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Meenakshi Gopinath on peace between India and Pakistan
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A Viewpoint Meenakshi Gopinath
Padmashri Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath is known to everyone as the Principal of Lady Shri Ram College but there are many facets to her as an educationist. She is the founder and honorary director of Wiscomp (Women in Security Conflict Management and Peace), a South Asian research and training organisation that works in the areas of peace, security and international affairs.
The organisation recently concluded its sixth annual conflict transformation workshop to discuss Indo-Pak peace process, where young students and working professionals from both the countries get together and discuss diverse issues. “It is an ongoing process, which began in 2000. We believe that there are some things that the government can do and people cannot but we also believe that there are certain things that the people can do and the government cannot. Ours is just an effort on those lines,” says Gopinath.
There are a lot of assumptions, prejudices and stereotypes that both countries are victims of, and the first step towards peace-building is to get rid of them.
“ The youngsters from Pakistan are very curious about our culture. Many of them thought that India is full of vegetarians, while many Indians believe that women in Pakistan always wear a hijab or a burqa.”
Sensitivity is of utmost importance. “When there’s a big country like India next door, there are bound to be certain insecurities. Whatever may be their political status but for them it is their country. They don’t like to be preached on democracy. Also, they don’t like when someone says the two countries are similar. What they expect is that we recognise the differences and build on the commonalities,” she says.
“Nobody can match their hospitality. Their tehzeeb doesn’t allow them to ask their host for anything. So when these participants come to India we are careful how we treat them and ensure that all their needs are met.”
Once they go back most participants keep in touch. And Gopinath says her inbox is full of mails, especially after the killing of Benazir Bhutto.
“Their mails are full of anxiety. There are worries about violence. Many also said they would want to move to some other country.”
MANGALA RAMAMOORTHY
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