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Indian- and Pakistani-Americans Call for Peace in South Asia
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Pakistani- and Indian-Americans gather in front of both embassies demanding peace. |
by
Ayesha Ahmad, IOL Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON,
June 7 (IslamOnline) - In an unusual collaboration, Indian- and
Pakistani-Americans gathered at the Pakistani and Indian embassies
Wednesday afternoon to call on both countries to avert a nuclear war. There
were more than 100 members of the two communities from the Washington,
DC metro area.
Out
of respect for the gravity of the situation in the region, there was
little slogan-chanting or other noise, but many carried homemade signs
with slogans like "Nukes Are Still Stupid and Expensive" and
"Protect the Children of South Asia."
The
rally was organized within a week by a group called the D.C.
Collective, a South Asian coalition of organizations for peace and
justice, and the Pakistan Association of Greater Washington
Metropolitan Area.
"It's
unprecedented to have Indians and Pakistanis meet… together to ask
for the same thing," said Ashwini Tambe, a Georgetown University
women's studies professor of Indian background who addressed
demonstrators before the Indian Embassy. She said that since she came
to Washington in 1995, she had never seen such collaboration between
the two communities before.
The
demonstrators first met in front of the Pakistani Embassy, where a
delegation entered and delivered a petition drafted by a collective of
Indian and Pakistani organizations to Pakistani Ambassador Maleeha
Lodhi. The same letter was given to Indian Ambassador Lalit Mansingh
after the rally marched down Massachusetts Ave. to the Indian Embassy.
The
letter called for the "immediate de-escalation of both the
rhetoric of war and the threat of war," by the two governments,
Tambe told IslamOnline.
Stressing
the unity of the groups behind its message, the letter said they
represented a community that is "deeply troubled by the recent
downward spiral of events in our region… A military 'solution to the
current crisis between India and Pakistan is no solution at all."
"As
an immediate measure, we urge both governments to resume political and
diplomatic negotiations at the highest levels, and end the current
standoff," the letter said.
"Our
vision is one of a South Asia where every child, woman and man is free
from poverty, illiteracy, cultural or religious repression, and lives
a natural life span uninterrupted by nuclear missiles or conventional
warfare."
The
rally indeed represented a variety of groups, the majority Indians,
but some signs such as "Pakistanis for Peace and Justice"
were visible, as well as several non-South Asian demonstrators.
Members of both communities addressed the crowd in front of both
embassies.
"The
community is really concerned about the developments in the
region," said Jamshed Uppal, a professor at Washington's Catholic
University of America and a Pakistani-American. "It seems we are
on a collision course…we're here just to urge the governments to
make their best efforts."
Uppal
also said it was the first time in his life he had seen the Indian and
Pakistani communities coming together. "We are Washington,
capital of the world," he said. "If we don't raise our voice
here, we will not be able to raise our voice anywhere else."
Nargis
Rehman, a Maryland resident of Pakistani background, said she came
hoping to do what she could to stop what was happening, adding that
the situation was the result of the actions of politicians, not of
people, but the people could at least make an effort.
"If
everybody gets together like this, we can make a difference."
Another
demonstrator, Svend White, told IslamOnline that while it was
certainly unusual to see Pakistanis and Indians coming together, he
hoped that it would be more than just symbolic.
"Assuming
this leads to open discussions about the grievances on both sides,
this could lead to something," he said.
White,
a Danish-American Virginia resident who is Muslim, expressed concern
about what he saw as one-sided media portrayals of the current
situation that "pretty much just echo the Indian view of the
problem."
He
said that such representations "make it difficult for Pakistanis
to voice their concerns and their fears," and the lower turnout
of Pakistanis at the rally suggested that "the Pakistani
community doesn't' feel comfortable expressing itself" because of
media sensationalism about Islam and Pakistan.
"Muslim
Pakistanis have to prove themselves not to be extremists - that is not
conducive to real dialogue," he said.
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