Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

Youth Dialogue on
Disarmament & Peace On the eve of UN Week of Disarmament
(24 October -31st October 2008)

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

Youth Dialogue on Disarmament & Peace

Without Peace and security there can be no inclusive global governance; most people are in search of peace. It is essential to recognize that wars are not inevitable but is requires consistent efforts. Peace and disarmament are two intensely interlinked concepts. Disarmament at global and local level is a pre condition for sustainable peace. Pakistan being the worst victim of terrorism and extremism has become the most appropriate place to be selected as a place for talk about peace and disarmament. Growing trends of militancy, extremism and suicide attacks on innocent people has highlighted the need for promotion of awareness regarding peace and disarmament in all section of society. GOHER Foundation focuses the most vulnerable community groups in most backward areas for implementation of its agenda of social empowerment. Thus Southern Punjab also qualifies to be a target area of GOHER. Like other poverty stricken and neglected regions in the world, this region has also been recognized as hub of extremism and militancy. Recent international and national media reports and official statements of highest government functionaries regarding this region being the nursery of extremism and terrorism have signified the importance for concentrating the attention upon this area for peace building. 24th of October is the founding day of United Nations. This day is also celebrated as the first day of UN Week of Peace and Disarmament. GOHER Foundation picked the opportunity and celebrated the UN week of disarmament to mobilize the thoughts of youth of southern Punjab for a change for peace. A Youth Dialogue was arranged in Multan on the topic:

Peace & Disarmament ------ Youth as Agents of Change.

This event was enthusiastically welcomed by all sections of society. Youth organizations, NGOs, Media and intellectuals joined the event with remarkable fervor. Youth representatives from all the districts of Southern Punjab were invited. Prominent among them were students of colleges and Universities (Bahauddin Zakaria University & Islamia University, Bahawalpur). The views and opinions of these young people were diverse, thought provoking and enlightened.

Page 1

Youth Dialogue on Disarmament & Peace

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

Mr. A G Chohan CEO of GOHER opened the dialogue by thanking the participants for attending the event and stated some facts regarding the situation of arms globally. He told the audience that there are 600 million guns present across the world and due to use of these guns more than 300000 people are killed annually. Nuclear warheads possessed by Atomic powers are a separate and gigantic threat for existence of mankind on the planet Earth. He urged the big powers to change their attitude and practices regarding Mr. A.G.Chohan, C.E.O GOHER Foundation arms-trade for the sake of peace. Arms trade should not be a preference over peace, he said. He opined that treaties like SALT, START, INF, CTBT, NPT can be fruitful only when the major powers stop to earn huge profits by selling the weapons to weaker and poorer nations trapped in to the net of conflicts. He emphasized over the role of youth as agents of change and prospects of peace at all levels. Youth can be a driving force behind the advocacy campaigns aimed at achieving the policy changes regarding arms and peaceful resolution of armed conflicts at governmental level. They can effectively promote the awareness regarding the importance of peace at grass root level. Their energies, potentials, and passion can create a strong urge for peace in the society. But the dilemma is two-fold. On the one hand youth has not been involved in peace initiatives and they are being armed and weaponized on the other hand by the politicians, terrorists, extremists and criminal elements to gain their dirty motives. Civil society will have to come forth to save the youth from this exploitation and should convert their energies for creating a peaceful and peace loving society.

Mr. Jawwad Amin pointed to situations following in particular September 11 with alarming trends towards unilateralism with the blocking of most multilateral initiatives. The new concept of war on terrorism was perpetuating a cycle of violence stepping up military spending detrimental to essential services in health, education etc. On the positive sides initiatives were under way in Sri Lanka, Liberia, Sudan, Congo, Cte dIvoire and the recent Geneva Initiative may be a step towards a solution of the Middle East conflict. The

concept of human security, though not new, placing the individual in the forefront in lieu of the state, was gaining ground and a group of governments have promoted the concept for their foreign policy through the Human Security Network. The UN Commission on Human Security was also promoting concrete measures. It involved a wide range of actors, governments UN agencies NGOs and others. The essence of the human security approach was that it should complement government security.

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

The military spending raised moral arguments in the face of so much human suffering. Ms. Yasmeen Khakwani of Sawail Foundation insisted on gender mainstreaming. She gave poignant examples of successful peacemaking of women in Africa with the involvement of grass-root women in particular of the Manu River Peace Network under the leadership of FAS which was just been awarded the United Nations Human Rights Peace Prize. It was a case of women exercising pressure on their respective governments in spite of wide cultural differences. Their strength and their legitimacy stemmed from the support of their communities: they had concrete solutions to offer.

were particularly important in a world of arms race and pre-emptive military strikes which eroded fundamental human rights. The importance of language was also stressed in a world where aggressiveness is considered positive whereas we needed a language of trust and respect... In the discussion interesting examples were given of peace education for children and seminars for youth to become peace ambassadors.

Mr. Salman Qureshi of Lions Club Multan devoted his time to small arms and land mines as well as general disarmament issues. He said that building aware and active civil society mechanisms was essential for shaping positive responses to global Building aware and active civil society challenges. It was more The Resolution 1325 of the mechanisms is essential for shaping difficult at present to Security Council was a breakpositive responses to global find agreements than it through in the same direcchallenges. was during the cold war tion as it requested womens and many efforts such as participation in peace buildon biological weapons have ing. Yet the Resolution must stalled in spite of years of negotiations due be made known among grass root organizato a state-centric approach. A range of non tions. state actors that do not abide by the rules was an added challenge. Mr. Naem Iqbal Naem of Pakistan Youth There have been some results on land mines Federation stressed the importance of dialogue between civilizations as wars and and small arms but it was difficult to get actors together even within the same governunrest often stemmed from injustice and that the cause for conflict was intercultural ment and our present day mechanisms no longer corresponded to the challenges enand inter-religious tension. Religion can be part of the problem but also part of the so- countered. Governments should understand that it was to their advantage to collaborate lution. Dialogue promoted participation and on similar issues. Unfortunately there was empowerment. still a lack of understanding of the causes of Examples of good practice were given which violence and why people should take up arms.
Page 3 Youth Dialogue on Disarmament & Peace

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

Ms. Haleema Saadia spoke with enthusiasm about the progress achieved in freeing the world gradually of deadly landmines. The campaign should go on unabated until no more mines were produced, stockpiled or left in the ground. 82 countries were affected by mines and 85 % of the victims

were civilians, yet progress was achieved since 1997. Ms. Memoona Farooq spoke of role of non state actors to engage them on a total ban on mines and the acceptance of humanitarian principles.

Recommendations

Mainstreaming of women everywhere, especially in peace building, Making the Security Council Resolution known at all levels. Peace programs for school children from a very early age Change in school curricula to teach the value of tolerance in schools Outreach on which NGO credibility depends Civil society must demand of their governments to apply new security standards. On landmines convince countries to sign Convention, encourage them to go to the meetings (open to all), help on mine clearance and assist victims. NGOs can contribute to information and advocacy.

Special thanks for cooperation & coverage

Page 4

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

Picture Gallery

Page 5

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

Media Coverage

Page 6

Youth Dialogue on Disarmament & Peace

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

Contact Information

Main Secretariat: GOHER Foundation, 10-D, Gulberg Road, Model Town A, Bahawalpur Phone: +92-62-2731555, +9262-2000373 Cell: +92-3018687744 Fax: +92-62-2731700 Email: info@goher.org

We are on the web: www.goher.org

Page 7