Shobhaa's Take on Recent Mumbai Blasts, by Shobhaa De

Yup. It happened. The nineteenth terror attack on the Capital in fifteen years. So far, the body count is 12 deaths and 90 injured. By the time someone takes the trouble to total it all up, India will have moved on (24 hours later, most people already have), and those who don’t live in Delhi will shrug and talk about ‘intelligence failure’, ‘security lapses’, ‘crisis in leadership’. Out-of-work movie stars will tweet away, offering prayers and condolences, and television anchors with grim faces will attempt to grill the usual suspects, embarrass a few and reprimand the rest. There it shall remain. Manmohan Tauji will tut tut ‘It’s a long war’ and beseech the ‘People of India to stand united’, to remain ‘calm’ . Chidambaram Chhacha will issue some more somber sounding statements (does he just recycle them from a master list?). And that will take care of the situation… till the next blast… and the next. And till such time as every Wednesday will make Indians fear it may be another Black one. There is something called immunity. Just as cockroaches, dog ticks, certain strains of bacteria stop responding to powerful drugs and pest control chemicals, human beings too develop a resistance to acts of terrorism. How many times can we go ‘Hai Hai’ and beat our breasts? Those responsible for the safety and security of the nation count on just that. This ain’t America, boss. Nor is it Australia. Or any other country that has declared zero tolerance for terrorists. Here, we keep those accused and convicted of terror attacks in conditions that are denied to a majority of God-fearing, law -abiding citizens. Even the Sri Lankan assassins of a former Prime Minister have been spared from the gallows so far. Afzal Guru? Let’s not even go there! Ditto for Qasab. So long as we play these dangerous political games in a clumsy attempt to prove something dubious to the world (“ Look guys! We are a democracy. Please be impressed.”) we shall have to resign ourselves to living with terror. And slippery, weak politicians whose sole objective in life is to hang on to their kursis and make money.

What does the average Joe do in such a desperate situation? I received a really dumb email with a request to stand in silence and pray for the dead. Respecting the memory of those innocent people who were blown to bits on 7^th September is one thing. But the pointlessness of such chain mails makes me see red. There was another email which expressed outrage at the fact that not a single politician in the last 5 years was directly affected by terrorist attacks. It was as if the chattering classes would have felt a little better had a couple of netas lost their limbs or lives in similar attacks. This is just such a childish and churlish reaction! But one can understand where it’s coming from. There is so much repressed rage against the ruling class right now, that it would somehow appease the masses if those lofty politicos enjoying z-category protection at tax payers’ expense were as vulnerable as that poor Pawan Jaswal from Gurgaon who had come to the HC to attend a hearing on his employer’s case and was instantly killed. Increasingly, affected people are vociferously articulating their anger and contempt for leaders as was evident when Rahul Gandhi was heckled when he showed up at the RML Hospital. This is the bold writing on the wall that politicians need to pay close attention to. It indicates a shift in people’s attitude towards those in power. So far, the high and mighty have been insulated from such outrage because the cowering masses have grown accustomed to treating VIPs like ‘maap baap’, bowing and scraping in their presence. But, watch out! Nobody is likely to be spared in future, least of all bechara Manmohan Singh, whose kamzor position at present is encouraging dissidents to shout him down, when he trots out platitudes like, “Co-operation, not accusation, is the need of the hour.” Try saying that to 21-year-old victim Amanpreet Singh Jolly’s grieving father. Or to the wife of 54-year-old Vinod Jaiswal, who was blissfully oblivious she’d been widowed till much after 4.30 p.m. when the sad news was finally broken to her by Ashok, Vinod’s brother. Unfortunately, not too many people will remember these tragic stories even a week from now. Not even the media.

