Focus on the Global Southsupports the call for a human chain in Mumbai on 10 December 2008(International Human Rights Day) by the Mumbai for Peace campaign, as apeople’s response to the recent attacks on Mumbai.
The tragic and horrific eventsthat unfolded from 26 November in the city and continued for the next 3 dayswere not the first terror attack on Mumbai, but are by far the most brazen. Theattacks not only took the lives of ordinary people, but also of top securitypersonnel. Among the 195 people reported killed are 20 police officials, twoNational Security Guard (NSG) commandos and 20 foreigners. At least 295 peoplehave been injured, many seriously. The attackers fired indiscriminately atpeople at multiple locations, including the crowded Chhatrapati ShivajiTerminus (CST) station, public roads, and two luxury hotels. They then holed up with hostagesin these two hotels and a residential building housing Israeli families. TheArmy, Navy and the NSG worked with the local police to finally overpower andshoot the killers.
Although the Indian Authoritiessay that most of the attackers are of Pakistani origin, their identities haveyet to be firmly established. But the sophisticated nature of this operationindicates that the attackers were highly trained and that the attacks wereplanned well in advance with precise knowledge of target areas. The Mumbaipolice was pushed into tackling a serious situation that they were untrainedand ill-equipped for. Althoughthey fought bravely, they were no match for the superior training and equipmentof the attackers. These traumatic eventshave yet again brought to the fore issues of hate and terror, the shocking lackof preparedness of India’s security and intelligence agencies, and the completeabsence of an action plan on the part of the Indian Government to respondquickly and effectively to such attacks.
Meanwhile, the double- speak andhypocrisy of mainstream political parties continue. Both, the ruling CongressParty as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seem more intent on layingthe blame for the attacks on ’neighbouring countries’ than on examining the failure of India’s intelligence and securityapparatus. Adherents of theHindu right advocate divisive anddestructive politics that condone ’ethnic cleansing’ of minorities andterrorist actions in the name of Hinduism. History shows that identifying scapegoats in terror attacksis fraught with as much danger as the attacks themselves.
Combating terrorism needspolitical will on the part of the Indian and other Governments to ensure highlevels of institutional, strategic and technical collaboration. Militarycampaigns, draconian ’anti-terrorist’ legislation and indiscriminate arreststhat violate the human rights of innocent people will not ensure the safety ofpeople, societies and nations. Thedeep roots of various kinds of anti-people violence need to be understood andaddressed head-on, including for example, simmering and continuing conflicts inthe sub-continent, deteriorating India-Pakistan relations, heighteningresentment against Indian occupation in Kashmir, communalism, and attacks onany group based on ethnicity, caste, religion and culture.
All forms of violence brutalizepeople and destroy societies regardless of whether they are impelled by jehad,Hindutva, crusades or Zionism. At this critical moment, progressive socialactors must join hands to oppose war-mongering and attempts by any group orforce to whip up sectarian frenzy in the name of fighting terror.
It is time that the people ofMumbai stood up, united as Indians and as human beings, to work towards socialjustice and lasting peace, and to demand for full accountability from theGovernment and political forces for these tragic attacks.
Focus supports the main demandsmade by the Mumbai for Peace campaign:
– Government must take responsibility and map out long term and short term strategies, and take action on them.
– Better coordination amongst various security and intelligence agencies to deal with terror; and sharing of intelligence and information.
– Punishment of those responsible for attacks on minorities, which are also an attack on the majority and the multi-cultural body politic of India.
– Swift, transparent and credible trial and punishment for all those involved in terror, whatever the religion they may profess.
– A comprehensive Communal Violence Bill in place of the one pending in Parliament.
– Immediate implementation of Police reforms, providing equipment and training, basic service conditions to police personnel and state security forces.
– Ensuring moderation and sensitivity in media reporting of violence whether terrorist or any other form, through self-regulation or fiat.
– Evolve a policy for legal action against hate speech and demonization of any religion or community.
These can be the initial steps towards achieving peace and combating terror in India and the sub continent. Focus calls upon the people of Mumbai, of India and the rest of the world, to support these demands.
Meena Menon,
Focus on the Global South, India.
2.12.2008