12 years, the first day of the year has been marked by similar gatherings to pay homage to Safdar Hashmi who was attacked and killed during a theatre performance on January 1, 1989.
*Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), Via Achin Vanaik
The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP) calls on the Indian government to exercise the maximum restraint in the wake of the deplorable December 13 attacks on Parliament, the symbol of our democracy. While every effort must be made to trace those responsible and to bring them to justice through due process of law, there is no warrant whatsoever to carry out military actions across the border against Pakistan. Acts of war carried out officially by armies and states are not a justified or sober response to acts of terrorism carried out by individuals or groups. Such a reaction only pits nations and peoples against one another when the need today is to avoid precisely such escalation of tensions and hostilities in South Asia, especially after the unjustified US assault on Afghanistan. In a situation where both countries possess nuclear weapons such military escalation is fraught with unacceptable risks.
The CNDP also expresses its deep dismay at the Indian government's silence regarding the US announcement of a six-month notice period after which it will withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty. Such US action will guarantee the advent of a new and more dangerous nuclear and conventional arms race since it aims to give the US an ever-expanding 'advantage' over its nuclear rivals, as well as future military dominance over space itself. The longer the Indian government remains silent the more suspicion there will be that New Delhi might rescind its previous support to the ABM Treaty, thereby suggesting a willingness to sacrifice both principle and prudence in order to appease Washington.
*People for Peace, New Delhi, India, Via John Dayal
People for Peace, a Delhi group, held peace meetings and human chains at India gate on Christmas day and are following it up with a public meeting in New Delhi on 2nd January 2001. They have issued the following Statement and is sending it to prime ministers and peace activists in both India and Pakistan.
We are alarmed and immensely saddened at the disturbing developments following the deplorable December 13 terrorist attack on Parliament House in Delhi, which has triggered a dangerous round of India-Pakistan hostility. The two governments have become increasingly belligerent.
There is a fearsome military build-up on the border, reportedly including deployment of nuclear-capable missiles. This bears no logical relationship to the stated objective of countering terrorism, or bringing the culprits of December 13 to book.
It is imperative to immediately cool the fevered hostility and defuse the eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation. India must forthwith reverse the harsh diplomatic measures imposed on Pakistan. Pakistan must reciprocate. Breaking communication links, and severely downgrading diplomatic missions, can only impose hardship upon citizens of both countries and further vitiate today's climate, without encouraging a cooperative response from either government.
Nobody has a greater stake in fighting the scourge of terrorism than the citizens of India and Pakistan. State-sponsored and militant-group terrorism have both taken a huge toll of their life and liberty. However, wars, driven by devious or jingoistic agendas, cannot combat terrorism. Nor can draconian measures to crush freedom.
As the centre of the confrontation is Kashmir, the problem cries out for a peaceful, non-sectarian, democratic resolution through consultation with its people.
South Asia stands at a historic crossroads. If sanity and wisdom prevail, we could begin a new humane era of cooperation, peace and prosperity. Or else, over one billion people will become hostage to unending enmity and destruction, even a nuclear holocaust. We appeal to leaders of Pakistan and India to pull back from disaster's brink.
*Citizens for Peace, Karachi, Pakistan, Via Beena Sarwar
Alarmed at the escalation of tension between India and Pakistan, ordinary citizens of Karachi plan to assemble at the Press Club here on Monday the 31st December 2001 at 5.30 pm to express their concern at this tension and urge restraint by the governments of both countries.
The initiative has been taken by peace loving citizens in Karachi, who met recently at a private residence to voice their feelings on the subject of growing militancy and tension between the two neighbours, India and Pakistan. They decided to provide a platform for individuals, NGOs, labour and human right organisations under the banner of 'CITIZENS FOR PEACE'.
Citizens for Peace welcome the participation at the rally of any and everybody who agrees on the following one-point agenda:
WE URGE INDIA AND PAKISTAN TO EXERCISE REASON AND RESTRAINT, REDUCE TENSION AT THE BORDERS AND SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS THROUGH PEACEFUL DIALOGUE.
