Hands Across The Border

Between March and May 1999, 14 youth leaders of South Asia joined hands together and drove 18,000 through the interiors of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and 16 States of India to promote peace and development in the region. This historic expedition was organised and led by Akhil Bakshi, President of Yuva Shakti, a Delhi-based organisation of youth leaders.

The aim of the expedition was:

To build an environment of peace and development in South Asia, realising for all its nations and all its citizens a degree of economic and social progress that matches their historic contribution to culture, intellect and liberty.

To generate a vision and an energy which will demonstrate to the world the superior vitality and strength of the South Asian nations.

To tell the world we are allies in the only war we seek - the war against poverty, hunger, disease and ignorance.

To inspire future endeavours to feed the flame that the expedition will kindle.

As the expedition journeyed through these lands, the members shared their thoughts, views and dreams with hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens at over 1000 public meetings and civic receptions in villages, schools and colleges. The expedition presented an Agenda for Friendship titled "Together Towards Tomorrow" to the Heads of States of these countries.

"A peaceful environment in South Asia can only be achieved if the people themselves lead the way by going s step further than their governments. Hands Across The Borders is a people's initiative in this direction," says the leader of the expedition, Akhil Bakshi., who had earlier led the Central Asia Expedition along the old Silk Route through Central Asia, Chinese Turkestan and Tibet and the Azad Hind Expedition, in the footsteps of the Indian National Army, from Singapore to Delhi.

Bakshi envisaged this expedition as a mass contact programme. The idea struck him three years ago while driving one night in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya during the Azad Hind Expedition. Over the next few months, the proposed expedition was discussed with a cross section of people and the response was immense and exciting. He visited Pakistan and Bangladesh - and discussed the expedition with friends from Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka and found that his concept of "Hands Across the Borders" was one shared by a vast number of South Asians.

The 14-member team comprised of youth leaders, social activists and development workers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India. Messages of support were received from the Prime Ministers of these countries. The Expedition carried Goodwill Messages from the Head of the Governments of India and Bhutan addressed to their counterparts in other countries.

The expedition addressed thousands of meetings. The constant refrain in these meetings was: the nations of South Asia have a shared past, a shared heritage. We are united in our problems as we are united in our immense potential. This makes us natural allies. We can not wish geography away even if we wanted to. We have already wasted 50 precious years seeing enemy in friends, fighting phantoms and ghosts. The last half century has been one of mutual suspicion, bitterness and conflict. We must work towards a future full of peace and happiness. The coming century beckons us to make a new start, to embark on a new course based on peace not conflict, dialogue not confrontation, healthy cooperation not destructive competition.

Akhil Bakshi elaborates: "We want the people of South Asia to realise the significance of this common mission: the urgency to lift our masses out of poverty, ignorance and despair. Throughout South Asia, a subcontinent rich in resources and in the spiritual and cultural achievements of its people, millions of men and women suffer the daily degradations of poverty and hunger.

500 million South Asians live in absolute poverty.

230 million South Asians lack protection from disease.

620 million have no access to safe drinking water.

800 million lack decent sanitation

50% of the world's illiterates are in South Asia.

90% of the world's blind are in South Asia.

And each day the problems grow more urgent.

If we are to meet a problem so staggering in its dimensions, our approach must itself be equally bold. The Expedition's approach was outlined in the concept of "Together Towards Tomorrow" - a vast cooperative effort unparalleled in magnitude and nobility of purpose, to satisfy the basic needs of South Asian for homes, work, health and schools.

One of the points mentioned in our charter was "reduction of defence spending".

One battle tank costs $ 4 million - enough to vaccinate 4 million children.

One Mirage 2000 costs $ 90 million - enough to educate 3 million children in primary schools.

One submarine costs $ 300 million - enough to provide clean drinking water to 60 million people.

If we are successful, if our effort is bold enough and determined enough, then the close of this millenium will mark the beginning of a new era in the South Asian experience. The living standards of every South Asian family will be on the rise, basic education will be available to all, hunger will be a forgotten experience, the need for foreign aid will have passed, - and though there will still be much to do - all South Asian nations would have entered a period of self-sustaining growth."

