BREAKING NEWS: Reactions to the Mumbai Bombings

Yesterday, three bombs exploded in Mumbai, India, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 100, in the fourth terrorist attacks on India’s financial capital since 2003. Two and a half years ago, on 26 November 2008, 164 people lost their lives as terrorists invaded the city in a series of coordinated bombing and shooting attacks. For SAVE, Mumbai has a special significance, because it was on that day in 2008 that we held our first international conference, bringing 33 women from around the world together to strategize on new ways to counter violent extremism.

Yesterday’s attacks are a reminder of the importance of the SAVE mission. Mumbai unfortunately seems to be just as vulnerable today as during the fateful days of 26/11. We must recognize the need for smart security that does not rely solely on military or police responses. Prevention of terrorism begins at the community level, where frustrations, anger and disillusion take root. Women can be key allies in educating the next generation to take the non-violent response and to bridge divides rather than exacerbate them. SAVE is currently running the Mothers for Change! Confidence and Computer training workshop in Mumbai with women whose relatives were on duty as police officers during the 26/11 terror attacks. The workshop is an integrated confidence-building, peace education and income-generation program. The program allows women to bring something to the table, therefore increasing their decision-making power in the home, while also teaching them mediation techniques and encouraging them to intervene when youth show signs of radicalization. This pilot program is a first step in the step-by-step process of changing attitudes.

SAVE Sisters and women leaders around the world raise their voices against violent extremism and the latest attacks in Mumbai.

Archana Kapoor, SAVE India  

Archana Kapoor, SAVE India

Archana Kapoor was in Mumbai yesterday coordinating the SAVE Mothers for Change! Confidence and Computer Training workshop.
I or any of the women I work with could have been a victim of the 13/7 terror attack in Mumbai. I am so glad that my trainees, trainers and I are safe. But what about those 18 casualties and their families? The 150 injured? On July 12, the day before the attacks, I spent a lot of time thinking about how to commemorate the anniversary of 26/11. A lot of people I talked to were not convinced about doing another event. It seemed that many more people were losing their lives in accidents. But this attack on a normal day, on an otherwise peaceful day, has made us all sit up and think again. Acts of terror and extremism confront us every day, and we cannot just sit back and thank God for keeping us and our close ones safe. SAVE India works towards empowering women to say NO to extremism. It is in this spirit that SAVE started the Mothers for Change! Confidence and Computer Training. The resilience of the women of Mumbai is apparent through the 100% attendance in all three of our classes today.

Dr. Kanchana Mahadevan, Reader, Department of Philosophy, University of Mumbai
These blasts are reminders of how our lives are fragile and deeply interconnected. Like the previous instances, yesterday's violent acts too are perhaps skewed ways of settling scores for not getting justice in courts of law. The people who have died and who have been hurt are suffering for the wrongs that have been perpetuated by others. Our responses have to be empathetic and balanced. Besides helping the victims, what we also need are efforts to build confidence amidst diverse communities, so that such violence is abandoned. For this we need the courts of law to deliver justice, we need jobs, we need cultures that cut across communal lines. Mumbai has risen to such confidence-building in the past - it did so yesterday, it will continue to do so in the future. Citizens- women in particular- have taken the lead in constructing such multiple spaces. All of us have to continue with these measures, and keep our resilience and compassion alive.


Seema Mustafa, Journalist and Television Presenter, Delhi
The government has to be commended for not making wild guesses, as politicians usually do, as to who is behind the attack. But one can say with almost total certainty that once the wails of the victims and their relatives subside, the planted stories aimed at dividing society will start appearing in the media. It is important now for the Opposition to be responsible and not make statements that polarize sentiment along communal lines. Who did it is of course an important question, more so as no organization has claimed responsibility. But given the fact that the Indian investigating agencies have chased shadows for years before realizing entirely different organizations for responsible for attacks such as the Mecca Masjid blasts, the Samjhauta train blasts, it is important for the authorities to establish facts before addressing the media. Scores of innocent persons were arrested, tortured and maimed in custody for crimes they had not committed. This creates tensions that cut into the secular fabric of the country, and this must be avoided. The aftermath of a terror attack, if badly handled, can have long term repercussions as devastating for a wounded country as the blast itself.