This rally, participated in by individuals as well as various rights groups, is planned as the first of various 'peace actions'; follow up actions discussed include similar rallies at different venues of the city and 'teach-ins' on the issue of war and peace.
Those attending the Dec 31st rally are requested to wear white (or some item of white clothing) and bring a white candle. Many participants are also planning to bring white flags, white balloons and white cardboard doves for display, but there will be no banners other than relating to the one point agenda agreed on. A signature campaign for peace will be initiated along the lines of the 'Cloth banner campaign' undertaken in Lahore and Islamabad to protest the nuclearisation of South Asia.
December 31, the last day of the year 2001, will see peace rallies in Lahore and Mumbai also. In Mumbai, various groups are meeting under the banner of 'People for Peace' to call for an end to the war hysteria in India and for peace. In Lahore, members of the Joint Action Committee, an umbrella organization of some 30 groups, are meeting at the Lahore Press Club on December 31, and then proceeding with white flags to the Wagah border where they will light torches for peace. Concerned citizens in Citizens in Islamabad have also rallied for this cause.
Another peace rally is planned on Jan 1st at the Press Club at 3.00 p.m. by the Action Committee for Civic Problems, which has called for the participation of all sections of society, particularly political parties.
Meanwhile, a peace delegation from India to Pakistan has been forced to cancel its proposed visit due to the cessation of air, road and rail links between the two countries.
*EKTA (Committee for Communal Amity), Mumbai, India, Via R.R.Punyani bmrrpia@cc.iitb.ac.in
We want Peace and Prosperity NOT War and destruction.
The attack by terrorists on the Parliament has come as a severe jolt to us. We have been witnessing the destructive acts of militants, many of whom are inspired by Pakistan, in Kashmir from last two decades. How can this terrorism controlled and eradicated? There is a talk to cross the border and destroy the terrorist camps. Also there is a talk to wage a war against Pakistan a la America against Afghanistan or Israel against Palestine. Is war the correct option for us?
We are aware that US actions cannot be emulated by country like us. To begin with Pakistan is a Nuclear Nation state backed by US. It has been doing mischief and has acted as the trainer of the terrorist with tacit support from US. Israel again has been able to get away with its aggressions due to the unconditional backing from US. Tactically to wage a war against a Nuclear weapon state is not the same as waging a war against the destitute Nation like Afghanistan or against helpless Palestinians.
Waging a war in this region will definitely invite US intervention. Already through its war against Iraq and now against Afghanistan US has a heavy military presence in the region. India's war against Pakistan will further strengthen the US influence here. Apart from the heavy loss of life and property we will be inviting direct US intervention in our country, which will be detrimental to our interests both in the short and long run. A war in the region can as well lead to Nuclear Holocaust, which will put us back by decades.
So what is the solution to the problem of terrorism? We can operate at three levels. One, strengthen our Intelligence and security network. Second we need to win over the hearts and minds of people of Kashmir by strengthening the democratic process there. At the same time we have to launch a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan. World has seen its role and surely our diplomacy will be able to win over the world opinion for us. And lastly we should put all the pressure on Pakistan, directly and through US to come to negotiating table and to stop sponsoring terrorism.
We do need to eliminate terrorism, we do need to strive all the ways to root out this menace by all the means except war, which will be counterproductive and will be harmful to our own self.
*We call for dialogue and diplomatic offensive.
*We call for UN intervention to restrain the Pak inspired terrorism.
*We call for stoppage of the war hysteria.
*Peace has no alternative.
*War is no solution; it will worsen the problems in the region.
EKTA is planning to have a demonstration, at 4:30 p.m., at Churchgate, Mumbai on December 31.
*The Citizens' Peace Committee, of Islamabad, Pakistan Via Nayyar ahnayyar@sat.net.pk
The Citizens' Peace Committee of Islamabad on Monday 24 December has suggested that in view of the mounting tensions between India and Pakistan, peace groups in the two countries should take joint steps to press for de-escalation, restraint, dialogue, firm action against terrorists, cessation of acts of state oppression and resolution of problems between the two neighbours.