The Agenda For Friendship titled "Together Towards Tomorrow" was presented by the expedition, on behalf of the youth of South Asia to the Prime Ministers of Nepal and Bhutan and to the Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Mr Jigme Thinley, the Head of the Government of Bhutan offered to invite the expedition members to Thimpu for the SAARC Summit being held in the year 2001. The SAARC Secretary General, Mr Rodrigues, said that he would place the Agenda for consideration at the next SAARC Summit.

The Agenda appeals to the leaders of South Asia to show vision and political courage and freeze all conflicts for the next ten years, reduce defence spending by 5% a year and divert savings for development works; fulfill the basic needs of the masses during this period; utilise our combined knowledge in areas of space and nuclear scinece for the benefit of all people of South Asia; expand employment opportunities for youth by lifting all barriers to free trade; evolve a joint education system; allow unrestricted travel; and establishment of a South Asian Sports Academy and a South Asian Development Corps.

According to Sonam Tashi, a young agricultural scientist and the expedition member from Bhutan,"In South Asia, we are also united in our problems. So our future is also one. We will sink or swim together. Our people and leaders must realise this fact."

Suraiya Begum, representing Bangladesh, runs a NGO for destitute women and children in distant Phulna. "Travelling through the length and breadth of South Asia I have observed how similar all of us are. Why ? India seems to be a part of Bangladesh " I says Suraiya.

Representing Sri Lanka was Asoka, who works near Colombo for Sarvodhaya Shramdana Organisation, a movement inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave. "For me it has been an opportunity of a life time. Being a devout Buddhist, I worshipped at the Golden Tooth Relic in Kandy, the Mahabodhi Tree in Anuradhapura, the temples at Kancheepuram, Tirupati, Jagannath Puri, Sarnath and Kashi; the Gurudwaras at Patna, Anantpursahib and Amritsar; the chiilas and mazaars of Sufi saints in Bangladesh, Ajmer and Fathepur Sikri; churches in Dharamsala and Dadra, Nagar Haveli; and meditated in Guru Padmasambhava's cave in Bumtang in Bhutan and the Ashrams in Sabarmati and Shirdi. This expedition has made me aware of the shared heritage of the people of South Asia.," says Asoka reflecting on her experiences.

Veteran film personality Sunil Dutt has been on road with the expedition all along - through thick and thin. "I am a soldier of peace," he says. "When Akhil Bakshi gave the call for the people of South Asia to join hands and collectively work for peace and development, I decided to support his initiative." Throughout the long journey, Dutt captivated large audiences with his emotional oratory that touched the hearts of the people. "Dutt Sahib and his deep commitment to the humanist cause enhanced the creditability of our mission," remarks Bakshi.

Two days before the expedition was to enter Pakistan, the Kargil conflict flared up and, after waiting for a week, the mission was temporarily brought to a halt. The course of events that followed showed how important it is for the people of South Asia to launch a common struggle for peace and development.

After another year of persistent efforts, the Governments of Pakistan and India finally gave their approval to the expedition to tour Pakistan. This leg of the expedition, joined by Pakistani citizens as well as others from South Asia, will be undertaken soon. The organisers are awaiting the dates from the Government of Pakistan.

When asked if the aims of the expedition will be met, Bakshi narrates the story of a French Marshall who asked his gardener to plant a certain tree. The gardener objected saying that the tree was slow-growing and would take a hundred years to bear fruit. "In that case," said the Marshall, "we have no time to loose. Let us plant the tree this afternoon." Likewise, suggests Bakshi, we all must plant our saplings of peace today.

"On behalf of the youth of South Asia, I can say with confidence that we have had enough of warmongers. We would like our great role in history to be that of peacemakers," says the optimistic expedition leader.

Sharmila is a post-graduate in International Relations from the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Besides writing articles, she runs an NGO for small and marginal farmers and landless labor.