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India and Pakistan: Growing beyond the boundary
an article by Prakash Khadka
It was at the United Nations Human Rights Council
(UN-HRC) at Geneva in 2010, I met Mireille
Grosjean; a promoter of intercultural peace
(http://mirejo3.blogspot.com/). She introduced
herself saying “I am a nomad without an animal”.
At first, I could not understand meaning of what
she said. Mireille spends her nomad life teaching
intercultural peace education around the world.
Young school students from India and Pakistan work
to build friendship bridges between the two
nations so that they shall have peace.
click on photo to enlarge
Last March, 48 Indian and Pakistani school
children and their teachers from the periphery of
Jummu and Kashmir gathered in Kathmandu to have a
“Cross Border Peace Initiative Programme between
India and Pakistan.” Being a resource person, I
facilitated a 2 days peace workshops for them. At
last my heart felt glad when some of the students
introduced themselves by saying, “I am a citizen
of the world but I live in India/Pakistan”. Such
a statement by children gives a very good lesson
to grown-up people.
A couple of week before, one of our colleague; a
human rights defender in Sri Lanka Mr. Ruki
Fernando got arrested
in a false accusation while he was working in
promotion of communal reconciliation. However,
immediate pressure created all over the world
freed him within 48 hours.
Recently a pioneer Malaysian migrant’s workers
rights’ activist, Mrs Irene Fernandez passed away. Circles
of human rights activist instantly felt great loss
for human rights globally and shared their feeling
over the internet.
All these series of incidents struck in my head.
Disregarding the political division between the
civilizations today, humanity is growing together in
solidarity.
When we talk about human rights, if everyone
respects the dignity of each other and maintains
justice that will definitely bring peace among us.
We all know is there are no differences between
black and white races, and we cannot tolerate
ethnic or caste based discrimination. No one is
less important than other.
“All have equal and same dignity by virtue of being
a human.”
This is the universality of human rights, inborn
dignity of human being and natural character of
peace. It can’t be restricted by any kind of man-
made boundaries.
Increasing concept of international solidarity and
global practise can be regarded as one of the main
strengths of human rights and peace advocacy these
days.
“Continue growth beyond the boundaries makes a
better world of Just, equitable and peaceful
societies possible”.
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DISCUSSION
Question(s) related to this article:
How can a culture of peace be cultivated in Kashmir?,
* * * * *
Latest reader comment:
This discussion question applies to the following articles:
Until My Freedom Has Come: The New Intifada in Kashmir
India and Pakistan: Growing beyond the boundary
India: Aaghaz-e-Dosti conducted three Aman Chaupal sessions in Pakistan
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