The government cannot hope to get away with alibis and excuses each time the nation is shattered by demonic acts of terror. The buck does stop with those in power. It is the primary duty of our elected representatives to protect lives of citizens. People don’t care if it is the ‘LeT hand’, or Harkat, IM or some other terror group’s ‘foot’ that’s responsible for the HC attack. 68% of people polled blamed the blast on ‘the lack of a political will to tackle terrorism.’’

Sharam karo, bhai, sharam karo. The mood of the nation is belligerent. Public anger is as lethal, as dangerous as an IED. All that’s required is a trigger. And such a symbolic blast can cause far greater damage than anything placed in an abandoned suitcase.

It’s ‘champi’ time for politicians. The smart thing to do would be to keep shut and get to work. Oh yes - netas should definitely stay away from the RML Hospital – we don’t need any more casualties there.

SAVE: Commemorating 9/11

Around the world, we all recognize just how much 9/11 has changed our lives. This recognition is not merely intellectual; it is an emotional reaction to increased security measures when traveling, the constant refrain in the evening news, and a growing suspicion of ‘the other.’

9/11 impacted the family members of the victims most immediately, but also had far-reaching consequences for the global community. Two wars, thousands of deaths, and a divided world have resulted from those terrorist attacks. All of us—not only the West, but also the Muslim world—were shocked to the core. The attacks fundamentally rocked our views, just as the clash of cultures also led to a far-reaching clash of emotions. Belief in military solutions has since dissipated, and SAVE exists to fill this void.

SAVE sensitizes women to their as-yet untapped potential to combat violent extremism. Women witness what is happening in their families and communities every day, and the vast majority want to prevent their children from being drawn into extremist activities. First, however, they need to learn to how to read the warning signals. SAVE’s core belief is once women recognize their role in combating violent extremism, they will serve as the foundation for a valuable new security platform.

SAVE supports the commitment of women to embrace the power of soft power. And women are experts in soft power skills: listening, persistent negotiation, and dialogue. Long-term education programs and alternative security networks are the building blocks of a peaceful future, and the inclusion and promotion of women are integral components of such programs and networks.

SAVE is committed to finding innovative, action-oriented, and purposeful forms of dialogue, which are based on the new world (dis)order. Such dialogue must include civil society in its entirety.

The SAVE Sisterhood is growing. We have had the privilege of hearing first-hand the experiences of Phyllis Rodriguez, who lost her son on 9/11. Phyllis has reaffirmed our belief that you have to “talk to the enemy.” There are mothers on the ‘other side’ as well, and we need to learn from each other to strengthen our bonds. By including such women, we can create a new solid security block.

Take, for example, Esther Ibanga and Khadijah Hawajah. Esther and Khadijah live in Jos, Nigeria, a state racked by ethnic tensions that have resulted in the bloody murder of hundreds on both sides of this ethno-religious divide. Esther, the senior pastor of Jos Christian Missions, and Khadijah, Chairperson of the Plateau State Muslim Women Peace Forum, have only recently begun to question prevalent stereotypes by reaching out, first to each other, then to the other community at large, to build a tangible and emotional bridge between women on both sides who are committed to ending the atrocities. After receiving encouragement from SAVE, Esther went against her community’s wishes to initiate a dialogue with Khadijah, with whom she now travels internationally to underscore the deep commonalities, rather than the entrenched divides, between their societies and customs.

In Indonesia, Lily Munir has implemented groundbreaking youth campaigns to empower students to challenge latent radical ideologies in their school and community settings. Girls especially have been given the opportunity to explore how extremist currents are affecting their daily lives during weekend-long workshops, and to develop innovative, creative, and student-driven campaigns to create a more stable and communal future for themselves. The Indonesian student network has expanded organically through alumni and class meetings to include hundreds of young future leaders committed to a world without violent extremism.

The tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks drives home once again the urgent necessity of finding new approaches to combating violent extremism. Terrorist acts take place with appalling frequency, and a new, female-led civil society movement to counter radical ideologies and to provide alternatives for a stable and secure future will be the way forward.