Professor Anuradha M. Chenoy, Professor of International Relations at Jawharlal University and Author of Militarism and Women in South Asia, Delhi
The bomb blasts in Mumbai, last evening, have traumatized the city and India once again. The purpose of the terrorists remains the same: To create public fear in communities against each other, so that people retreat from secular public spaces into primary identity groups that extract their loyalty and obedience. Fundamentalists use terror for mind control. Controlling the autonomy of women, liberal ideas and peace activists is a critical part of their agenda. It should come as no surprise that India-Pakistan foreign secretary peace talks are to be held next week. Fundamentalist are scared of peace, because it decreases their power and role. State responses should not be the only counter to non-state terrorist groups, because binaries exclude other voices.

Rakshanda Jalil, Author, Delhi
This mindlessness has to stop. We have to pluck ourselves off the downward spiral that leads to violence and more violence.

Pamela Philipose, Senior Journalist and Director of Women’s Feature Service (WFS), Delhi
Every time the residents of Mumbai emerge from the trauma of multiple attacks, they are laid low yet again in a pattern that has now become horribly familiar. The attempt now, as always, is to terrorize and demoralize people, pit community against community, create a general climate of fear and undermine the well-being of millions of women and men who want nothing but to carry on with their lives in their chosen city. Such moments demand the coming together of all those committed to human security. They need to speak out against such heinous attacks and condemn terrorism of all kinds, whether by individuals, criminal groups, political outfits or state actors. The region needs to hear their voices as they continue in their efforts to build peace – not in the abstract but as a force that can transform ordinary lives and defeat projects based on spreading fear and hatred.

Shobhaa De, Author of the Column “Politically Incorrect” in The Times of India, Bestselling Novelist and Journalist, Mumbai
I am convinced there is something seriously wrong with us, the people of Mumbai. We are the ‘most attacked’ city on earth… and we accept this dubious ‘honor’ passively, like it is a part of our collective destiny to be frequently bombed. This is not stoicism, it is not resignation, and it most certainly isn’t resilience. So what is it? We think we are being heroic when we react like this when, in fact, we are being foolish. We do nothing about this sorry state of affairs and carry on like blasts are ‘normal’. And they are going to keep bombing us. You know why? Because they can. We refuse to hold anybody responsible. We refuse to make anybody answerable. We refuse to protest. What do we do instead? We show off! We get back to business as usual within hours of an attack and boast about it to the world. As if it’s something to be deliriously proud of. The facts are slightly different. Mumbai is attacked over and over again for the simple reason that it is POSSIBLE!

Mossarat Qadeem, SAVE Pakistan

Mossarat Qadeem, SAVE Pakistan

We in Pakistan share our solidarity and sympathy with those who lost loved ones yesterday. Pakistan is affected by terrorism daily, and we do not want anyone to suffer the way we suffer. Women are the most affected by conflict and violence, and it is time for the women of India and Pakistan to come together and make a pledge to address violent extremism. Women must start working on their home ground through advocacy, education and creation of awareness for peaceful resolutions. We must build trust between our countries. The international community should come forward and pressure the governments of South Asia to deal with these incidents with maturity. India and Pakistan must join hands and understand the roots of the problem to try to resolve it together, rather than blaming one another.

Maureen Fox, SAVE Northern Ireland

Maureen Fox, SAVE Northern Ireland

Fellow Survivors, I am disgusted and appalled by the blasts in Mumbai on Wednesday 13 July 2011, happening in a week that already marks the fifth anniversary of the Mumbai Train Blasts. I send my love and thoughts to ALL who have been affected by this tragedy; the mothers who have lost their sons or husbands, the daughters who have lost their father or brother or sister. You are not alone! I am sad - I am sad because I am neither shocked or surprised. Is this what we have become? Is this our 'normal' existence? This language of bombs, hurt and death is a 'disease' in our world. Who is next? Is it you? or your family? What choices can we make to change this violence, this mindset, this way of life?
This, my sisters is OUR world, when our child is sick we want to cure them, when our family is hungry we want to feed them, when our friends are in need we want to help them, and we can! Let's help our world to rid itself of this global disease. Use our voices and lead by example. When we educate our children, we educate our family, when we educate our family, we educate a community. Educate a community and you can educate a nation. Educate a nation? Well, that's where we go global! Together we WILL be heard.

Anne Carr, Dialogue Practioner, SAVE Northern Ireland
My heart goes out to the wonderful people of Mumbai in the aftermath of another senseless, brutal attack on their people. I was so privileged to spend a very special week with women and children who had been bereaved and injured in the previous attacks on Mumbai, helping them to share their stories and learn with, care with, understand with one another whatever their background, whatever their faith, women so brave and so violated through violence. I stand close to you all today and to those families again having to come to terms with this latest vicious attack on humanity. Women of the world will continue to work together tirelessly and with absolute resolve to build a global community with a special place for everyone, where there is ease with difference and where our children can grow up free from the disastrous realities of violence in all its forms.