It was suggested that peace groups in India and Pakistan jointly and simultaneously arrange New Year’s torch-bearing peace marches to the Atari-Wagah border from their respective sides on the 31st, and move as far as they are allowed to proceed. Then address each other’s rallies by mobile phones amplified by loudspeaker systems.
The CPC has also suggested to all the component peace groups of the Pakistan Peace Coalition to mark the 29th of December as a common day of action for peace between India and Pakistan, bringing out peace demonstrations in all the cities. The slogans should ask for restraint, a firm action against terrorist groups, and steps to avoid escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. It has also called for a national level consultation on the situation in Mid-January.
FEATURE
*The India-Pakistan NUCLEAR War, By Col. Brian Cloughley, Worldpress Despatch. Via AsiaPeace (ACHA’s Discussion Group) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsiaPeace
Dateline: Washington: The world was stunned today as nuclear devastation fell on the subcontinent. Enormous areas of Bombay, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Delhi were reduced to radioactive rubble in the early hours of this morning (1a.m. Washington time). Both Hyderabads have been obliterated, as have Sargodha, Bahawalpur and Jaipur by weapons that are thought to have had a yield of about 40 kilotons (the Hiroshima bomb was less than half that).
(For full text of this article presenting imaginary but very probable scenario involving a nuclear war between India and pakistan, send a blank email to pritamr@open.org with NUCLEAR as its subject).
ANNOUNCEMENTS
*February 1, 2002 is the deadline for submissions from members of the South Asian Visual Arts Collective (SAVAC) for a JURIED EXHIBITION being organized from April 25 to May 26, 2002 by the Living Arts Centre, Mississauga. Jurors Shelly Bahl, Sarindar Dhaliwal and Asma Arshad Mahmood will select work from submissions that best facilitate a rich and textured reading of the contemporary views of diasporic South Asian artists.
Submissions must include: Artist Exhibition CV, Artist bio (50 words), Artist statement, 5-10 slides of the work you intend to exhibit, Description of slides: title, medium, size, date, and any installation, requirements.
More info from SAVAC, 401 Richmond St. West, #450, Toronto, ON Canada M5V 3A8, Tel: 416.542-1661, Email: info@savac.net
BOOKS, JOURNALS, VIDEOS
*India and Pakistan under a Nuclear SHADOW: Report from a film screening by ISANW, The Hindu / Magazine, Dec 23, 2001. Via Harsh Kapoor <aiindex@mnet.fr>
Smell of black rain
`India and Pakistan under a Nuclear Shadow' is a film, which awakens one to the fact that just because the world has lived with the threat of nuclear war, it cannot live with it forever. Vasantha Surya takes a look. (For full text, send a blank email to pritamr@open.org with SHADOW as its subject.
*Teaching South Asia: An Internet Journal of Pedagogy (ISSN 1529-8558) is a unique on-line journal, published by Project South Asia, a digital library of teaching resources about South Asia for colleges and universities. Published semi-annually, this electronic journal features articles, written by teaching professors from around the world, addressing issues and problems of course and curriculum development relating to South Asia, from introductory courses in World History and International Studies, to upper division specialty courses in the field. Ddevoted exclusively to promoting the study and teaching of South Asia at the post-secondary level can be accessed at http://www.mssc.edu/projectsouthasia/TSA/index.htm. More info from Karl J. Schmidt, Editor, eaching South Asia, Director, Project South Asia, Associate Professor of History, Missouri Southern State College, Joplin, MO 64801-1595, USA PSA@mail.mssc.edu
ENVIRONMENT
Jailbirds make buck out of muck
The Tihar jail exemplifies how efficient waste management not only makes our surroundings clean, but also endows us with economic benefits. What is required is a little bit of conviction and hard work. http://www.cseindia.org/html/dte/dte20011231/dte_grass.htm
Eco Queez
So, you think you know everything about environment? We'll believe that if you manage to find your way through our Ecoqueez on air pollution!
