At
CPEP, esro Kashmir initiative, we have a mission with agenda to
motivate the political regime to resolve political instability with
ecological stability and to promote green code of conduct among
defence think tank that advance the well being of both environment
and people. We are a small, but effective, group of experienced eco
advocates who seek to initiate catalyze actions that prevent
destruction of Kashmir's natural resources on the name of non eco
defence and security planning and operations and level the playing
field by infusing resources and broad-based support into campaigns
to protect fragile ecology of Kashmir.
Working Group is also acting as non political Watchdog for Military
activities ( both India & Pakistan) affecting ecological stability
of Kashmir region of Indian Sub Continent. We are committed to
establish a vibrant environmental movement through out state of J&K,
on issues related to defence and ecology. Saving our environment is
something we can all unite around and that this common cause can act
as a bridge between the two nuclear rival countries through Jammu
and Kashmir.
Because of the present turmoil, objectives of environment protection
particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LoC most sensitive
ecology in entire of the Kashmir Valley) can not be safeguarded.
Accordingly we CPEP K have initiated international campaign for
demilitarization of most parts along LoC.
Besides, planning to put together an "environmental friendship
guide"-
discussing issues from forest fires and shelling, landmines and
endangered species, military activities and military waste disposal,
military maneuvers and wildlife conflicts, boarder electric fencing
and natural corridors. We are helping the Army & Para Military
Forces in carry out the demarcation of eco fragile zones and
putting up signage in planning their petrol routes, army exercise
grounds.
CPEP
K
have developed the required materials as presentation on ecological
importance and fragility of Kashmir region as part of the routine
briefing at the time of induction of new army units in Kashmir and
are also campaigning on immediate minimizing military presence in
sensitive areas of ecological significance.
We
inform and educate the public through the media, internet, and
publications, about significant issues and legal battles that need
immediate attention and support, and we monitor, generate, and
disseminate media coverage of important protection and conservation
issues.
We
research, analyze, and write about controversial issues that the
public needs to mobilize against to protect ecology from further
degradation and depletion.
Talking environment and ecology in the time of turmoil for many is
like talking taboo at a prayer. War is about death and survival,
whereas environmental and ecological preservation is about
drawing-room discussions of luxury--so goes the feeling. This irony
of the general sub-continental sense of environmental and ecological
issues, if at all it is there, is not about our intrinsic ignorance.
The problem lies in the mannerism of our environmental talks and
activism in our region, that always come packaged as an "elitist
luxury"--far from the realities of our day to day life. It is this
fundamental flaw with our discourse on environment that is to blame
for a looming environmental catastrophe that Kashmir, Pakistan and
India are bracing for, which (not many of us realize) could
undermine our very survival. The sub-continent has to wake up to the
fact that the environment we live in is linked to our security.
Because of the present turmoil, objectives of environment protection
particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LoC most sensitive
ecology in entire of the Kashmir Valley) can not be safeguarded.
Accordingly we CPEP K have initiated international campaign for
demilitarization of most parts along LoC.
Although we cannot foresee that India
and Pakistan making peace based on a commitment to shared
conservation alone. "It is an area that could be included down the
line as a positive result of achieving peace."
However CPEP is here to Initiate
catalyze actions that prevent further destruction of Kashmir's
natural resources on the name of defence and security planning and
operations.
CPEP Prog. Components
Promoting peace in Indian Sub
Continent through environmental issues.
Initiate catalyze actions that
prevent destruction of Kashmir's natural resources on the name of
non eco defence and security planning and operations
Motivate the political regime
to resolve political instability with ecological stability
Eco awareness of defence
personnel's.
Human Security
The challenges to human security are
evident from the dismal statistics relating to illiteracy,
population growth, infant mortality, and women’s empowerment in
India; they highlight the people’s lack of access to food, shelter,
clean drinking water, basic health and educational facilities.
Apropos, the Human Development Report for South Asia declaims that:
“ South Asia is fast emerging as the poorest, the most illiterate,
the most malnourished, the least gender-sensitive–indeed, the most
deprived region in the world. Yet it continues to make more
investment in arms than in the education and health of its people”.
The evidence adduced informs that:
South Asia contains 22 per cent of the world’s population, but it
produces only 1.3 per cent of the world’s income.
There are more children out of school in South Asia than in the
rest of the world, and two-thirds of this wasted generation is
female.
Half the children in South Asia are underweight, compared to 30
per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.