It is a privilege to work with these dedicated women who are transforming their losses into a commitment to build a safer future for all of us. Over the past ten years, I have learned so much from them, and from all the women who courageously stand up against violent extremism.

I have learned that we are all truly Women without Borders, and that we will change the world.

Join SAVE: Together we will stand up against violent extremism the world over.

A Call To Action After the Abuja Attacks, by Esther Ibanga and Khadija Hawaja

Nigerians woke up to a rude but not unexpected news of violence visited on the United Nations building in Abuja on Friday 26^th Aug 2011. It is no longer news that global terrorism is right on the doorsteps of Nigeria. We join the millions of shocked peace-loving people within and outside Nigeria to condemn in strong terms the senseless and wicked killings of innocent lives and the destruction of property that achieves nothing in gaining any support or sympathy for the violent ideologies of the perpetrators of this crime.

The violence in Abuja, the nation’s capital, is just a build-up of what had been going on in Jos, Plateau state, where we have consistently been decrying violent extremism in this country. We only hope that this will be a wakeup call for the government of this nation and every peace-loving human being to be more proactive and vigilant in curtailing this monstrous cancer called terrorism.

Our sympathy goes to all victims and their grieving families at this time and we pray for God’s comfort at this time of pain.

We also call upon the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to step into the 21^st century in its rescue efforts and equipment as we decry the 4ft wooden ladder that was used to bring out a wounded woman, stripping her almost naked in the process. It is also a show of shame that the national hospital did not have the facilities to treat victims and they had to be flown abroad.

If we would not learn from history, we become history.

-Esther Ibanga, Senior Pastor, Jos Christian Missions

The bombing of the UN office in Abuja was quite alarming. It took me by surprise because it was something I never contemplated, not even in my wildest dream.

The bombing is condemnable and inhuman. It can never be justified.

I do not subscribe to violence of any form as a way of expressing dissatisfaction or anger. There is a better way of doing so without resorting to violence.

We must all fight against violence so that the World will be a safe place for you and I!

-Khadija Hawaja, Chairperson of the Plateau Muslim Women Peace Forum

Anti-corruption movements in India and Pakistan gather momentum with women's participation

Anna Hazare’s hunger strike against corruption in India has caught media attention worldwide. The 74-year-old man of slight built has emerged as a hero for adopting the Gandhian way of non violence to exert pressure on the Indian government to enact a strict law against corruption and demanding the creation of an ombudsman to deal with corruption in public offices.

Hazare first went on a hunger strike in April 2011 to make his point and since then has inspired nationwide support for his anti corruption campaign. Women – both political figures and grassroots activists – are among the strongest supporters of the campaign.

Priya Dutt, a Congress member of Parliament who met anti corruption activists outside her Mumbai home on 22 August, has promised to extend full support to the anti corruption campaign.

The young parliamentarian said that she is in favour of strong anti-corruption legislation and stressed dialogue between the government and civil society activists as the way forward. Writing an open letter to the India Against Corruption movement, Priya said that she supports all efforts for "a corruption-free nation".

The inspiring role played in the anti corruption movement in India today by women like Priya and Kiran Bedi, a retired female police officer is so infectious that it has found solidarity with populations across the border in Pakistan. Zohra Yusuf, head of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, admitted that corruption is an ever-growing menace in Pakistan.

Tired of widespread corruption in his country, a 68-year-old Pakistani businessman recently announced plans to go on a hunger strike in Islamabad. Jehangeer Akhtar complained that corruption is a serious disease in Pakistan and recommends parliament to pass an anti-corruption law.

Jehangeer is in the photography business and apart from corruption what also bothers him is money spent on defense instead of education and infrastructure. He plans a Gandhi-like non-violent protest against corruption and military buildup in his country.

Ansar Burney, another Pakistani and former minister for human rights declared that he will soon organise an anti-corruption and anti-terrorism campaign in Pakistan.