http://www.cseindia.org/html/eyou/envedu/ecoquiz.htm
EVENTS
*January 27 - February 3, 2002, India: FIFTH PANI YATRA, being organized by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi. The yatra will offer participants “a unique opportunity to experience the dramatic impact of the community-based rainwater harvesting works initiated by people in Gujarat. More info from
http://www.cseindia.org/html/cmp/cmp43_invite20011217.htm
*February 7, 8 and 9, 2002, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON A GANDHIAN ALTERNATIVE TO TERRORISM AND WAR, a three-day dialogue cum demonstration is being sponsored by International Centre of Gandhian Studies & Research in association with other organizations, at Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, to facilitate dialogue for a world order without terrorism and war and foster diversity, nurture spirituality and morality, promote gender, social and economic equality, and examine the relevance of Shanti Sena (Peace Brigade) in the emerging world scenario. More info from Prof. N. Radhakrishnan, Director, Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti, Gandhi Darshan Complex, Rajghat,
New Delhi-2, India. Phone : 91-11-3319001, 91-11-3736267, Fax : 91-11-3011480 E-mail : mkgandhi@del2.vsnl.net.in : abhilashr@nestec.net
LETTERS
*We want Peace not war (Received via AsiaPeace, ACHA’s Discussion Group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsiaPeace)
It is alarming and disturbing that both India and Pakistan are set to start another senseless war. If this war starts, there would be no winner and no loser. Both the countries are poor, backward and under-developed and cannot sustain the economic cost of the war. We, the undersigned urge upon both the countries that they should immediately resume dialogue and negotiate all outstanding issues with openness and without any precondition. We also appeal the people of both the countries to come out against war and for peace and stop their rulers from this madness. We are:
C. R. Aslam
Dr. Aftab Anjum
Tariq Javed Advocate, Ex-Secretary Lahore Bar Association
Liaqat Ali Advocate, Director Legal Awareness Watch (LAW)
Farah Deeba , Member Lahore City District Council
Tariq Latif
Rehan Aslam Piracha
Mohammad Akbar, Member Lahore City District Counncil
Rizwana Yasmeen, General Secretary, Women Employees Welfare Association
Abdul Raoof Malik, Ex-President Pakistan-India peoples Forum Peace & Democracy
(Lahore chapter)
Mirza Zainulabideen, President, Citizen Development Forum
*Any war is deplorable, Naeem Sadiq <ns@super.net.pk
Any war is deplorable. It makes no sense for the two neighbors to fight each other. They have to understand the reality of time as well as geography. They both would be hurt in the bargain, perhaps irreparably.
Wars have their own dynamics. Once begun they are very difficult to steer. Thus the time to prevent a war is NOW. So the key question is what can we as people do to voice and influence this process.
Are there citizens and organisations in Pakistan who will clearly articulate the peace option and pressurise the government to fold up its back-yard militants, and formally agree to seek a solution that is chosen by Kasmiris themselves instead of insisting on a Paki Kashmir?
Also are there citizens and organisations in India who will equally and strongly pressurise their government to seek a peaceful solution of Kashmir and follow the policy of talks instead of tanks?
The current mood of the subcontinent at least on Paki and Indian TV is quite to the contrary. So let us work together and individually on this single point agenda. Let it not be said, we did not even try.
*A way to peace in South Asia, Satish Saberwal
I hear a great deal of talk of "peace" - both within India and in groups like "Asiapeace" (A discussion group set up by Association for Communal Harmony in Asia). At issue is not the kind of peace that, say, Buddha sought, but rather the more mundane absence of war. While the latter kind of peace is necessary, it can be no more than a holding operation while we grapple with the underlying causes. In today's world I see two faces to that question of war.
On one side is the West, Heir to the Enlightenment, rationality, etc. It also has insatiable appetite for the earth's oil, minerals, and other material resources; and it stands ready to wage war - overt or covert - to secure these resources for itself, and to advance its interests in other ways, always able to find "evil" on the other side - whether it is the Vietnamese, Libyans, Iraqis, Afghans, or whoever else.