South Asia is the only region that defies the global biological
norm, with only 94 women for every 100 men (instead of 106 women
to 100 men as in the rest of the world); so 74 million women are
simply ‘missing’.
About 260 million people lack access to rudimentary health
facilities.
337 million lack safe drinking water; over 400 million people go
hungry every day.
Background of our
Efforts
1
The Kashmir region, straddling
India, Pakistan, and China is one of the world's most beautiful
and remote. But long-standing conflicts are contributing to
environmental destruction here.
The environment of Kashmir is suffering from severe perturbation
and is
drastically losing its biodiversity
and ecological balance. The dispute over Kashmir is doing
serious harm to the environment of this Himalayan region. As
India and Pakistani-backed forces wage a vicious fight in the
disputed region of Kashmir, their struggle is changing the very
face of the wild, beautiful land they’re fighting over. Though
some problems existed before, 10 years of armed militancy in
Kashmir is destroying its forests, lakes and wildlife.
As well as outright bombing destruction in the remote mountains,
the ongoing fighting between India and guerillas has made forest
work and patrols difficult and dangerous. Endangered wildlife is
freely poached and human habitation is destroying the area’s
ecosystem, leaving its fate hanging in the balance
environmentally as well as politically.
Among almost 1 million army personnel's in Kashmir, majority of
the military installations are located in ecologically sensitive
areas. Electric fencing along Line of Control (Indo Pak).
Construction of Huts and heavy moment of Conveys in majority of
Protected Area Network. The land mines have clammed thousand of
lives both human as well as animals, rendered millions
handicapped world wide. This part of the globe is no more secure
from this weapon of death. Unfortunately animals can ‘t sense
mine fields and are therefore easily trapped. Unconfirmed
reports from both sides of LoC have revealed that there are lot
of Wild life Causalities annually which usually go unconfirmed
and unreported.
Asia’s total defence expenditure, which was approximately half
of the US defence expenditure ten years ago, reached a level
nearly equal to the defence expenditure of the United States in
1997.
CPEP
Kashmir looks forward to your involvement and continued
support. We have much to do together in our effort to conserve
and protect the environment from military maneuvers within
Kashmir for future generations. Lets come together and make this
mission a vision of success....
eIEN South Asia
Western Himalaya Kashmir
CPEP KASHMIR
promoting peace in Indian Sub Continent through eco issues.esrokashmir.org
HOME
Welcome at
CPEP
eIEN South Asia
Western Himalaya Kashmir
At CPEP, esro Kashmir initiative, we have a mission with agenda to motivate the political regime to resolve political instability with ecological stability and to promote green code of conduct among defence think tank that advance the well being of both environment and people. We are a small, but effective, group of experienced eco advocates who seek to initiate catalyze actions that prevent destruction of Kashmir's natural resources on the name of non eco defence and security planning and operations and level the playing field by infusing resources and broad-based support into campaigns to protect fragile ecology of Kashmir.
Working Group is also acting as non political Watchdog for Military activities ( both India & Pakistan) affecting ecological stability of Kashmir region of Indian Sub Continent. We are committed to establish a vibrant environmental movement through out state of J&K, on issues related to defence and ecology. Saving our environment is something we can all unite around and that this common cause can act as a bridge between the two nuclear rival countries through Jammu and Kashmir.
Because of the present turmoil, objectives of environment protection particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LoC most sensitive ecology in entire of the Kashmir Valley) can not be safeguarded. Accordingly we CPEP K have initiated international campaign for demilitarization of most parts along LoC.
Besides, planning to put together an "environmental friendship guide"- discussing issues from forest fires and shelling, landmines and endangered species, military activities and military waste disposal, military maneuvers and wildlife conflicts, boarder electric fencing and natural corridors. We are helping the Army & Para Military Forces in carry out the demarcation of eco fragile zones and putting up signage in planning their petrol routes, army exercise grounds.
CPEP K have developed the required materials as presentation on ecological importance and fragility of Kashmir region as part of the routine briefing at the time of induction of new army units in Kashmir and are also campaigning on immediate minimizing military presence in sensitive areas of ecological significance.
We inform and educate the public through the media, internet, and publications, about significant issues and legal battles that need immediate attention and support, and we monitor, generate, and disseminate media coverage of important protection and conservation issues.
We research, analyze, and write about controversial issues that the public needs to mobilize against to protect ecology from further degradation and depletion.
