Citizens for Peace (CfP), has been pondering over this question for the last few years.

CfP was founded in 1993 by several residents of Mumbai, who were horrified by the communal violence that scarred the city in the months following the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Set up as a registered public trust, CfP engaged in relief work for the victims of the 1993 riots.

In the subsequent 17 years, identity-based conflicts have proliferated -- from Kashmir to Orissa, Gujarat to the North East -- and have become even more complex.

In 2003 CfP renewed its resolve to foster communal harmony by creating a space for collective thinking and self-critical reflection.

In the past, many of us who are committed to secular ideals have felt impatient with any opposition to ‘secularism’ as we perceive this to be the very soul of India. Over the years, we began the process of revisiting its generally accepted definition by acknowledging that the diverse sharp, opposing and sometimes bitter responses to the very term ‘secularism’ need to be understood more deeply, and wherever possible, with empathy.
For instance, for some, India is already a richly plural and secular country – and in their view, this heritage must simply be reaffirmed and protected. Others argue that ‘secularism’ has become a farce, a political ploy, which should now either be abandoned or redefined to ensure unity rather than diversity. The space between these extreme views is rife with powerful and conflicting emotions that over the last two decades have bitterly divided not only communities but even families and friends within each community.

Therefore, the need for an open space -- in which people who hold different, even conflicting, perspectives can look at ‘secularism’ afresh:

A Secular Rethink.

CfP aims to generate a public dialogue on all the facets of the challenge posed by this divide. We believe that the proposed ‘rethink’ by all the stakeholders is a vital and necessary step towards building the kind of civic culture and stable democracy which India needs in order to grow in both moral strength and material prosperity.

How do we live with people
who eat, speak or pray differently from us?

What is the greatest challenge we humans face? Climate change, declining food supplies and disease are frightening enough; yet consider too our increasing difficulty in just living together. How do we live our lives alongside others who eat, speak or pray differently?

Too often, it seems we can't. Think of Kashmir, Rwanda, Gujarat, Assam, 9/11 and more.

The Proposed Communal Violence Bill 2009 in its present form is totally unacceptable:

In the present form the Communal Violence Bill has been rejected by all major anti-communal groups in India and it will prove to be dangerous for the minorities, Muslims, Christians and all others.

Kindly register your protest through the on line petition www.anhadin.net

Citizens for Peace in collaboration with Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gateway House and Tata Institute of Social Sciences organized a discussion on INSURGENCY AND COUNTER-INSURGENCY : CHALLENGES OF BUILDING A SHARED PROSPERITY	Adobe Flash Player not installed or older than 9.0.115! Download this clip for better playback Content Report & Video Clips For a DVD of the entire discussion, kindly contact: gulan@citizensforpeace.in
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The escalation of hostilities between Naxal/Maoist insurgents and government para-military forces has put millions of lives in deep peril. While the conflict seems to be in the hinterland it has grave implications for both rural and urban India, its democracy, society, security, economy and foreign policy.

The complexity of the issue means that no one entity – neither government, human rights groups, armed forces or business – can create a solution alone. A multi-stakeholder discussion, study and solution must be found.