Ansar told the media that corruption and terrorism are destroying the future of children in Pakistan. He is fed up of corruption and against violence that has spread across the country. He feels it is up to civil society to take steps to rid the country of the evil.

He describes his campaign as an attempt to unite the nation against corruption and terrorism.

People-to-people initiatives instrumental in reducing suspicion caused by terrorism between India-Pakistan

The verdict is out. A majority of people surveyed in India recently say that terrorism has no religion and belongs to no country. This majority opinion is important at a time when the world seems so volatile and the official relationship between India and Pakistan remains somewhat frail.

The constant reminder that both India and Pakistan are sitting on an arsenal of nuclear weapons does not help people to sleep soundly, not just in South Asia but around the world.

In a CNN-IBN-CNBC-TV18 State of the Nation Poll conducted in association with Forbes India soon after the terror attack in Mumbai on 13 July 2011, it is found that more people reject the notion that terror is somehow related to one religion, openly delinking acts of terror with Islam.

In this most recent survey a majority of those talked to categorically stated that a terrorist can come from anywhere and strike anyone. Previous opinion polls have shown that the populations of both India and Pakistan prefer increased trade, cultural exchanges and easy cross border travel within South Asia. The majority of the population has time and again demonstrated a demand for more dialogue, debate and many more people-to-people initiatives.

In India, women were more optimistic than men about the future of peace prospects between the two countries and agreed that rapport between people is helpful for a lasting peace in the region. These women spoke out in a 2010 opinion poll sponsored by Aman ki Asha, or hope for peace, to mark the first anniversary of the joint peace initiative by the Jang Group of Pakistan and The Times of India.

This friendly attitude between the people is the greatest hope for forging new ways towards a more inclusive peace process, involving the design of a dream agenda that includes different sections of society, including women and members of the young population in both countries.

The greatest asset of both India and Pakistan today is its population of young people. It is said that 51% of India's population of 1.1 billion people is under 25 years of age and two-thirds is under 35 years of age. Experts also warn that this youth bulge can turn into a demographic disaster if the young are not gainfully engaged in education and employment activities.

In Pakistan 30 to 40 percent of the nation's males are between the age of 15 and 29. This large energetic yet untapped pool of young people on both sides of the border has the potential to play a huge and lasting role in contributing to peace and prosperity in the region. It must not be forgotten that half of this population is female, another section of society that is confident in its skills and capabilities and yet is little involved in contributing to peace initiatives. As the number of symposiums, think tanks and forums on global issues increase around the world, the absence of women from both global and local decision making bodies has become even more obvious.

The appointment of Pakistan's first female foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who is 35 years old, is a positive sign, bringing a woman into official peace talks between India and Pakistan.

Officials may compare the relationship between Indian and Pakistan to the treatment of two patients whose only disease is an allergy to each other, but ordinary citizens are far less cynical. The polls are proof that an overwhelming support for friendship is there. In India the perception that all terror attacks in the country are related to Pakistan is already down to 42% from a previous record of 75%. This significant change in the collective perception of a society comes from campaigns that encourage people-to-people contact and build social and cultural bridges. The polls reveal a high degree of optimism expressed by ordinary citizens about the possibility of an end to hostilities one day and they unanimously agree that the task of making peace is too important to be left only to the government. About 70% of Pakistanis and 74% of Indians said that they want peace and only a tiny minority of 17% in India and 8% in Pakistan are reluctant to let bygones be bygones.

The polls covered six Indian cities and eight cities in Pakistan including 36 villages. People-to-people contact is seen as an effective instrument to encourage peaceful coexistence by 81% of Pakistanis and Indians.

Now that a majority of Indians have denied past allegations that Muslims are responsible for all acts of terror it is time to come together and to look for new ways to move into the future.

This good news from the grassroots is a golden opportunity to talk of a more collaborative peace process, involving citizens from all walks of life, including women and youth leaders.

