Dear friends, comrades,
“Never again!” the call of the Hibakusha or Japanese A-bomb survivors reverberates across the decades, reminding us of the need to keep working for peace in a region with two nuclear-armed countries. This award-winning film by Karachi-based filmmaker and Sapan founding member Aisha Gazdar captures the tragedy and the resolve to “never forget” the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 77 years ago.
This August also marks 75 years of the independence of India from British rule, and the partition of the region into West and East Pakistan, and India. Bangladesh commemorates it as a month of mourning in memory of the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and his family members on 15 August 1975.
Walking for Peace
On Sunday 31 July we met online with three pad yatrees (peace marchers) from Pune – Yogesh Mathuria, S. Nitin, and Jalandarnath Channole – presently on a visit to Pakistan. Joining us from Shikarpur in Sindh, they shared their experiences and called for a visa-free Southasia that enables people across borders to meet freely.
In conversation with Sapan founding member Khushi Kabir, they asserted that “the borders are in our minds” and called for sharing human stories that would help create a conducive environment for governments to act for peace. The conversation concluded with a musical rendition of Jai Jagat (Victory to the World), emphasising the universal consciousness inherent in all. See recording on Sapan’s Facebook page and please share to help amplify voices of love and reason in these difficult times.
Visa-free Southasia campaign
The visa campaign calling for a visa-free Southasia mentioned in our last update is online at this link, already endorsed by over 35,000 individuals. The scope of the earlier campaign has been expanded from India-Pakistan to the region. We need your help to spread the word and reach 50,000 signatures by 14 August. Can we do this?
Thank you again for your continued support without which none of this is possible. We look forward to your thoughts and ideas on working for peace in Southasia. We love hearing from you!
In solidarity
Team Sapan
https://mailchi.mp/6ebdcf169309/update-and-invite-to-sunday-31-july-meeting-9235049?e=cde6c7af09
After the truth-shower 