Shaimaa Abdel Fattah, SAVE Egypt

Shaimaa Abdel Fattah, SAVE Egypt

Such attacks are only the result of ignorance and ruthlessness. There is no justification whatsoever for murdering innocent citizens. None of the religious sects support violence per se. It's our role now, to fight terrorism in all its forms and condemn those guilty of it. I take this chance to extend my condolences to the crisis-stricken families and promise to be a part of making this world a better place for us to live in.

Shahira Amin, Journalist, Egypt
I was deeply shocked to hear about the blasts in Mumbai. We have seen the power of peaceful protests, so no one can condone this kind of violence. I am sure that it won’t realize the goals of whatever these terrorists were trying to achieve. Violence only breeds more violence. It’s really regrettable that some people are still resorting to violence, for the killing of innocent civilians will never succeed in achieving any goals. I feel very strongly about this because we have seen the power of peaceful protests.

Dina Sadek, Journalist, Egypt
Those people [who carried out the attacks] are programmed to believe that what they are doing is the right thing, and that is the real problem here. They justify their terrorism attacks as “for the sake of God”, but God himself said in the Quran “God never changes the condition of a people until they change within themselves”. Nothing will change unless those people understand religion the way it is supposed to be, rather than their messy interpretation of it.

Hibaaq Osman, SAVE Board Member, Egypt
There is absolutely no justification for killing innocent people. Everyone should make a strong statement against such acts. Acts of terrorism do not only occur in India or Afghanistan, they could happen anywhere. No one is safe. This was not an act of justice; it was an act of murder. We need to call it what it is.

Robi Damelin, SAVE Israel
How many more people must die, how many more bombs must explode, how many more bereaved families need to be created before we all recognize that the nonviolent way is the only way to achieve a goal? It is time for women from every corner of the world to say enough. We all must say enough.

ARSHI SALEEM HASHMI: There is no "them" there is only "us" - women of Pakistan and India share their stories

SAVE Global organized a workshop in Mumbai on Nov 28-29 to provide a platform for women’s voices from both India and Pakistan rejecting the stereotypes about  each other and sharing the pain and sorrow that victims of terrorism in general, and women in particular, feel. Arshi Saleem Hashmi describes the benefits that both Pakistani and Indian women derived from the dialogue.

Arshi Saleem Hashmi, member of SAVE Pakistan, took part in the bridge-building dialogue

SAVE Global's bridge-building dialogue facilitated an emotional bonding between the victims of terrorism and religious extremism in India and their sisters in Pakistan who are suffering almost daily from the impact of violent extremism in many forms. It was made even more emotional and deep by the vulnerability of the women in Pakistan caused by feudal-religious orthodoxy.

Pakistani women from the nongovernmental sector, research and academia accepted the invitation and opened their hearts and minds to hear and feel the pain of their sisters in India. More than once, it occurred to SAVE Pakistan members that, despite the popular perception that the dialogue was in the context of “us” versus “them”, there was no “them” - it was all about “us”, the women of both India and Pakistan. We not only share a border, we share our feelings, emotions, pain, happiness and success.

It was heartening to see and hear Indian women victims of terrorism tell their stories; it was as if they were our own stories, using the same expressions, and voicing the same concerns and fears. It was decided that we must strengthen the bond and continue to build on the commonalities rather than discussing or highlighting differences. If it is all about perceptions, then perceptions can be changed in good faith.

Talking to Indian media was a great opportunity to let the people of India know that, despite the fact that Pakistan has become hostage to violent religious extremism, the majority of Pakistanis strongly believe in a moderate, prosperous Pakistan continuous with their South Asian identity. They would love to have more and more interaction with their eastern neighbor. There is hope that we can achieve this, because of a vibrant civil society that has maintained its existence and remained active in its struggle to save Pakistan from losing its South Asian identity, connection and bond. This civil society gives hope that people on both sides of the border, and especially women, will continue to take initiatives to demystify the myths about each other, and prevent dehumanizing of one another.

SAVE Pakistan strongly believes in this commitment to peace between the two countries, a goal that was expressed in the joint statement and future steps that we would be taking.

