Ambassador
McDonald Visits Kartarpur Corridor
“Let
Kartarpur be Declared a Peace Zone”
“At the
Indo-Pak border, I am shocked
to see the barbed fence with high voltage current in it,”
-Ambassador John W. McDonald
Please also see:
FREEDOM OF PRESS IN INDIA? Media Ignores McDonald at Kartarpur
The legendry
global peace maker Mr. McDonald visited the site of proposed Kartarpur Sahib
Corridor at Dera Baba Nanak District Gurdaspur, India. Mr. McDonald is a
career diplomat for over 40 years. He has been associated with United
Nations for 16 years. He heads an organisation called Institute of
Multi-Track Diplomacy (IMTD) which is engaged in noble cause of peace
building the world over. He has been involved in Kashmir issue as well. He
is being credited for peace bus in the Kashmir conflict zone namely Sri
Nagar –Muzzafarabad bus service. He said he will work for a bridge over the
river Ravi at Kartarpur the way he got Muzzafarabad bridge repaired.
Jathedar Kuldip Singh Wadala and his associates welcomed Mr. McDonald. As we
know Jathedar Wadala leads monthly prayers at Kartarpur Corridor site but in
his today’s prayer he prayed for strength to 86 year old Mr. McDonald.
Jathedar Wadala wished that Kartarpur Corridor plan will materialise with
the efforts of Mr. He was surprised the way there exist three tombhs of Guru
Nanak at Kartarpur sahib and that how the prominent 3 community of the area
namely Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs respect Kartarpur. Mr. McDonald was
accompanied by Dr. Eileen Borris and Mrs. Elizabeth Murray, his colleagues
in IMTD. A Sikh writer and journalist Tridevish
Singh Maini appealed to Mr. McDonald to
visit Kartarpur.
Reaching Corridor Point Mr McDonald was shocked to see the
barbed fence on Indo-Pak border which ran a high voltage electric current.
"It is cruel than the Berlin Wall, " he said. Mr McDonald says a great
trade potential in Kartarpur Corridor. He again was surprised to know that
Pakistan was willing to grant a visa free corridor to visitors from India
while the India was maintaining silence on this issue for 7 years. He
said future of India and Pakistan lies in peace.
Mr. McDonald is a founder Chairman of IMTD a novel concept to
achieve global peace from various dimensions. Dr. Borris explained, “
Multi-Track Diplomacy is a conceptual way to view the process of
international peacemaking as a living system and that it looks at the web of
interconnected activities, individuals, institutions, and communities that
operate together for a common goal: a world at peace.”
Mr. McDonald made intense efforts to locate the
old bridge on river
Ravi which was bombarded in
1965 war.
Here are a few photographs of his visit to Kartarpur.
Mr. McDonald explains a point to Jathedar Kuldip Singh
Wadala while Mrs. Murray looks on |
THE GIANTS TOGETHER: Mr.
McDonald, Mr. Gurinder Singh Bajwa, Jathedar Wadala, Dr. Borris under a
centuries old banyan tree which are symbol of peaceful coexistance.
These trees are the Corridor Point. |
|
Mr. McDonald
right at the Indo-Pak border which has many a conflict.
|
Mr. McDonald wished to address the press right at
the border. Mark the observation towers and barbed fence. |
Mr. McDonald addressing press |
Mr.
McDonald addressing press
|
Mr.
McDonald addressing press |
Mr.
McDonald addressing press |
The
legendary Jathedar Wadala prays for strength to Mr. McDonald |
Mr.
McDonald at Durbar Sahib the third tomb of Guru Nanak founder of
Sikhism.
|
Mr.
McDonald at Durbar Sahib the third tomb of Guru Nanak founder of
Sikhism. |
Mr.
McDonald at Durbar Sahib the third tomb of Guru Nanak founder of
Sikhism. |
Mr.
T.S.Maini shows the historic well associated with Guru Nanak to Dr.
Borris |
Mr.
McDonald and Mrs Murray at Durbar Sahib |
Mr.
McDonald and Mrs Murray at Durbar Sahib |
 Dr. Borris was
presented a photograph of Kartarpur Sahib along with printed material |
 |
|
| From left Mr. Maini, Mian Abuzar Shad of Lahore
Pakistan, Jathedar Wadala, Mr. Macdonald and Mrs Murray, |
|
About
Mr.
McDonald's IMTD
Since 1992 the Institute
for Multi-Track Diplomacy has initiated and facilitated conflict
transformation projects throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Most recently, IMTD has been working on projects linked to Georgia, Nepal,
Zimbabwe, Somalia, Israel and Palestine, Pakistan and Kashmir as well as on
issues related to Water and Peace and the inclusion of conflict resolution
training in military institutes. Using a systems-based approach, IMTD
facilitates dialogue between various groups to promote structural change
enabling long-term, sustainable peace. By transforming conflict through a
multi-track lens, IMTD’s activities address the tangible and intangible
conditions perpetuating a conflict, thus expanding the traditional framework
of peacemaking to include both official and unofficial spheres.
--B.S.Goraya
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