Of the several possibilities mentioned about making Siachen a zone of peace, only one merits attention (“A peaceful way out of Siachen”, Feb.11). It would mean turning the “entire Siachen region into a peace park as suggested by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a visit to the Siachen base camp in June 2005”. Siachen would lend itself particularly well to such a solution as it would blend well with the 170 transboundary parks in the world today. Siachen has no resident population; it has no mineral or oil wealth which others may cherish; it is an area of almost ethereal beauty which should be a World Heritage Site. The symbolic value of establishing a peace park would be immense. It would not only give a boost to peace in the subcontinent but also to the whole world. India has 75 national parks and 428 wildlife sanctuaries. Several of the national parks are in the Himalaya, examples being Khangchendzonga, Namdapha, Nanda Devi, Dachigam, Corbett, Rajaji and Balpakram.
What about the tonnes of garbage that is inevitably produced? There is war material in the form of artillery, small arms, guns, shells, ammunition, wreckage of helicopters, discarded tents and parachutes, evil smelling kerosene, boots, apparel of all sorts, waste food. There is also the tonnes of human waste, packed and thrown down crevasses. It is part of the same problem; they must be solved together.
Aamir Ali,
Lonay, Switzerland
