Letter from International Peace Organisations to the Governments of India and Pakistan

PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA A.B. VAJPAYEE, SOUTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI, 110-004
+91-11-301-6857 +91-11-301-9545, 91-11-972-2-664-838

MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS INDIA
+91-11-301-0700 UN MISSION Fax. + 1 212 490 9656

PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF OF PAKISTAN,
0011-92-51-920-3938, 0011-92-51-920-1968 0011-92-51-811390

FOREIGN MINISTER OF PAKISTAN
+92-51-920-7217 +92-51-920 0420 or 820-420 UN Mission Fax. + 1 212 744 7348

CC UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY - GENERAL KOFI ANNAN

Dear Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan,

The undersigned groups and parliamentarians, representing people and organizations worldwide, write to you to express our extreme concern over the possibility of conflict between your two countries.

A military conflict could all too easily become a devastating nuclear exchange, which could destroy both countries as functioning entities, with casulties in the millions. Some projections suggest that up to 150 million people might die, depending on the exact scenario.

Military action, or a threat of military action, could all too easily lead to an outcome that is not in anyone's interest.

Military solutions to the Kashmir problem should therefore be ruled out. It is urgent to initiate a dialogue on Kashmir in whatever is the most effective manner, leading to a real solution to the Kashmir problem.

We do not seek to prescribe in detail any particular solution to the Kashmir issue. Rather we point out that the losses that would be incurred equally by both nations in a nuclear exchange are so vast, and so incomprehensible, that no political, security, or other goal whatsoever could possibly justify taking the risk of those losses.

Eliminating the risk of a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan is a goal which must take precedence over all other possible political and security goals as it concerns the continued physical survival of both nations.

Whoever provides a peaceful and just way out of this crisis will have the gratititude of both Indians, Pakistanis, and the world as a whole.

We therefore urge India and Pakistan:

• To move their troops, especially 'strategic units', but also all military formations, back from the border.
• To instruct their troops not to return fire if fired upon
• To immediately enter discussions both at SAARC and elsewhere which will stabilize the situation. --To immediately restore road and rail links
• To enter discussions as to the most appropriate way in which to pursue terrorist organisations.

and in the longer term:

• To enter a dialogue aimed at providing a mutually acceptable solution to the Kashmiri problem.
• To enter discussions aimed at eliminating the risk of a nuclear exchange between the two countries, under any cicumstances.
• To work towards lasting solutions toward peace and stability in the region.

Finally, we urge that both nations take seriously the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons to which other nations have agreed, and eliminate the risk of the annihilation of both parties by dismantling their nuclear arsenals.

We trust that through these and other representations, a peaceful solution to the current crisis will be found.

Copy to : UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY - GENERAL KOFI ANNAN with the request to exercise his good offices to facilitate and ensure that both the governments of India and Pakistan take immediate steps in conformity with this appeal for peace by the undersigned organisations and concerned individuals.

Signed [Organizations and Parliamentarians Signatures]

INDIAN AND PAKISTANI GROUPS
Sukla Sen EKTA (Committee for Communal Amity) Mumbai (Bombay)
Harsh Kapoor, South Asians Against Nukes (SAAN),
S.V. Kirubaharan, Secy, Tamil Centre for Human Rights (THCR) France,
Dr Balakrishna Kurvey, President, Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament, and Environmental Protection,(IIDEP) Nagpur, India,
Prof Ram Puniyami, IIT-Mumbai, Akhila Rahman, Asiapeace, Berkley, CA., USA,
Ritu Primlani, Thimakaa, San Francisco, USA,

Zahid Hussain, President, Sustainable Resource Foundation, (SURF) Islamabad, Pakistan,
Yasmin Zaidi, Islamabad, Pakistan,

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
John Loretz, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), Boston, Mass, USA,
Wiliam Peden, Greenpeace International,Lond, UK,
Ricardo Navarro, Chair, Friends of the Earth International (FOEI)

RUSSIAN/CIS GROUPS
Oleg Bodrov, Chair, 'Zelenyi Zvit' (Green World), Sosnovy Bor, Russia,
Vladimir Slivyak, ECODEFENSE, Russia,
Alisa Nikoulina, Social-Ecological Union, Russia,

US GROUPS
Robert K. Musil, Executive Director, , Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) Washington, USA,
Marylia Kelly, Tri-Valley CARES, Livermore, US,
Carol Wolman, Nuclear Peace Action Group of Mendocino, CA.
Alice Slater, Global Resource and Action Centre for the Environment, (GRACE) NY, USA,
Preston J. Truman, Downwinders, Idaho, USA,
Phyllis W. Stanley, Environmental and Peace Education Centre, Florida, USA,
Molly Johnstone, Director, Grandmothers for Peace, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA,

CANADIAN GROUPS
Senator Douglas Roche, OC, Canada,
Desmond Berghofer, Institute for Ethical Leadership, Vancouver, BC, Canada,
Sue Fraser, Secy, Vancouver Islanders for Nuclear Disarmament, BC, Canada,

EUROPEAN GROUPS
Jenny Maxwell, West Midlands CND, UK,
Jenny Maxwell, Vice-Chair, CND-UK, London,
Lindis Percy, Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases (CAAB),
UK, Simon Bowens, Yorkshire CND., Yorkshire, UK,
George Farebrother, Secy, World Court Project, Hailsham, UK,

Dr Wolfgang Hertle, Archiv-Aktiv, Hamburg, Germany,
Hans-Peter Richter, German Peace Council, Germany,

Matthias Reichl, Centre for Encounters and Active Non-Violence, Bad Ischl, Austria,

Professor Bent Natvig, Chair, Pugwash Committee of Norway, Oslo, Norway,

Constantin Lacatus, President, Sibenii Pacifisti, Sibiu, Romania,

JAPANESE GROUPS
Steve Leeper, Global Peacemakers Association, Hiroshima, Japan,
Yumi Kikuchi, Founder, Global Peace Campaign, Japan,
Satomi Oba, Plutonium Action Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan,
Haruko Moritaki, Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Hiroshima, Japan,
Haruko Moritaki, Association for Peace Exchange with Indian and Pakistani Youth, Hiroshima, Japan,

AUSTRALIAN GROUPS
John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Australia,
Irene Gale AM, Australian Peace Committee,
Jo Vallentine, People for Nuclear Disarmament
W.A., Hilel Freedman, Nuclear-Free Australia, Melb, Aust,
Robert J. Hunter, President, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Sydney, Aust,
Robin Chapple MLC, Greens, W.A., Mining and Pastoral Region, Perth, W.A.,

NZ GROUPS
Lawrence F.J. Ross, Secy, New Zealand Nuclear-Free Peacemaking Association,