On the other side are our societies. We are often short on the intellectual means with which to comprehend what's happening around us - and therefore we turn to the kinds of solutions promoted by the Osamas and the Bajrang Dals of the world, solutions alleged to be grounded in "faith", and to lie beyond critical scrutiny, solutions which make it that much more difficult to mobilise the intellectual means, in institutions, needed for understanding our world. Over the past couple of generations, India did assemble a (rather rickety) network of necessary institutions in the social sciences; but the present government is busy subverting them though it is more supportive of the physical and biological sciences.
In fact our societies need a good deal more than social science: we need good organising of politics, of bureaucracies, of schools and universities .... in sum, a purposeful re-structuring of our societies. What was needed got lost, in recent decades, in words like "modernisation" - which then was simplified to setting up industries, television, fast foods, and the like.
Peace is important. Yet our ability to pursue it in a sustained manner will depend on the kind of effort we are willing to make for reorganising our societies with a sense of direction, and for nurturing our capabilities for appraising the past, and the present, accurately and for thinking of and acting for the future open-endedly.
WEBSITES (Via South Asian Journalists Association http://www.saja.org)
*India-Pak War Watch http://www.gigaom.com/html/gigawar.html
South Asian Journalists Association SAJA co-founder Om Malik has set up a site about the Indo-Pak tension. Here's what the site says: India-Pak War Watch is an independent "weblog" run by Om Malik, a Senior Writer with Red Herring magazine and co-founder of the South Asian Journalists Association. Its purpose is to give readers access to diverse articles about the current tensions between India and Pakistan. It is not partisan to either India or Pakistan. Please submit your links to om@gigaom.com
*South Asia Terrorism Portal http://www.satp.org/
Here's what the site says: South Asia Terrorism Portal is a major platform for the projection of data, research, analysis and news on terrorism in South Asia, and provides critical new inputs for the counter-terrorism effort. SATP is the largest and most comprehensive Portal of its kind, and already contains approximately 5,500 pages of information. SATP is a project executed under the aegis of the Institute for Conflict Management, a registered non-profit society which seeks to focus on various problems and issues related to terrorism, insurgency, low intensity warfare and other sources of internal strife in South Asia.
WOMEN
With 50% of all reports filed in the National Human Rights Commission and also the largest share in crimes against women, Uttar Pradesh is going through a period of unacknowledged emergency. This has led to intensive thinking amongst partner organizations of the Women's Association for Mobilization and Action (WAMA). Hisaab (Hinsa Sahna Band or Stop Tolerating Violence), the campaign against violence against women, was launched in November 2000, by the WAMA network. http://www.indiatogether.org/women/violence/hisaab.htm
__COEXISTENCE NOTICEBOARD
Thursday, 10 January 2002
In This Issue:
COURSES:
Workshop - Community Peace Leaders Initiative: Gambia National Workshop
Course - Working with Conflict
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Call for Papers - Narrative, Trauma and Memory - Working through the Southern African Armed Conflicts of the 20th Century
Call For Papers - Forced Migration And Global Processes
Seeking US distributor - Pens for Peace
EVENTS:
Conference – International Association for Conflict Management
LIBRARY:
New Book - Census And Identity: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, And Language In National Censuses
New Book - Palestine/Israel: Peace or Apartheid
New Book - The Psychology of Nationalism
New Book - Signs of War and Peace: Social Conflict and the Public Use of Symbol in Northern Ireland
New Issue - The Global Review Of Ethnopolitics
COURSES
1. Workshop - Community Peace Leaders Initiative: Gambia National Workshop
The five-day training event aims to enable and strengthen the capacity of Gambian women's organizations working in Gambia, to effectively contribute to peacebuilding processes within the West African sub-region. Its objectives include: the provision of opportunities for the exchange of skills and experiences of conflict resolution at micro- meso- and macro- levels; the identification of best practices of women in peace promotion and assistance in developing a framework to strengthen these practices; the empowerment and promotion of Gambian women's organizations working in the area of peace and development. Alliances for Africa will provide each participant with: accommodation, food and training related transport during the entire period of the program and a modest per diem to cover additional costs.
