Who doesn’t know that Beijing has been an active collaborator in Islamabad’s nuclear and missile programmes? It’s time New Delhi threw full pressure on Washington to declare Pakistan a full-blown terrorist state. That would bring in, as rightly held by the writer, “a new global order for just social and economic gains.”

Nevertheless, we must not put all our eggs in the US basket, for there is nothing like permanence in politics and diplomacy. New Delhi must make the maximum out of the Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to India. The Centre would also do well to concentrate on the valley’s internal problems more vigorously.

S. S. JAIN
Chandigarh

UN’s FAILURE: The United Nations role in tackling the menace of terrorism, wherever it exists, has been lukewarm. Wherever and whenever terrorism raised its fangs, the UN failed to effectively check it.

Often steps taken by countries to fight a common menace have proved to ineffective. What is needed is concrete action — not mere words and contemplation. Pakistan has not succeeded in achieving its nefarious objective to divide our population — Hindus and Muslims on narrow religious lines.

India has a large Muslim population. Indian Muslims are leading a good and more graceful life than their counterparts in Pakistan. In the past, Pakistan failed to destabilise our Punjab through terrorism by driving a wedge between the Hindu and Sikh communities. Neither will its designs succeed in Kashmir. Because our security forces are on high alert.

Militancy and terrorist violence have hit this country in two ways. One, India has suffered a great loss of innocent human lives, in which civilian population is the major victim. Two, this has impeded the nation’s development and economic growth.

India and the USA will have to fight the forces of Talibanisation. These forces are hellbent on upsetting the apple-cart of secularism and democracy all over the world. Terrorism can be checked effectively if we act tough with the terrorists whenever they are caught in an encounter.

IQBAL SINGH
Bijhari (Hamirpur)

COLLECTIVE EFFORTS: Indeed there should be no illusion about the reality of the danger faced by us. It is immense. India’s security is a task that requires an effort like the one required to win a great war. The arena is vast. The scene is constantly shifting.

There is no simple formula for peace. Only collective efforts at different levels and at different places will ensure peace. In this respect Indo-US friendship has a vital role to play. We have been concentrating almost exclusively on the preparation for a hot war which may never come.

There is imperative need for an over-all strategy that takes into account all the realities, military and non-military.

My views are rightly expressed in the words of J.R. Lowell:

If you want peace, the thing you have got to do.

Is jes’ to show you are up to fighting too.

VIVEK SINGH MAR GIRAN
Kurukshetra

Karmapa controversy

As the President of the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, founded by the 16th Karmapa, and its 40 affiliated Kagyu centres worldwide, I was dismayed to read the article "Karmapa planning escape?" on September 7. The rumour mill is clearly at work. Ugyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa, remains at Gyuto Monastery near Dharamsala until issues regarding his resident status and the freedom of movement are finalised by the Government of India.

Neither he nor anyone genuinely associated with him would have considered any action against the accord with the Government of India. The idea of flight by the Karmapa, as described in the write-up, was certainly not a part of the third international Karma Kagyu conference. I can personally confirm that consideration of any such action was simply not part of its deliberations.

In fact, an official delegation from the Kagyu Lineage met Home Minister L.K. Advani in New Delhi on August 31. At that time the conference delegation made a formal request on behalf of the Kagyu Lineage that the Karmapa should be allowed to shift to the monastery of his predecessor at Rumtek, Sikkim.

It is correct that we are seeking a quick resolution to the travel restrictions under which the Karmapa has lived since his escape from Tibet. It was, and is, the Karmapa's intention to live at Rumtek Monastery and to travel to his centres worldwide.

Additionally, the report that Tai Situ Rinpoche, the Karmapa's regent, is "considered close to China", insinuates intrigue that does not exist and is not based on facts. Situ Rinpoche has not even been able to obtain a visa to visit China since 1994, despite his many applications for the purpose of seeing the Karmapa who resided in Tibet until December, 1999. He has not been "banned" as reported. He has rather only been asked to apply for permission to enter Sikkim.