SAVE India provided this opportunity and arranged our meeting with the victims of terrorism, Indian media and civil society activists, teachers and researchers. It was a very positive initiative in an environment suffering from a trust deficit between the two countries. A step has been taken in the right direction, all we have to do is to sustain it, follow it and strengthen it. 

ARCHANA KAPOOR: Building on commonalities of culture, cricket and concerns - a bridge-building dialogue between Indian and Pakistani delegates

In November, SAVE Global traveled to Mumbai to conduct an income-generating workshop and a bridge-building dialogue between Indian and Pakistani representatives. Archana Kapoor, president of SAVE India, describes the projects and the impact that SAVE is making on the search for a peaceful solution to the India-Pakistan conflict.

Delegates from Pakistan and India came together in Mumbai for a 

groundbreaking bridge-building dialogue

The Pakistani delegation comprising civil society members, academics and a victim of terrorism had arrived. It was great to see them. We at SAVE India had been constantly worried that they would not get clearance until they finally joined us in Mumbai on November 29.


As the first step towards a meaningful dialogue, we assured the delegates that we were all there to look forwards and find solutions, rather than to rake up issues that were being dealt with at various other levels. For any dialogue, ground rules must be set. The parameters for our dialogue had to be fixed. The sensitivities of each of the participants had to be respected and most importantly, what was discussed had to stay within those four walls until a common consensus had been arrived at. Once this was done everything seemed so simple!


Thus began our two day interaction/dialogue with our neighbors and delegates from across the border. It was important to know what we as women first, and mothers later, could bring to the table and discuss in a forum that was definitely social but could not keep the political out, as the personal is political in the context of India and Pakistan.


SAVE Global provided this opportunity by sponsoring this dialogue and also setting the agenda. With experiences of working with victims of terrorist attacks in US, UK, Spain, Palestine, Israel ,Yemen and many other conflict zones, Dr Edit Schlaffer kicked off the dialogue. It was important for all of us to understand the issues plaguing each side. The problem of Pakistan was indeed different from that of India. They were not only suffering from problems of bad press, stereotyping and labeling as a country that has become the breeding ground of terror but also from the problem of terror attacks on innocents. Be it the SWAT valley, Lahore or Islamabad, the problem in the last few years has been aggravated and it is very difficult to say who is responsible for this. It was interesting to hear the points of view of experts who have worked with victims and who are doing their research on issues like Islamisation of Madrasas, terrorism and its causes, youth and radicalization. One thing that came out strongly was that women have a role to play - on the one hand when they are coping with victimhood and on the other hand they are also propagating terror as either mute spectators or active participants.


Thus the time has come to assimilate their energies, to discuss and debate with them and channel their energies positively. One way is of course to provide them with choices and this can be done by empowering them to access those choices. Income generation and livelihood skills along with life skills seemed a good option for Paiman Foundation, which has trained over 1000 women already and is carrying on these training programs on a large scale.

Families of the policemen on duty during the Mumbai terrorist attacks 

in 2008 discuss the livelihood project

SAVE India did the first pilot of Mothers for Change in April 2010. In a program called ‘Our Stories Our Future’ a 5-day workshop brought out the fears, sorrows and apprehensions of the mothers on one hand and their aspirations, hopes and expectations on the other. The program was a huge success, and it was important to go back with a concrete double program for these mothers who had opened their hearts to the SAVE team. Thus a livelihood program was announced for them. The beauty of the program is that it is a needs-based program that provides them with skills that they feel they need and which they feel would add to their confidence. After a thorough brainstorming session and assurance from the women that they would not back out, a basic computer training program, an accountancy training program and an English speaking course were announced. Vinita Kamte, the driving force of this program has committed her time and energy to see that this program becomes a success. The same Pakistani model will also be followed to provide life skills, including negotiation skills, to the beneficiaries.


It is important to use these income generation activities to create a platform for mothering change in the attitudes and mindset of the women. This could be their chance not only to voice their grievances but also to look at solutions to address their grievances against the extremist activities that their men and boys get into.


Build on commonalities, instead of stressing differences


The stories of those impacted by violent extremism in Pakistan and India were the most heart-rending part of the two-day dialogue. The story of Anjali Chemburkar, who lost her husband in the Trident hotel on 26/11, was very moving. Her spirit and courage despite her personal tragedy was not only inspirational for the women from India but also got a huge round of applause from the Pakistani delegates. In fact it gave others the courage to share their own stories of loss, grief, despair and hope.