Organization: Alliances for Africa (AfA) in Partnership with the Federation of African Women Peace Networks.
Dates: March 18-22, 2002
Location: The Gambia
Registration procedure: Contact organization for application form and more details.
Registration deadline: March 1, 2002
CONTACT: Abidemi Sanusi, Alliances for Africa, Unit 10, Aberdeen Centre, 24 Highbury Grove, London N5 2EA, UK.
T: 44-(0)20-7359 1181, F: 44-(0)20-7354 4900.
Email: Abidemi@alliancesforafrica.org, Website: www.alliancesforafrica.org
2. Course - Working with Conflict
This is an intensive, practical, and participatory course for practitioners working for peace and justice in situations of instability and conflict. The course is designed for people who: work or live in a situation of conflict; need time to assess and reflect on their situations and develop new strategies; want the opportunity to learn and develop their skills; want to draw on the experience of people working in similar situations. The course aims to help participants to: study a wide range of approaches for dealing creatively with conflict and promoting action for change; develop practical methods for increasing the effectiveness of their work and that of their organization, and for limiting damage caused by social dislocation, violence, and trauma; plan and organize more effectively.
Organization: Responding to Conflict (RTC).
Dates: April 22 – June 28, 2002
Location: Birmingham, United Kingdom
Registration procedure: Contact organization for registration material.
Registration deadline: As soon as possible
Cost: £4,810 (excluding travel costs)
CONTACT: Responding to Conflict, 1046 Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29 6LJ, United Kingdom.
T: 44-(0)121-415 5641, F: 44-(0)121-482 3243
Email: enquiries@respond.org, Website: www.responding.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Call for Papers - Narrative, Trauma and Memory - Working through the Southern African Armed Conflicts of the 20th Century
The organizers of this multi-disciplinary conference welcome contributions from various disciplines, such as Psychiatry, Psychology, Literature, History, Fine Arts and Music. The conference will focus on the following armed conflicts and their impact on Southern Africa: The Anglo-Boer (South African) War of 1899-1902, the First and Second World Wars, and the "Border Wars" and Liberation Struggle of 1960-1990. Papers on other conflicts of a violent nature may be considered, if they focus on the central theme of the conference which is, narratives (historical, autobiographical, literary, etc.) as a means of dealing with a traumatic past.
Organization: The University of Cape Town, Faculty of Humanities.
Dates: July 3-5, 2002
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Submission procedure: Contact organization
Submission deadline: Contact organization
CONTACT: Deborah McTeer, Conference Management Centre, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Observatory 7925, Cape Town South Africa.
T: 27-21-406 6348, F: 27-21-448 6263
Email: deborah@curie.uct.ac.za
2. Call For Papers - Forced Migration And Global Processes
The theme of this 8th Biannual International Conference is forced migration and global processes. The organizers welcome contributions from theoretical as well as empirical/applied perspectives, from academics, policy-makers and practitioners on the following sub-themes: forced migration and development; forced migration and human rights; and forced migration and security. Accepted individual paper proposals will be grouped into panels including three paper presenters, a chairperson, and a discussant. Also welcomed are papers and/or panels which deal with theoretical issues, as well as 'mixed' panel proposals (i.e. inter-disciplinary, and/or include both practitioners and academics, and/or cover more than one region of the globe). In addition, sessions on "ideas in progress" will take place.
Organization: The International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM) in cooperation with the Asian Research Centre for Migration, Chulalongkorn University.
Dates: January 5-9, 2003
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Submission procedure: Contact organization
Submission deadline: March 31, 2002
CONTACT: Secretary: Wolfgang Bosswick, Secretary, International Association for the Study of Forced Migration, European Forum for Migration Studies, University of Bamberg, Katharinenstr. 1, D-96052 Bamberg, Germany.