Talking environment and ecology in the time of turmoil for many is like talking taboo at a prayer. War is about death and survival, whereas environmental and ecological preservation is about drawing-room discussions of luxury--so goes the feeling. This irony of the general sub-continental sense of environmental and ecological issues, if at all it is there, is not about our intrinsic ignorance.
The problem lies in the mannerism of our environmental talks and activism in our region, that always come packaged as an "elitist luxury"--far from the realities of our day to day life. It is this fundamental flaw with our discourse on environment that is to blame for a looming environmental catastrophe that Kashmir, Pakistan and India are bracing for, which (not many of us realize) could undermine our very survival. The sub-continent has to wake up to the fact that the environment we live in is linked to our security.
Because of the present turmoil, objectives of environment protection particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LoC most sensitive ecology in entire of the Kashmir Valley) can not be safeguarded. Accordingly we CPEP K have initiated international campaign for demilitarization of most parts along LoC.
Although we cannot foresee that India and Pakistan making peace based on a commitment to shared conservation alone. "It is an area that could be included down the line as a positive result of achieving peace." However CPEP is here to Initiate catalyze actions that prevent further destruction of Kashmir's natural resources on the name of defence and security planning and operations.
CPEP Prog. Components
Promoting peace in Indian Sub Continent through environmental issues.
Initiate catalyze actions that prevent destruction of Kashmir's natural resources on the name of non eco defence and security planning and operations
Motivate the political regime to resolve political instability with ecological stability
Eco awareness of defence personnel's.
Human Security
The challenges to human security are evident from the dismal statistics relating to illiteracy, population growth, infant mortality, and women’s empowerment in India; they highlight the people’s lack of access to food, shelter, clean drinking water, basic health and educational facilities.
Apropos, the Human Development Report for South Asia declaims that: “ South Asia is fast emerging as the poorest, the most illiterate, the most malnourished, the least gender-sensitive–indeed, the most deprived region in the world. Yet it continues to make more investment in arms than in the education and health of its people”. The evidence adduced informs that:
South Asia contains 22 per cent of the world’s population, but it produces only 1.3 per cent of the world’s income.
There are more children out of school in South Asia than in the rest of the world, and two-thirds of this wasted generation is female.
Half the children in South Asia are underweight, compared to 30 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.
South Asia is the only region that defies the global biological norm, with only 94 women for every 100 men (instead of 106 women to 100 men as in the rest of the world); so 74 million women are simply ‘missing’.
About 260 million people lack access to rudimentary health facilities.
337 million lack safe drinking water; over 400 million people go hungry every day.
Background of our Efforts
The Kashmir region, straddling India, Pakistan, and China is one of the world's most beautiful and remote. But long-standing conflicts are contributing to environmental destruction here.
The environment of Kashmir is suffering from severe perturbation and is drastically losing its biodiversity and ecological balance. The dispute over Kashmir is doing serious harm to the environment of this Himalayan region. As India and Pakistani-backed forces wage a vicious fight in the disputed region of Kashmir, their struggle is changing the very face of the wild, beautiful land they’re fighting over. Though some problems existed before, 10 years of armed militancy in Kashmir is destroying its forests, lakes and wildlife.
As well as outright bombing destruction in the remote mountains, the ongoing fighting between India and guerillas has made forest work and patrols difficult and dangerous. Endangered wildlife is freely poached and human habitation is destroying the area’s ecosystem, leaving its fate hanging in the balance environmentally as well as politically.
Among almost 1 million army personnel's in Kashmir, majority of the military installations are located in ecologically sensitive areas. Electric fencing along Line of Control (Indo Pak). Construction of Huts and heavy moment of Conveys in majority of Protected Area Network. The land mines have clammed thousand of lives both human as well as animals, rendered millions handicapped world wide. This part of the globe is no more secure from this weapon of death. Unfortunately animals can ‘t sense mine fields and are therefore easily trapped. Unconfirmed reports from both sides of LoC have revealed that there are lot of Wild life Causalities annually which usually go unconfirmed and unreported.
Asia’s total defence expenditure, which was approximately half of the US defence expenditure ten years ago, reached a level nearly equal to the defence expenditure of the United States in 1997.
CPEP Kashmir looks forward to your involvement and continued support. We have much to do together in our effort to conserve and protect the environment from military maneuvers within Kashmir for future generations. Lets come together and make this mission a vision of success....
For Detailed Information Write us at
eIEN South Asia
Western Himalaya
Kashmir
Centre for Peace and
Environment
Protection
Naseembagh
Srinagar
190 006 Kashmir India
cpep@esrokashmir.org