The walk along the terror trail was disturbing for all. A comment made by Shabana haunted me last night. She said that ever since she had come to the Taj, she was internalizing what must have gone through the minds of those who were trapped here for more than 60 hours. The walk sent shivers down everyone’s spine. The common refrain among the delegates was, How could anyone ruin the lives of so many innocents? Could this tragedy have been avoided? The silence in the car on the way back itself reflected what was going on in the minds of all the delegates.


It was clear that perceptions about each other had to change. Though a handful of young men had destroyed the peace and tranquility of Mumbai there were millions in both countries who wanted to stretch a hand of friendship across the borders. Schools and universities could play a vital role in breaking stereotypes and changing perceptions. More dialogues and interactions at different levels are needed. Women have to join hands and become a force to be reckoned with.


It is time to build on commonalities of culture, color, cricket and concerns. There was no doubt that there are more reasons to work together and resolve the differences at the earliest stage than there are to allow the rift to continue. The love for Indian cuisine, music and Bollywood was stronger than any political differences.


It is time to break the barriers. It is time for women to lay the foundation for a strong bridge of friendship!!

Turning soft power into smart power: An income-generating workshop with victims' families

On the anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, the city is increasing its security measures. Rather than putting up barricades and bringing out sniper rifles, we should be looking for a long-term solution to challenge radical ideologies before they flourish. SAVE India is in Mumbai giving women the economic tools that lead to political and social empowerment, and thus the ability to influence their families and societies for a better future. Commentary by Edit Schlaffer.

The face of Mumbai has changed drastically over the past week; this bustling metropolis has taken on fortress-like qualities in preparation for the anniversary of the 26/11 attacks. Tanks, barricades, policemen, cameras, rooftop snipers, and undercover detectives have created a surreal environment—all this to make the city safe, but how safe is it really?

The morning of the 26th, a huge parade demonstrated India’s military might, which is an alarming juxtaposition to the thousands of policemen who have received only batons to protect the city. These measures serve more to highlight the perceived threats than to instill a sense of security and personal safety. We cannot live our lives behind concrete walls and invisible shields—alongside necessary precautions there must be a long-term vision to challenge radical ideologies before they can take root and flourish. Communities and families must be sensitized and strengthened to provide susceptible youths with alternatives to the allure of violent extremism.

An Indian State Home Minister recently visited Kasab, the only surviving terrorist of the 26/11 attacks, in jail here in Mumbai. When asked why he committed this heinous atrocity, he said he was young and disoriented, and looked for advice from the wrong places.

Families, and particularly women as the primary caretakers, can be a new front to combat violent extremism. But how can this work? The first step is to empower the women, so that their voices are heard and that they bring something to the table both economically in their families and in terms of political and social standing in their communities. Only then does the continuous mantra that women’s stronghold is the family become valid.

On November 24th, SAVE India and Vinita Kamte, whose husband shot Kasab in the arm before succumbing to his own injuries, launched ‘Soft Power to Smart Power: Acquiring New Skills,’ a computer and English-language training for the wives and daughters of the police officers who were on duty during the 26/11 attacks. The trainings are part of the Mothers for Change! campaign; recent studies have shown that there is a negative relationship between the percentage of women in the labor force and domestic terrorist attacks. Investing in women not only makes sense in economic terms, but also can be a key stabilizing factor.

SAVE India works to boost peace at the grass roots level

Peace talks between India and Pakistan at the highest political levels have been faltering for the last two years. Now politicians are calling for increased efforts at the grass roots, people-to-people level. SAVE Global is in Mumbai working with SAVE India on the anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to bring women's voices into the peace dialogue. 

SAVE Executive Director Edit Schlaffer with Vinita Kamte, author of To the Last Bullet, in April 2010. 

Vinita's husband was killed while on duty during the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.

This week, the SAVE Global team is in India to build a foundation for the Mothers for Change! project, and to carry out a bridge-building dialogue between Pakistani and Indian women representatives to boost peace initiatives at the grass roots level.

The anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attacks are just around the corner. Since the attacks on 26 November 2008, peace talks between India and Pakistan’s foreign ministers have been on hold. In February this year, high-level representatives began to re-initiate the talks under pressure from the international community. Unfortunately most of the planned meetings have ended in stalemate or failed to take place.

President Obama urged for progress in the talks during his recent visit to India. It is in the interest of most western countries that the two rivals have an amicable relationship, due to the volatile situation in neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistan and India must cooperate to stabilize the region, and many fear that the countries’ nuclear capability could make ongoing enmity very dangerous indeed.

