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Building roads for peace
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Two girls from the city are on their way to Karachi as part of a youth exchange programme to participate in an initiative to strengthen the peace process between India and Pakistan. R. UMA MAHESWARI reports.
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REACHING OUT: Sazia Imroze
THEIRS IS the face of the next generation. Not quite in the sense of the `gen-x' typified in visuals and images in mainstream media, but the face of idealism and hope built on some of our progressive traditions, still alive and a thing to be fought for. Meet 19-year-old Sazia Imroze and 20-year-old Amala from the Old City and the Agency Areas of A.P. respectively; both from minority/ marginalised communities.
And, both are on their way to Karachi to take part in a programme where youngsters would decide on how to build roads towards a peace process between India and Pakistan. For both Imroze and Amala, this would be the first experience of flying, going so far away from their homes and, as representatives of minority communities of a pluralistic Indian society, offering something to their counterparts in Pakistan.
Aptly called Youth Without Borders and Art Without Frontiers, organised by the Youth Initiatives for Peace at Karachi from July 1 to 12, the programme will have 15 students each from both sides as participants.
Photos: P.V. Sivakumar
TAKING THE INITIATIVE: Lalita Ramdas with the girls.
Lalita Ramdas (wife of Admiral(retd) Ramdas) elaborates on how the process began. "As members of the India Pakistan People's Forum, my husband and myself have been trying to promote many youth exchanges, because a lot of the baggage of the past — historical perceptions, current animosity — can be better addressed when young people get to know each other face-to-face, instead of getting influenced by external sources. My own background has been in community education and I was involved in such youth exchanges as a facilitator/ resource person. We were at a ten-day event in Singapore United World College South-East Asia last year with a group of young people and the faculty involved in peace movements in the world. They thought of this idea that young people talking, singing, dancing and living together would begin to understand each other better and had organised the residential camp. At the end of ten days, the transformed students questioned, `why have we been told so many lies?' They formed the Youth Initiative for Peace (YIP), and continued their interaction over email, and a number of them from Pakistan have been active. Last December, they organised the SAARC youth camp. But none attended from India. This is the second programme being organised by the participants of last year's camp."
Sagari Ramdas and Lalita Ramdas (who accompany these students) will address sessions on music for peace.
Amala who belongs to the Kondareddi community (designated as Scheduled Tribes) speaks about her background. "I hail from Kantulapanda village (Vairammavaram mandal in East Godavari district). I studied at a school near our village and then at Rajahmundry. After Class X, I joined a people's organisation, `Girijana Deepika'. I still work in that area on issues of `adivasi' people's livelihood, cultures, and their problems. I am also trained in animal health, and work with traditional practices. My parents are farmers, who, though not really literate, can sign their names. Two of my younger sisters are studying still."
"I come from that part of the Old City where riots usually happen, around Lal Darwaza, Kannikal Gate and Gowlipura. Until now, no girl from our area has gone so far away from home for a camp. Even in my own community, none accepted this. Since last year, I have been with PlayforPeace (and COVA for a while) and that has brought some change... I was the first in my community (in our area) to discard the burkha, wear jeans, and learn driving! Initially, people used to talk, but gradually they understood. Now that they have seen the positive change in me, many girls are coming out. My mother and sisters have been in community work. We are five sisters and two brothers. One of them works with a Gandhian organisation in Ahmedabad and my father is in Kuwait," says Imroze about herself.
About her perceptions about the Indo-Pak `conflict' and politics, Amala says, "in our areas, no one really bothers too much about the conflict; they do not know a lot about such matters, and when they see it in newspapers, on TV or listen to the radio, they wonder why people fight over a small piece of land. When I was studying, whenever Partition was discussed, our teachers always said Pakistan is a rival nation. But then, I used to wonder why it is so. They never told us why. Poor people like us adivasis and minorities are victims in these conflicts. But not the authorities and politicians. That is why, I want to know what is really going on — in the workshop."
Imroze says, "I never had such notions — since I have uncles, and an aunt staying in Pakistan (they left during the Partition). After the first IPPF meeting, we, in fact, sent letters and origami cards to Pakistanis through our coordinator. He returned with gifts like friendship bands, etc. We really felt we are all one — there is no enmity. At the workshop, I plan to participate fully, and build relationships with people and invite them here. I hope to bring something of Pakistan and give something of India to them."
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Amala
About their own role in building peace initiatives, these young women are quite clear. Amala says, "Pakistan and India seem to be at war, but common people are never in conflict. If we ask questions now, perhaps, the generations after us may be able to live in a context of togetherness. We have to work now so that the future is peaceful."
"Youth can be both creative and destructive — because they have so much of energy that can be used both positively and negatively. Perhaps, looking at people like us, it is possible that those involved in violence might change their mind. I can help in bringing this about in the Old City when I come back. At least 50 youngsters in the area, I know, will join me in this struggle. It takes time for truth to be accepted, but if we work at it constantly, it is possible. Peace will be my main work here," says Imroze.
Amala adds, "Once I go back to the Agency Areas, though I will work on their problems, I will also try to share my experiences from the workshop so that we can contribute our share in bringing peace and amity between both nations.In our adivasi community, there is no ill feeling towards any community.
But, politicians bring these feelings."
Says Imroze, "India is multi-cultural. Pakistan, I think, is different for some reason. However, youngsters everywhere obviously think likewise. But, in our own case, we used to think that Hindus would be more involved with PlayforPeace since they do not have restraints like burkha and other things. But strangely, there are three Hindu girls and 30 Muslim girls. Why is it so? I don't know. Perhaps, we will work on this issue from the experience of the workshop."
"The selection involved the participants' reason behind wanting to go to Pakistan, and it was based on their maturity and emotional sensibilities.
It is going to be a meeting of a cross section of young people. In the near future, Hyderabad may become the centre for a follow-up and a much broader peace process, besides Mumbai and Delhi. Perhaps, there may be a return visit from the youth from Pakistan," Lalita says.
Finally, Imroze wishes to say this to people her age, "Agar hum chahte hain ki banen ek accha insan, to chod do kehna `mera India mera Pakistan'
(If we wish to become good human beings, let us stop chanting `my India and my Pakistan')," sums up Imroze.
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