For Pres of Pakistan PM of India

[Guest guest]

For President of Pakistan Prime Minister of India

To General Pervez Musharraf The Honorable Atal Behari Vajpayee

The Rev. Canon Patrick P. Augustine

Updated on 2001-07-12 08:44:45

 

 

General Pervez Musharraf The Honorable Atal Behari Vajpayee

 

 

President of Pakistan Prime Minister of India

 

 

Most Honorable Gentlemen,

 

 

You leaders of India and Pakistan raise the hopes of all men and

women of peace throughout the world as you meet in Agra for this

planned Summit. You have the leadership responsibility of your great

nations represent one fifth of the people of the human race. What you

do there will have enormous impact for your peoples, and will ripple

outward to the rest of the world. As a Christian leader in a far away

Virginia and native of the Subcontinent, I wish you to know of our

support for this peace process, and of our hopes for economic gains

which can be accomplished for your peoples at this historic moment.

 

 

To whatever extent you can relieve your respective budgets of the

heavy burdens which conflict demands, your national resources will

become available to address domestic issues, such as wage levels, job

opportunities, capital flow, and productivity. Cessation of

hostilities could lead to lowering of trade barriers, a mutual

opening of markets to one another's goods, a damper on inflation, and

a higher economic standard of living for all concerned. Additional

resources could become available to address basic human needs of

food, shelter, health, education and housing, issues which, I am

sure, have troubled you ever the past years, while active conflict

has absorbed so such of the gross national product of both countries.

 

 

The past conflict has deprived larger industries of opportunities

they could have enjoyed with a relaxation of tensions. I can imagine

also what an atmosphere of peace and cooperation could mean for the

common man and his family, whose lot has often been harsh with no

prospect of relief in sight. You can accomplish goals now which

bullets will never accomplish for your peoples.

 

 

What a relief it is to see a prospect of reducing religious hatred

and intolerance. The prospect of friendly borders is enough to make

one's mouth water. I hope that there will be a brighter peacefilled

vision enhanced at Agra Summit for the prosperous and harmonious

future for the people of India and Pakistan.

 

 

Kashmir dispute on the Summit agenda is a step forward for bringing a

peaceful resolution to the conflict. There can be no normalization in

relationship in between two countries without solving this

longstanding conflict. Kashmir dispute is not about territory

control, but above all, is about the plight of 13 million people.

Kashmiri's have been struggling for their right to decide

democratically to exercise their free will to decide their future.

There have been promises made in the past to the people of Kashmir by

highly respected Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, who

said, "Our assurance that we shall withdraw our forces from Kashmir

as soon as peace and order are restored and leave the decision

regarding the future of this state to the people of state is not

merely a pledge to your government but also to the people of Kashmir

 

and to world." (October 31, 1947). The UN Security Council passed

resolutions in 1948 and

 

1949 that the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir would be

decided through the

 

democratic method of free and impartial plebiscite. Promises,

covenants and treatise are made to be kept by honorable partners.

This Summit gives both parties a chance to honor promises made to the

people of Kashmir and honor all the pacts made between two countries

in Simla Accord and Lahore declaration. Over five decades 40,000

human lives have been sacrificed of Kashmiri civilians and militants

and Indian and Pakistani soldiers. On both sides at present it is

religious fundamentalists who are the key and driving forces for

engaging in violent conflict. It is the people of Kashmir who are

suffering and in need of peace in this beautiful land, where world

ends and Paradise begins.

 

 

I am writing to you, Sirs, because I believe God has anointed you in

this time of history to be the instrument of Peace. I am an advocate

of peace and feel the pain of the suffering people of Kashmir. I have

a growing nightmarish fear that unless something drastic is done very

soon then more bloodshed and violence are going to continue in

Kashmir. Bishop Tutu, a Noble Peace laureate has said, "People made

desperate by despair, injustice and oppression will use desperate

means. Hatred and revenge are like an acid that will eat you and one

day you will discover you are just empty." I pray that this Summit

will reverse the violence to reconciliation, despair to hope and fear

to peace.

 

 

I want to join a group of peacemakers, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and

Christians to work

 

together for the peace in the region. Peace can only be achieved with

peaceful means. Violence begets violence.

 

 

Gentlemen, I pray that you may both be inspired to bring an end to

the conflict as you gather in this historical city of Agra, gazing at

Taj Mahal, the beautiful testimony to human love. A Christian saint

Francis long time ago said, "While you are proclaiming peace with

your lips," he said, "be careful to have it even more fully in your

heart." As peacemaker I raise my prayer for you to God Almighty:

 

 

Out of the depths I cry

 

 

To you, O Lord!

 

 

Lord, hear my voice!

 

 

Let your ears be attentive

 

 

To the voice of my supplication (Psalm 130)

 

 

May I invite people of all Faiths and people of good will to join

together to work for peace. I know extremists and religious zealots

consider this is a position of weakness. My simple question to them:

have bombs and bullets lessened the suffering to Kashmiri people? No!

Then let us strengthen the hands and confirm the spirit of good will

of Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Musharraf to reconcile

people of both countries.

 

 

I intercede in prayers to God for you, Sirs, that your journey from

conflict to the road to peace may be a blessing to the people of

India and Pakistan.

 

 

I humbly beg you Sir, give peace a chance!

 

 

Yours respectfully

 

 

The Rev. Canon Patrick P. Augustine

 

Rector, St. John's Episcopal Church

 

Chairman, Companion for World Mission

 

Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, USA