T: 49-951-9320 2013, F: 49-951-9320 2020
Email: wolfgang.bosswick@sowi.uni-bamberg.de, Website: www.iasfm.org
3. Seeking US distributor - Pens for Peace
Pens for Peace is a collection of forty-nine essays examining aspects of peace from a variety of different viewpoints. The essays tackle the subject of 'peace' bringing practical experience to bear from prominent political figures, peace-keepers and people involved in peace-building organizations. Contributions include essays from Senator George Mitchell, First Minister David Trimble and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. It is hoped that the publication will be a source of new ideas and a useful tool to stimulate debate, providing a snapshot of ideas and opinions on the notion of 'peace' at a specific point in time. The Irish Peace Institute is trying to identify distributors in the US that could help sell the book. All of the proceeds from the book will go towards the work of the Irish Peace Institute to promote cross-border co-operation between the peoples of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in hopes of peaceful reconciliation of conflict.
Organization: The Irish Peace Institute
CONTACT: Dr. Matt Cannon (Coexistence Network Partner), Irish Peace Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
T: 353-61-202 768, F: 353-61-202 572
Email: matthew.cannon@ul.ie, Website: www.ul.ie/ipi
EVENTS
Conference – International Association for Conflict Management
The International Association for Conflict Management (IACM) was founded to encourage scholars and practitioners to develop and disseminate theory, research, and experience that is useful for understanding and improving conflict management in family, organizational, societal, and international settings. This conference will feature symposia designed to help foster an inter-disciplinary approach to studying negotiation, conflict, and dispute resolution. In keeping with the open spirit of IACM, scholars and practitioners have been encouraged to submit a wide range of proposals including: papers, symposia, debates, roundtable discussions, workshops, exhibits, and other innovative session formats.
Organization: International Association for Conflict Management (IACM).
Registration procedure: Contact organization for registration form or register on-line.
Registration deadline: May 24th, 2002 (additional fee applies after this date)
Cost: $298 (member) $309 (non-member); after May 24th $309 (member) 329 (non-member). This fee is exclusive of accommodation; it includes meals, admission to all conference sessions, and copy of conference program.
CONTACT: Utah State University, Conference Services, IACM Conference, 5005 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-50005, USA.
T: 1-800-538 2663/1-435-797 0423, F: 1-435-797 0636
Email: IACM2002@msb.edu, Website: www.iacm-conflict.org
LIBRARY
1. New Book - Census And Identity: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, And Language In National Censuses
This book examines the ways that states have attempted to pigeon-hole the people within their boundaries into racial, ethnic, and language categories. The book reviews the history of these categorizing efforts by the state, and offers a theoretical context for examining them, illustrating the case with studies from a range of countries. Contributors include: David I. Kertzer, Dominique Arel, Melissa Nobles, Calvin Goldscheider, Alain Blum, Peter Uvin, and David Abramson.
Organization: Watson Institute, Brown University.
Editors: David I. Kertzer, Dominique Arel .
Details: ISBN #: 0521808235
CONTACT: In the US: Cambridge University Press, 110 Midland Avenue, Port Chester, NY 10573-4930, USA.
T: 1-914-937 9600, F: 1-914-937 4712
In the UK: Cambridge University Press, Edinburgh Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 2RU, United Kingdom.
T: 44-(0)1223-312 393, F: 44-(0)1223-315 052
Email: information@cambridge.org, Website: www.cambridge.org
2. New Book - Palestine/Israel: Peace or Apartheid
In this book a leading Palestinian commentator analyzes where Palestinians and Israelis are now-eight years after the Oslo Accords of 1993 and the peace process. Bishara shows how the asymmetry of power between Palestinians and Israelis was ignored by patrons of the Oslo peace process. He examines the demographic, political, and security stakes, and explores the avenues that eventually could lead both sides to a just and durable peace.
Author: Marwan Bishara.
Details: ISBN #: 1 84277 111 6 (Paperback)
Cost: $17.50
CONTACT: Zed Books 7 Cynthia Street, London N1 9JF, United Kingdom.
