The sixth was by far the largest and attended by around 600 delegates from various chapters of India and Pakistan - precisely 265 from India and rest from Pakistan. The inaugural session and cultural programs were attended by more than 1200 people. The kind of solidarity and warmth generated was amazing. One significant factor was youth from both the countries. They interacted and jointly produced a play. The artists made friendship through flag and takhti exhibition, which also added colour to the occasion.
The plenaries and group discussions were lively and through provoking. There was ample seriousness and desire to solve the conflicting issues in the midst of festivities. The commitment of the delegates was expressed in declaration attached below.
Click here to see flag and takhti exhibition....
Another important feature was the interest group meetings. Altogether ten such meetings took place and delegates from different walks of life like fisher folks, writers, doctors, artists and women etc. interacted with each other and made their connections.
We the delegates to the 6th Joint Convention of the Pakistan India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy, are convinced that the people of the world in general and South Asia in particular, face new forms of imperialistic globalization that is today
(i) increasingly aided and abetted by local interests and constituencies,
(ii) imposes an iniquitous system on the developing countries,
(iii) destroys the livelihood of common people
(iv) undermines the political and economic independence of countries
(v) directs violence against societies with different political and social ideals, particularly Muslim people, and
(vi) terrorizes entire countries in the name of fighting terrorism.
To build resistance against the IMF, World Bank and WTO, as well as the agents of imperialist globalization, build strong trade and economic cooperation between the two countries and in entire South Asia to foster independent development.
Reiterates its call for global nuclear disarmament, and an immediate de-alert and then destruction of all nuclear weapons by the two countries, a 25 % reduction in conventional forces, and the immediate removal and an end to the use of landmines.
Settle the Kashmir dispute respecting the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir on both sides of LoC, withdrawal of armed forces and armed groups on both sides, establish an effective and accountable mechanism to ensure protection of life and liberty of the people of J&K, particularly women. Believes that the persistence of majoritarian politics and increasing communalisation of the polity pitting one disadvantaged section against the other deprives the people of their right to self-realization. We stress that without adequate protection of religious, linguistic, cultural and political minorities there can be no democracy.
There can be no justice without granting redress to the victims of human rights abuses especially with the connivance of the state, particularly women and children, as in Gujarat.
All those who were forced in the past to leave their homes and migrate to other countries or to other parts of their country must be given the opportunity to return to their original settlements.
All regimes and laws that deny the human rights of the person without citizenship status, such as migrant workers and those who cross the border by mistake, must be scrapped.
India and Pakistan must sign a protocol on exchange of prisoners and respect the rights of refugees.
Non-delimitation of maritime boundaries is depriving thousands of fisher people of their livelihood. We demand immediate cessation of the harassment of fisher people and those arrested must be repatriated immediately with their boats, equipment and property.
We call upon the two governments to remove all restrictions on travel between the countries, and the institution of a regime of issuing visas on arrival. We call upon both governments to recognize the disadvantaged position of women in our countries; to count the productivity of women and their contribution to the GDP; to ensure the provision of basic minimum needs to women, particularly health, nutrition, education and employment; and, in view of the documented feminization of poverty in both our countries, to focus on rural women in poverty reduction measures. Women must be included in all government and civil society initiatives for peace. We call upon our governments to repeal all discriminatory anti-women laws (such as the Hudood Ordinances in Pakistan), and to enact enabling legislation, especially laws on violence against women, through cross-cutting, non-partisan political processes, for women's empowerment and gender equality.
Recognize the universal right of divided families to reunion, and allow cultural exchanges and interaction between civil society organizations, particularly youth to counter the atmosphere of hate and distrust, remove restrictions on exchange of literature, books, films, music, dance, supports and other art forms
In order the ensure systematic and concerted pursuit of the objectives of the Forum the convention decides to appoint Three Joint Committees, Kashmir, peace and reconciliation and minorities;
(a) THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON KASHMIR WILL arrange for and facilitate a dialogue between the people on both sides of the LOG and interact with all organizations involved in the efforts to achieve peace and democratic resolution of the Kashmir issue and ensure 50 % participation for women.
(b) THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON PEACE WILL prepare an immediate and short term plan for confidence building and normalcy in the region and a long term strategy for establishing a just and durable peace in the sub continent. For this purpose the committee will visit different parts of India and Pakistan hold extended discussion with various sections of the society including political parties, business community, women groups, farmers and workers organizations and other people 's movements.
(c) THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON MINORITIES WILL deal with the issue relating to the issue of protecting of minorities and their rights in the two countries.
