Mutual trust between Indo-Pak people is the key to peace: Saeeda Diep

[Photos] "The diplomatic relations between two nations cannot last long if the contact between their people is hampered. It is the contact between people, cultural exchanges and mutual trust and understanding that keeps diplomatic ties intact. And this is exactly what we need to resume and strengthen between India and Pakistan," said Saeeda Diep, noted human rights activist from Pakistan, who leads Institute for Peace and Secular studies, in Lahore.

Diep was interacting with students and staff of Spring Dale Inter College in B-block and Daffodils Convent Inter College in D-Block Indira Nagar. Piyush Mishra, Principal, Daffodils, Reeta Khanna, Principal, Spring Dale, Shobha Shukla, former faculty, Loreto Convent Inter College and volunteer with Asha Parivar and NAPM, and Rahul Kumar Dwivedi, CNS, were among those present.

"If we want efforts taken up at the diplomatic level to pay, we will have to mobilise people at ground level. We need to infuse in people the feeling of trust and understanding" said Diep. She has made exceptional contribution in promoting friendship and peace between Indo-Pak people. She has been involved with several people-led peace initiatives between the two nations such as First and Second Visa-Free and Peaceful South Asia Conventions, India Pakistan Peace March (Delhi to Multan), India Pakistan Peace Caravan (Aman Ke Badhte Kadam) and other such initiatives.

She also formally launched a Lessons From Japan 2011 campaign among youth of Lucknow that is proposed to culminate on Hiroshima Day, the 6th August 2011 with a seminar at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS). This campaign will raise awareness about nuclear radiation hazards, and promote dialogue and mobilize public opinion among young people for non-nuclear clean energy options. This campaign is organized under the aegis of Asha Parivar, National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and Citizens for Healthy Lucknow campaign and led by Lucknow citizens.

Recent nuclear emergency in Japan leaves no doubt that this world needs to renounce nuclear power for military and civil/ energy purposes, as soon as possible, to put an end to any further catastrophe in the name of 'energy', 'security' or 'technology'. Nuclear power is clearly the most dangerous options for civil or military use. Countries that have been using nuclear power such as Germany and Japan have resolved to abandon nuclear energy by 2022. Germany converted its semi-finished nuclear energy plant into an amusement park! India needs to vote for clean energy!

The Lessons From Japan 2011 campaign promotes the use of indigenous energy resources such as coal, gas, hydro (small, micro dams or run of the river categories), solar, wind energy, biogas etc., and ensuring our future energy supplies from Iran and other countries in West and Central Asia. Although the Campaign realize that fossil fuel based method of energy production is also harmful contributing to global warming and ideally like European Union and Japan we should aim for a low-carbon energy production system. India’s future energy policy should be low carbon and no nuclear.

Bobby Ramakant - CNS 


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