It is clear, however, that talks that take place at the highest levels will have little to no effect at the grassroots level. Women—both as victims and as actors—have further been utterly neglected in these talks.

Societal stability and the wellbeing of future generations are at stake if steps are not taken to ease tensions and include civil society in an enduring fashion. Cross-border security is not the only issue at stake: the number of terrorist incidents within Pakistan alone has increased over three-fold since 2008.

Leaders at the highest levels have been calling for more people-to-people contact as an essential ingredient to moving peace talks forward. Women working as effective peace-builders can be a central driving force in this process.

SAVE global travelled to India in April 2010 to carry out storytelling and swimming workshops with the families of the policemen who were on duty during the Mumbai terrorist attacks. To read more about that project, click here. This week, the team will once again be working with these women in an income-generating workshop.

On Saturday November 20, SAVE talked to over 40 school children about their own potential as agents of change. By tackling prejudices and engaging with people of other faiths and backgrounds, children can help build a better future for their communities. SAVE brought this message to children from various schools and organizations at Mumbai’s National Centre for Performing arts.

At the presentation, held in cooperation with the World Kids Foundation, children watched the film Harun-Arun about a Hindu woman who learns to love and take care of a Muslim child, and a trailer of the SAVE film “Journeys Through Darkness”. Click here to read press coverage of the event.

Early next week, SAVE will also carry out a day-long bridge-building dialogue between Indian and Pakistani representatives. Women’s close proximity to the issues at hand positions them as ideal architects for change at the local levels. Mothers, especially, can reach out to disenfranchised youth and provide support and alternatives to the allure of extremist activities. Youth must recognize their potential to act as changemakers at both the grassroots and at the highest levels, and strive to build bridges between divergent religious, cultural, political, and socio-economic groups. These bridges will create the necessary emotional breakthrough to start a meaningful dialogue for action.

This initiative comes from a different perspective, aiming to explore ways in which women can come together in a united front against violent extremism. A cross-cultural dialogue based on shared values, mutual respect and empathy aims to bring women of different backgrounds and perspectives together to better understand one another and work together for a stable, secure future.

SAVE India focuses on bringing women’s voices into the vital dialogue for peace between India and Pakistan. Women’s position at the heart of their families and communities allows them to exercise an enormous moral and educational influence that often goes unappreciated. Their unique perspectives are often left out of the security debate, denying the peace talks between Pakistan and India the input of society’s most powerful peace makers.

SAVE India works with women who are able to influence their local communities in their roles as mothers, teachers, students and activists, and helps them to make their voices heard at the highest political levels. By creating a supportive network, women can more easily and confidently spread peaceful values and tolerance, influencing the next generation to build a brighter future.

The goal of this month’s meetings is to offer participants the opportunity, accompanied by experts, to practice conflict resolution and dialogue within a small circle. Within the framework of this project, getting to know the “other side” across cultural and religious boundaries will be facilitated, while an exchange on the personal level will be accelerated. Each participant will become a catalyst for positive change and the spread of peaceful messages within their communities. The meetings will lay the foundations for further interactions between Indian and Pakistani women, in order to reduce tensions and deconstruct prejudices.

Updates about our activities in India will be available very soon.

Indian Student, Poem on Peace

“You came to show us your movie based on 26/11 terrorism, so I just wanted to give a poem on peace.”

—Alyka Haider, Delhi Public School, Jankipuram

     Peace Before Tomorrow

     The world today is full of conflicts

     Peace should come before tomorrow

     People dying human suffering

     Peace should be nailed inside your heart

     Killing and fighting doesn't make today better

     It makes life harder tomorrow

     Blood flowing like a river

     Rotten flesh as high as mountains

     Every hour just another pile

     Peace should not end by a war

     Peace should end by laying down your weapons

     Peace today could make guns into flowers

     Cannons into fireworks

     Peace is what should be done immediately

     It is always too late to wait until tomorrow

     Because hundreds die tonight

     Peace is easy for you and me

     And all it takes is to change your mind

     Your world could change before tomorrow

     And it could be right now

You can see "Surviving Terror" (the video that Alyka is responding to) here. This SAVE film is an 8-minute feature dedicated to the victims and survivers of the terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.

Surviving Terror

A Women without Borders/SAVE film

This 8-minute feature (by Archana Kapoor) is dedicated to the victims and survivers of the terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.