Come together

CandleElight vigils, human chains, prayer meetings to mourn the dead and art exhibitions dedicated to the victims. Mumbai reacts and mourns the loss of life and the Terror attacks that ravaged the city for three days non-stop.

On Friday night a group of concerned citizens, NGOs got together to meet in Goregaon, under the umbrella name Mumbai For Peace. Consisting of many organisations the plan is to stage an action to forge solidarity and unity amongst the people of Mumbai.

“We plan to form a human chain across the city, like

people did during the ‘93 riots in the city,” says Cubby Sherman, an activist and documentary filmmaker who attended the meeting.

“Combating terrorism needs political will, not a military solution or short term measures like draconian laws, CCTVs and metal detectors. The deeper roots of various kinds of terror need to be understood and dealt with. A solution would involve, among other things, the settlement of underlying and deep-seated, long-standing conflicts: India-Pakistan, Kashmir, communalism, and attacks on minorities. We totally reject ‘jehad’ in the name of Islam, Hindutva ‘revenge terrorism’ and all forms of violence which brutalize society,” writes the Mumbai For Peace committee.

“Let’s show them how many we are and how tired and frustrated we are. Let’s all come together at the Gateway of India, this coming Wednesday at 6 pm. Let’s ask for what is our right: to live fearlessly,” so reads an SMS forwarded by concerned citizen Nakul K who walked out of Leopold ten minutes before the terror attacks broke out.

“One must express the wave of emotion that is surging through us now. Everybody is raging with anger. We are a broken people now; we are at an all time low now and not feeling resilient,” says Nakul who has also put up the message on Facebook.

Besides the public demonstrations and SMS chains that are being sent around, the internet is another avenue for spreading a positive message and keeping the peace.

Avaaz.org, one of whose trustees is Gerson Da Cunha of AGNI, is a new global web movement that has a simple democratic mission: to close the gap between the worlds we have, and the world most people everywhere want. The movement is sending a forwarded message to all those on email.

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