T: 44-(0)207-837 4014, F: 44-(0)171-833 3960
Email: Sales@zedbooks.demon.co.uk, Website: www.zedbooks.demon.co.uk
3. New Book - The Psychology of Nationalism
This book identifies the psychological factors that fuel nationalism, and it helps us understand its passion and its destructiveness. Filled with vivid stories from refugees and activists in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Sri Lanka, this book illustrates national feeling at the individual level, sheds light on the psychological dynamics underlying nationalism, and makes suggestions for improving negotiations and other attempts to intervene in conflict. Chapters include: What We Know About Nationalism, The Explanations So Far, : Identify - The Consistent Feature, The Fragility of Identity, Nationalism and Human Needs, Implications for Negotiations, and Is There Hope?
Author: Joshua Searle-White.
Details: ISBN #: 0-312-23369-8
CONTACT: In the UK: Palgrave/MacMillan Publishers Ltd, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS, United Kingdom.
T: 44-(0)1256-329 242, F: 44-(0)1256-479 476
In the US: Palgrave/St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA.
T: 1-212-982 3900/1-800-221 7945, F: 1-212-777 6359
Email: webmaster@stmartins.com, Website: www.stmartins.com
4. New Book - Signs of War and Peace: Social Conflict and the Public Use of Symbol in Northern Ireland
This book focuses on the role of public display in the conflict in Northern Ireland. The author explores the nature of public display, its relationships to class-based aesthetics, tradition, and popular style. He also looks at contest, conflict, and civil war, and the ways the former are intimately intertwined with the latter, both in Northern Ireland and elsewhere. The work is interdisciplinary, combining ethnographic, anthropological, folkloristic, and performance study approaches, benefiting from field work in Ireland.
Author: Jack Santino.
Details: ISBN #: 0312236409
Cost: $45
CONTACT: St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA.
T: 1-212-982 3900/1-800-221 7945, F: 1-212-777 6359
Email: webmaster@stmartins.com, Website: www.stmartins.com
5. New Issue - The Global Review Of Ethnopolitics
This issue is available on the Internet for free. It includes the following articles: Defeatism and Northern Protestant 'Identity' (Andrew Finlay), The Impact of Intervention on Local Human Rights Culture: A Kosovo Case Study (Julie Mertus), Post-Communist Bulgaria's Ethnopolitics Rossen (V. Vassilev), and The News Media and the Resolution of Ethnic Conflict: Ready for the Next Steps? (Chris O'Sullivan). The following reviews are included: The Politics of Language and Ethnicity (Camille C. O'Reilly); History with a Divided and Complicated Heart? The Uses of Political Memoir, Biography and Autobiography in Contemporary Northern Ireland (Stephen Hopkins); and Regions and Nations in the United Kingdom: Constitution Unit (Ailsa Henderson).
Organization: Global Review of Ethnopolitics.
Details: Available on the Internet.
CONTACT: Stefan Wolff (Coexistence Network Partner), Department of European Studies, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom.
T: 44-(0)1225-826 395, F: 44-(0)1225-826 099
Email: S.Wolff@bath.ac.uk, Website: www.ethnopolitics.org
The Initiative serves as a clearinghouse, convener, and interlocutor for an international constituency of individuals working towards coexistence. It also acts as a strategic partner with other NGOs engaged in promoting coexistence at all levels globally and as a developer of resources for the field, piloting demonstration projects and encouraging replication as a means of maximizing the limited resources available to the peacebuilding community. We seek to:
- Mainstream awareness of coexistence
- Facilitate the exchange of information and best practice
- Enhance communication and cooperation between and among those within the field as well as those outside of it and
- Enshrine principles of coexistence in policy, curricula, and institutions.
TO JOIN TCI’s Coexistence Network, contact Angela Khaminwa (akhaminwa@coexistence.net) or download a Personal Details Form from our website - (www.coexistence.net/coexistence_network).
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THE NOTICEBOARD DOES NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE COEXISTENCE INITIATIVE. ALSO NOTE THAT WHILE THE INITIATIVE ENCOURAGES BROADER DISTRIBUTION OF THESE ENTRIES, WE ASK THAT ALL REPRINTS ACKNOWLEDGE THE SOURCE OF THE ENTRY AND DIRECT READERS TO OUR WEBSITE.