Squabbles over the heads of the poor

By Mehru Jaffer

NEW DELHI (JP): Even in this day and age some Muslims and Hindus may find it distasteful to sit down at the same table for a meal. That India's Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf were able to do so last week was a major achievement.

In that sense, the summit on Sunday and Monday between the heads of India and Pakistan was a success. According to optimists, at least they met and talked. However, the meeting was otherwise dubbed a failure as major disagreements prevented the two leaders from producing a formal declaration, or even a minimum joint statement at the end of the two-day talks.

There is also disappointment among the people of both countries that their respective leaders allowed themselves to be bogged down in a play of words like, "ready to discuss Kashmir and other issues but not other issues and Kashmir."

Muslim-dominated Kashmir, India's most northern province on the border with Pakistan, has been the subject of several wars between the two countries, the last one ending two years ago just after India and Pakistan tested nuclear bombs.

Despite high hopes of last week's meeting in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal monument of love, both leaders seemed to look upon the summit as a way to reap short-term political gains.

The summit is a success as both leaders did score politically by insisting to their respective constituencies that they would not even give an inch on Kashmir. Perhaps the profile of President Musharraf was higher as he was seen feted and feasted by the largest democracy in the world, India. This has provided him with an apt opportunity to further legitimize his transition from a soldier, enjoying the responsibility of a president without having asked his people whether they want him as head of state, or not.

The good news is that Vajpayee and Musharraf have agreed to meet again. In the meantime, South Asia is still home to 50 percent of the world's illiterate population. With the blame game having started between the governments of both countries as to who was responsible for the talk's breakdown, doubt has reentered the minds of ordinary people who had seen a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel for a few days.

In this subcontinent 500 million people live in poverty. There are 230 million South Asians who lack protection from disease and 620 million have no access to drinking water with 800 million lacking decent sanitation.

According to members of Hands Across The Borders, a people's initiative to promote peace and development in South Asia, bilateral relations between India and Pakistan not only affect the two countries but the entire region.

These people want a drastic reduction in defense spending by both countries.

After India and Pakistan tested their respective nuclear bombs two years ago, young people from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and from different parts of India traveled thousands of kilometers in the region trying to promote peace; the feeling was that to do this in South Asia people themselves would have to keep one pace ahead of their governments.

Members of this mass contact group point out that one battle tank costs US$4 million, enough to vaccinate four million children.

One fighter jet costs $90 million, enough to educate three million children in primary schools. One submarine costs $300 million, enough to provide clean drinking water for 60 million people.

The call to politicians is to show vision and political courage by putting a freeze on all conflicts for the next 10 years, to reduce defense spending by 5 percent a year and to divert savings for development works.

The leaders are prepared to put these demands into practice for the benefit of all South Asians, but only after they have made sure that their own survival in power is assured.

Meanwhile, the people have little choice but to wait in the hope that eventually it is not too late.