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The Kashmir Times, 21 Dec 2001 (Editorial) CLOSE THIS OPTION The noisy war cries, frightening sabre-rattlings and rising iron fists in which the highups in both the ruling alliance and the Opposition are joining is certainly not the right way to respond to the condemnable December 13 terrorist attack on Parliament House. This is no way to, what the leaders call, meeting the challenge of the terrorists. It is no time to generate hysteria, whip up passions and create a fear-psychosis which together prepare a fertile ground for brinkmanship. Instead of analysing the situation cooly and dispassionately those in authority have been trying to build up anti-Pakistan hysteria with media by and large providing the necessary fuel to ignite fire that could engulf the entire region under its grip. December 13 attack was most deplorable and certainly a cause for national shock as well as concern. But it will be wrong to term it as an act of war against India declared by Pakistan or launched at its behest and with its help and backing. It is also n! ot a cause to declare war against the neighbouring country. The hawks in the country and " we told you so " elements were perhaps waiting for such an opportunity to prove the vindication of their stand. Itching for escalation of the conflict and craving for adopting a strong-arm policy both to deal with the local unrest and with Pakistan these hawks are unnecessarily creating a fear psychosis, inciting passions and whipping up war hysteria unmindful of the consequences. Building up such a climate of hatred and one-upmanship may suit their political convenience but any such course is certainly not in the national interest they are talking about. For it will only bring more violence, more destruction and more miseries to the common people who want peace and need peace. It will be suicidal to launch any military action-full-scale war. limited war, hot pursuit, surgical attacks on training camps of the militants or crossing over the Line of Control. Snapping diplomatic ties with! Pakistan, closing the only surviving channel for dialogue with the neighbouring country, too will prove counter-productive. Though the prime minister has said that all options are open to the country to deal with the situation his very emphasis on war as an option betrays a dangerous mind-set. Mr Vajpayee during his speech in Parliament on Wednesday left no one in doubt that New Delhi has not ruled out war as an option, though he did not close other options. He even stressed for a debate on war and wanted a national consensus on this question. With Opposition trying to outdo the ruling alliance in whipping up hysteria on this question the outcome of any such exercise appears is ominous. There are certainly various ways to deal with the situation but war certainly should be no option. It has to be ruled out if the region is to be saved from any bigger catastrophe. There are many ways to persuade Pakistan to stop aiding and abetting terrorists and rein in such elements operating from its soil. The diplomatic channels and international institutions and organisations can be used to bring this point a! t home to the rulers in Islamabad. But hot pursuits or surgical attacks, not to speak of open war, are no answers to the problem, The latest armed build up on the LoC, if not reversed, can contribute to the escalation of the ongoing conflict. The two sides must show greater restraint in preventing any flare-up. Islamabad too must realise the dangerous consequences of any kind of brinkmanship. It must refrain from any kind of sbare-rattling and bellicosity. Though New Delhi has yet to provide a conclusive evidence of Pakistan's involvement in the December 13 attack, which the latter has denied, there can be no doubt about Islamabad training and aiding the terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir and some other parts of India. It is for Gen Musharraf, who has joined the world community's war against terrorism, to stop aiding and training the terrorists for creating a conducive climate to resume the process of dialogue to resolve the outstanding disputes between the two countr! ies as also to solve the vexed Kashmir problem. For both the countries reconciliation through a process of dialogue is the only option if they are genuinely interested to prevent holocaust. Any kind of adventurism on either side or retaliatory action gravely risks heightened conflict, leading to war. With the nuclearisation of the two countries the possibility of any war turning into a nuclear war cannot be ruled out. One only shudders over the consequences of any such catastrophe. Both sides must rule out war as an option if they are really interested in the welfare and future of their people. DIALOGUE NOT WAR The 13 December terrorist attack on Parliament House has naturally evoked national anger with demand for action to put an end to such attacks and meet the challenge of the terrorists. What to do and what not to do is the question that has been haunting every one. That some thing must be done to put an end to such attacks, which have not spared even the bastion of Indian democracy, is not a matter of dispute. There can also be no two opinions that the security and intelligence network, which has exposed many a skeleton in its cupboard, needs to be revamped and strengthened. The concern over the growing menace of terrorism is understandable. That the world community has condemned such acts and even Pakistan has joined in such condemnation only demonstrates the universal realisation to wipe out terrorism of every kind. While raising voices for immediate action are understandable there is every need to have a cool and dispassionate response instead of getting carried away by emo! tions. The hawks in the country, particularly those from the sangh parivar, had been talking earlier also of using force at various levels to face the situation. The suggestions from hot-pursuit of the terrorists into their base camps in PoK and Pakistan to bombing of Pakistan territory have been in the air for quite some time. Even all out war against Pakistan is being advocated without realising the consequences of any such adventurism. The men in power, including the Union home minister, too have been using such strong language. Even some of the Opposition leaders, like Mulayam Singh Yadav, have been joining the chorus in suggesting bombing Pakistan. Tragically even the former prime minister V.P. Singh, a proclaimed pacifist, known for rational thinking, has lost his cool and turned hawk by endorsing Advani's hot-pursuit formula to face the terrorist menace. While the shock and anger generated by the attack on Parliament House is natural, and need to meet the challenge understandable, going to war or bombing the Pakistan territory or even pursuing the militants into their training camps across the Line of Control will be only to fall in the trap of the terrorists. The premature manner in which the terrorists struck on December 13 betrays their sense of frustration and a sign of desparation. The aim was to create a fear psychosis, provide ammunition for whipping up hysteria and provoke India to escalate violence. The escalation of conflict into a full-fledged war between the two countries is what the terrorists desire and that suits their objective. Should India fall prey to their designs by embarking on any kind of brinkmanship ? While use of force to frustrate the designs of the terrorists is not questioned what is required is to launch a peace offensive more vigorously and consistently to frustrate the terrorists designs by el! iminating the very cause that breeds terrorism. Union minister of state for external affairs Omer Abdullah has said that for India diplomacy is the first option, though he has not ruled out other means. Infact diplomacy should be the only option to create awareness about the terrorist menace and seek international support in meeting the challenge. The world opinion for caution against pusuing any adventurous path or escalating the conflict should not be ignored. The belligerency coupled with bellicosity is no answer to meet the challenge of the terrorists, Any cool-headed response to the situation calls for initiating a process of dialogue at various levels to isolate the terrorists, put an end to violence and bring back much-needed peace and tranquility. Pakistan has condemned the terrorist attack on the Parliament House, though it has demanded a joint probe into the incident. New Delhi has rightly turned down the suggestion for a joint probe though there is ever need to en! sure that the investigations by the Indian authorities are credible and transparent. While the guilty must be identified and booked any kind of generalisation and witch-hunting must be avoided. The incident in no way justifies the use of force, revocation of draconian laws and recourse to strong-arm methods. While the process of dialogue with the people in Jammu and Kashmir, north-east and other trouble spot to resolve the problems and isolate the terrorists must be initiated without delay the path of dialogue with Pakistan, both to pursuade it to stop backing and training terrorists and to solve the outstanding disputes including that of Kashmir needs to be pursued. Dialogue and conciliation for ushering into an era of peace will be the most effective way to fight out terrorism. ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
