By Hina Wyne
Lytton Plaza, downtown Palo Alto, was the site May 25 of the fifth of a series of monthly vigils, organized locally by the Friends of South Asia (FOSA).
The idea of simultaneous monthly peace vigils held around the globe was conceived by peace groups in India and Pakistan. The program of simultaneous vigils calls for peace-loving people all over the world to gather in the name of peace on the same day every month. There is hope that a global effort will help influence the policies of India and Pakistan. The first of these monthly vigils was held simultaneously on January 27 in 18 cities around the globe. Thousands of people attended the vigils in India, Pakistan and the US. FOSA -- having already held two vigils in the Bay Area for Peace in South Asia -- joined this effort and has been holding monthly vigils since.
Forty-five concerned citizens turned up for the Saturday vigil. Their somber faces indicated their concern for the current rise in tensions, with warmongers in both countries urging their governments for a “decisive war”.
Speaking on the occasion, Ali Hasan Cemendtaur said that common people of South Asia have been going through periods of extreme mental torture while living under the threat of a nuclear war. Their agony results from the incompetence of leadership that cannot resolve issues through a peaceful dialogue.
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