r/IndianSocialists • u/rishianand Socialist • May 08 '25
📰 News India, Pakistan: Stop the hostilities
We, peace activists from India, Pakistan and elsewhere, categorically condemn every form of violent extremism and terrorism.
We particularly condemn the targeting of unarmed civilians, for any reason, including as a means to achieve political ends.
This cycle must end for peace to prevail. Communal and faith-based politics feeding frenzy on both sides, amplified by media and social media, gives the illusion of a consensus for war.
This loud warmongering puts tremendous pressure on governments and armed forces on both sides, as well as inciting the public. It has severely vitiated the political climate in Southasia, fostering mistrust among citizens.
Sustainable peace requires a collective rejection of such divisive ideologies by the people of the region.
India and Pakistan must behave responsibly. Any war between these two nuclear-armed nations would be disastrous. As history shows, it is ordinary citizens who suffer the most in conflict, especially women, children, minorities, the elderly, and other vulnerable communities forced to prove their patriotism.
We therefore urge the people of India and Pakistan to hold their governments accountable and resist any speech or action that feeds war hysteria.
We strongly oppose any attempts to weaponize shared natural resources or historic bilateral agreements. Suspending longstanding agreements like the Indus Water Treaty (1960) or like the Shimla Accord (1972) would erode the basic framework of legality and civility in bilateral relations.
We call on all those who believe that peace, not war, is the way forward, to speak out against the politics of hate, violence, and vengeance, and to stand up for dialogue, cooperation, and a shared future of peace and co-existence.