STATEMENT AGAINST WAR MONGERING & INCREASING LOSS OF HUMAN LIVES

Banglar Manabaqdhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), seriously note and strongly condemn the Indian air strikes and bombing in Pakistan villages beyond the Line of Control and Pakistani airstrikes at other side. We demand both governments of India & Pakistan to show justified restraint and avoid any war like situation. We demand for immediate governmental measures from both Indian and Pakistan sides for de- escalation of the situation and de-militarization of borders by withdrawing troops to the peace time level.

We unequivocally condemn the massacre of more than 45 CRPF personnel, at Pulwama, in Jammu & Kashmir, India. MASUM denounce the large-scale killings of the police, army personnel, civilians and members of non-state armed groups, in diverse instances at India and Pakistan. We are shocked and pained at the escalating numbers of human loss; that lost to guns, IEDs, missiles, bombs, pellet guns, stones, etc. in the Kashmir valley both in India and Pakistan, the numbers of human loss increases after 2016.

We take serious note of the high emotional outpouring and war mongering by the government and its agencies and lapdog media on both sides further giving rise to fundamentalists and extremists elements. We are perturbed by the increasing incidents of violence and vindictive action against Kashmiris in particular and Muslims in general by state and non-state actors in India.

Failed policies of both India and Pakistan and its undemocratic and authoritarian attitude in addressing Kashmir issue is at the core of the problem. This governmental approach led to over emphasis on militarized means over political dialogue and resolution. Exclusion and restriction of international agencies, especially the UN bodies from on-spot enquiry and crisis management further aggravated the situation. This has led to continuous loss of lives and has created war like situation in both civilians’ areas as well as border areas. A large number of lives have already been lost to this. MASUM believes in political resolution through dialogue and demands the governments of India and Pakistan to initiate meaningful dialogue involving Kashmiri leadership from both sides, addressing the issue bilaterally. We are observing that in India, right-wing Hindutwabadi political fanatics are now busy to damage the spirit of Constitution of India by raising question on validity of Article 35A and 370. To promote peace and overall wellbeing of citizens it is essential that bordering areas on both sides shall be demilitarised, and on other hand, employment, food, shelter must be guaranteed to all at both sides of the border thus they can lead a life free from terror and subjugation. We have enough lessons from past that escalation of violence and hatred between neighbouring countries always deteriorate living conditions of the people of both the lands. 

We further demand that the government of Pakistan to move beyond rhetoric of anti-extremism and anti- terrorism verbose to meaningful and substantive actions against all barred groups, terrorist organizations and their handlers active in Pakistani land. 

27 February 2019