The optimism amongst the majority population is very precious and needs to be nourished before further political failures and terrorist attacks cement walls in the minds of the people that may prove to be far more difficult to tear down than geographical boundaries.

Looking to a future without fear on Indian and Pakistani Independence Days

Last weekend both India and Pakistan celebrated Independence Day on 14 August and 15 August respectively. In the midst of joy it was also reiterated by some that it was a tragedy to divide South Asia, first into Pakistan on 14 August in 1947, and later into Bangladesh as well in 1971.

However more and more people want to move beyond the painful memories of divided families and material loss. Six decades after partition there is a desire now to reverse the relationship between India and Pakistan from mutual suspicion to mutual benefit, particularly amongst the young.

“We are poised to be the fifth most populous country in the world in a few years. With 60 percent of Pakistan’s 187 million-strong population below the age of 24, the youth of Pakistan form a potentially powerful force for change. We must be nation builders. It is our greatest responsibility and burden,” wrote Shehrbano Taseer, the Lahore based journalist on the eve of Independence Day celebrations in Pakistan.

“In 1947, Pakistan may have got its independence from the British Raj but 64 years later, with a moth-eaten country, we are still waiting for a new dawn...Crimes against women must also be stopped. A society cannot progress unless and until women are treated equally,” writes Mehmal Sarfaraz, the youthful editor of Pakistan's Daily Times.

Marvi Sirmed is an Islamabad-based student of international relations and counter terrorism. She has nicknamed herself “a Pakistani with a bindi” (the red dot on the forehead that Hindu women wear) and her thoughts on independence are focused on the future. Sirmed is a firm believer in cultural roots rather than oneness through religion and is convinced that the solution of Pakistan's current problem is to be a secular state whether Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan endorsed it or not.

“Being a secular state is to Pakistan’s best benefit. What Jinnah said or did not say more than half a century ago is hardly relevant to the solution of Pakistan’s current problems,” says Sirmed.

Salman Latif, a Pakistani blogger said that Pakistan's best hope is the youth. He feels that 64 years are sufficient to attempt a discourse over whether or not a nation should have been founded. “It’s about time we moved on and talked of something more constructive. We are the future of this nation and it’s up to us to shape this future,” Salman says.

In Dawn, Pakistan's oldest English language newspaper analyst Adnan Rehmat writes, “We have tried India as an enemy and it has cost us dearly. It’s time to try India as a friend because the cost of being a friend is far, far less than the cost of being an enemy.”

For Indians, improved relations with Pakistan will also mean diverting a little from precious resources away from security matters into programs that will provide the majority population a little more freedom from poverty, illiteracy and gender inequality.

In her Independence Day address Pratibha Devisingh Patil regretted on 15 August that there is a decline in the gender ratio in the 0 to 6 age group. “It has touched a low level of 914 girls as compared to 1000 boys. It reflects the continuing preference for boys in our society and the bias against the girl child. We need to fight social prejudices which have resulted in this situation, and also work to eradicate the practices of dowry, child marriage and female foeticide, which we continue to battle even in the 21st century,” said the president. Clearly the call is to fight social evils and not neighbors.

India's first female president lauded the success of the movement of self help groups in the country, 80 percent of which are all-women groups. They operate at the lower rung of the economic strata and carry out activities on a limited scale. These groups have provided women not only with possibilities of income generating activity, but have given them confidence and a sense of self-esteem.

In his message to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Independence Day, Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was filled with hope that dialogue between India and Pakistan will help to take bilateral issues forward. Gilani expressed his desire to see friendly relations restored between the two countries in the interest of peace in the region, socioeconomic progress and prosperity for the people.

Members of civil society held a candlelight vigil at the Wagha border in the Indian city of Amritsar. Led by Indian journalist Kuldip Nayar and film-maker Mahesh Bhatt the vigil was joined by local people who marched in candlelight to the border with Pakistan where prominent Indian and Pakistani artists met each other and staged performances. With so much goodwill amongst the people, can peace be far behind?

