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 July 28, 2008 

CJP Condemns Blasts

The serial blasts in Ahmedabad, targeting innocent lives are dastardly acts of terror that have wrecked human lives and also generated terror and fear among ordinary citizens. The CJP unequivocally condemns them and demands that the actual culprits, after fair investigation, are punished. The targeting of busy market places and worst of all, hospitals, where the sick and injured come for medical aid exposes the vicious and cynical mind of the terrorist. The CJP also condemns the blasts the day before in Bangalore that has led to the unfortunate situation that professionals need to be provided security.

The staff and doctors of all Ahmedabad’s Hospitals, the Civil Hospital, the LG Hospital, the VS Hospital and Rajasthan Hospital need to be saluted for the singular hard work they have put in to save lives and achieve a sense of normalcy in the wards.

Two members of the Citizens for Justice and Peace, its secretary, Teesta Setalvad accompanied by Rahul Bose visited the city, met the victims in visits to all hospitals and also visited the blast sites. A detailed list of names of the injured has been collated by CJP so as to enable immediate relief, especially for the daily bread winners from Ahmedabad. This list will be uplinked on the CJP and Sabrang website by the evening of July 27, 2008. Photographs will be put up by also.

The atmosphere in both  Ahmedabad, the rest of Gujarat and the country (after the Bangalore blasts) is fragile and therefore the need to maintain calm and project voices of reason. The need of the hour is dialogue between communities and individuals as the sinister aim of the terrorist is to create hatreds and suspicions between communities. Moreover all investigations into the terror attacks should be transparent accountable. Terrorism and terror attacks should not become the subject of irresponsible politicisation. To combat terror we must stand firm, calm and united.

The need of the hour is immediate peace and communal harmony….social activists and political leaders must move among the people, speak to the victims, help ease the trauma and above all ensure that no cheap political gain is made out of this tragedy. In  Varanasi (Kashi) that saw blasts at the Sankat Mochan temple in March 2007, the active presence of silent street and mohalla committees who worked 24 hours, to dispel any suspicion and panic, to the scores of religious organisations, notably those from the Muslim minority who stepped forward,  spontaneously and unequivocally,  to condemn the heinous acts and offer help and sympathy to the victims, it was the ordinary people of this ancient and historic place of pilgrimage that typifies India’s Ganga-Jamuna culture, who then emerged the victors against terror. Ahmedabad maintained calm, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. We must now ensure that lasting peace is built on this calm and this city that has seen bitterness, violence and division builds bridges out of the tragedy.

An Appeal

The CJP appeals to all citizens, organisations and corporate groups to donate generously to our relief effort in Gujarat. Daily wage earners, rickshawpullers, sweepers frm the Valmiki community, innocent children of barbers and vendors lie injured in hospital with each day from work, also a day of hunger and deprivation for the rest of their families.

Financial aid to them will be CJP’s first priority.

Children, women and men have also faced great trauma. We hope to be able to work with the victims on a long term basis to assist them out of the irreparable loss they have suffered apart from in the immediate, lending assistance for those injured who are faced with the loss of daily wages.

Please donate generously to the Citizens for Justice and Peace, Mumbai. Send queries to [email protected] and [email protected]

Teesta Setalvad,

Secretary

Trustees: IM Kadri (Vice-President), Arvind Krishnaswamy (Treassurer), Anil Dharker (writer), Alyque Padamsee (communications expert), Cyrus Guzder (corporate leader), Ghulam Pesh Imam (businessman), Javed Anand (writer and social activist), Javed Akhtar (poet and script writer), Nandan Maluste (financial consultant), Rahul Bose (actor), Cedric Prakash (social activist), Teesta Setalvad (journalist and social activist)