A letter of reconciliation that brings hope to two nations

Hats off to Farida Singh. With one gesture so full of grace she has flicked away the doubts that very often cloud the thoughts of those dreaming of a little more peace and a little more friendship amongst people worldwide. She has revived our faith that talking to each other is the most valuable gift both India and Pakistan can give to the youthful population of their respective countries.

Farida is the daughter of an Indian pilot, Jahangir Engineer, whose civilian aircraft plane was shot down by a Pakistani fighter pilot during the 1965 war between India and Pakistan. Recently Farida reached out to the same Pakistani pilot to tell him that she and her family had never nursed bitterness or hatred towards him.

The great generosity of spirit demonstrated by Farida did not fail to bring tears to many eyes, and has hopefully shamed many a war monger.

Engineer’s plane had apparently drifted off course along the border between India and Pakistan and was shot down by Qais Hussain, a Pakistani pilot, more than four decades ago.

A few days ago Hussain wrote an email to Singh, saying that he was sorry for the loss of precious lives during the incident and that he was acting under orders from his superiors.

The email confession of Hussain says that he felt elated once he had accomplished his mission and landed back at a Karachi air base. However his mood changed when he heard a radio report that the plane he had shot down was a civilian aircraft with eight innocent Indians on board.

Hussain, 70 is a Lahore resident today. He wrote in his apology that he had shot down the Beechcraft after it showed up on the Pakistani radar, having drifted many miles away from the Indian coast and going up and down over the borders of Rann of Kutch.

“Nonetheless, the unfortunate part in all this is that I had to execute the orders of my controller,” wrote Hussain. “Mrs Singh, I have chosen to go into this detail to tell you that it all happened in the line of duty and it was not governed by the concept that ‘everything is fair in love and war’ the way it has been portrayed by the Indian media due to lack of information.”

“I did not play foul and went by the rules of business but the unfortunate loss of precious lives, no matter how it happens, hurts each human and I am no exception. I feel sorry for you, your family and the other seven families who lost their dearest ones. I feel greatly grieved that you lost your brother Noshir recently,” wrote Hussain.

In her spontaneous reply Farida confessed that the loss of her father was a life-defining incident for her.

She was barely in her teens, and life was very difficult for her after the loss of her father.

“But in all the struggles that followed, we never, not for one moment, bore bitterness or hatred for the person who actually pulled the trigger and caused my father's death. The fact that this all happened in the confusion of a tragic war was never lost to us. We are all pawns in this terrible game of war and peace,” Farida Singh said in her reply, accepting Hussain's apology.

In yet another gesture of generosity Farida gives all credit to the courage of Hussain for tracing her out after all these years to write to her. This is the beginning of a dialogue and the beginning of a friendship for both of them who are now in the autumn of their lives.

Both Farida and Hussain appeared on an Indian television channel soon after their respective emails were picked up by the media, which has gone overboard celebrating the generosity shown by both souls. It was on television that the two saw each other for the first time.

Farida said that at this stage in her life nothing is more important to her than peace of mind and Hussain’s apology has provided her that peace.

Hussian said that if an opportunity ever arose that he could meet Farida to condole the death of her father, he would grab it with both his hands.

Hussain has publicly requested Farida to convey his feelings to other members of the family who were equally hurt by the untimely departure of the Indian pilot whose plane he had shot down.

Farida says that she learnt the generosity of spirit and intuitive understanding of the pain of others from her late father and is convinced that he would have liked nothing more than to bring about a spark of forgiveness between our two peoples, who after all were one.

Now that Farida has put into practice what was taught to her by her father, her gesture is sure to teach the same to many a young person on both sides of the borders who are desperately in search of role models and of the inspiration that can empower youth and lead them away from hopelessness towards a more human path.

By Mehru Jaffer