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Junoon on Peace in South
Asia
Peace in South Asia - is it attainable?
the-south-asian asks 'Junoon'
"Fanaticism in any form, whether religious or otherwise, is nothing but evil and
is possibly the worst social disease in our midst."
A Brief Introduction
Karachi based (Pakistan) ‘Junoon’ (translated ‘Frenzied Passion’) is not about a
rock group – it is about sanity, it is about harmony, it is about tolerance –
and more importantly it is about truth. Their agenda is peace, love and
brotherhood among mankind. Few rock groups or bands are about all this and more.
Salman Ahmed, Brian O’Connell, and Ali Azmat are the trio protesting against the
establishment through their music, and at the same time singing of universal
love and celebration of life. Their lyrics are inspired by the great Sufi
saints, Rumi and Bulleh Shah; and their music by Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix
Robert Plant, Jeff Beck, Santana, U2, Beatles, and Queen!. Their music
transcends religious and political boundaries – it comes, truly, from the soul
touching the hearts and souls of those who have hearts and souls within them. In
2001 Ahmad was named the UN goodwill ambassador on HIV/AIDS for Pakistan.
While India and Pakistan were flexing their nuclear muscle-power, ‘Junoon’ were
touring India to packed concerts – some of their most loyal fans are from India
– and they, in turn, profess a great love for the country. While on the tour,
they spoke of peace, brotherhood and unity, and the fans in turn demanded "
cultural fusion, not nuclear fusion". For this very profound message, Junoon
were banned from performing in Pakistan for a while.
Junoon have performed the world over. Their last performance in India was in aid
of the Earthquake victims of Gujarat, where they shared the stage with other
south Asian groups, including Silk Route, and Euphoria. Commenting on Indo-Pak
relations Salman says, "This is like building a wall between people. The lesser
people see the other side, the greater is the fear that sets in. We need to
dispel these fears.’’ Salman has in fact written to the Indian and Pakistani
governments, requesting permission for a Peace Concert at the LoC (Line of
Control).
Junoon performed at the Daniel Pearl Music Day on Oct 10, 2002 and have recently
released a new song, their first in English, called ‘No More’. It is a tribute
to what the humanity lost on 9/11. New York musician, lyricist and journalist,
Polar Levine, wrote the song. Following the 9/11 attacks, Junoon, together with
the Indian band, Euphoria, performed at the UN General Assembly Hall.
The Indian band Silk Route and Junoon are working towards ‘Peace Quest’ - a UN
approved project. ‘Peace Quest’ will, through concerts and lectures, address the
students on the need for peace in the sub-continent
As Ahmed, very rightly, says ‘‘It is the young who hold hope for the two nations
and we wish to work with them to propagate peace."
The Interview
What, in your view, should be a step towards peace in south Asia?
The Governments of the countries in the region must talk to each other, and
there should be more interaction between the peoples of South Asia.
Can music or other arts perform a more positive role towards peace in south
Asia?
We think that music and all Art has the power to heal and touch the deepest
emotions of people. The fact that the average Pakistani loves Shahrukh Khan &
Amitabh Bachchan and that people across India have loved Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan &
Junoon's music proves that Music & other arts can act as a Force of love &
fraternity.
Which of the two is a stronger force - secularism or fundamentalism?
We feel that all people are one regardless of caste, creed, colour or language.
People must respect each other as at the end of the day we have the same
emotions & the same inspirations as anybody else on earth. Surely there are
differences between people, but it is time now for people to accentuate the
commonality of our humanity and learn to respect each other.
Can the secular traditions of south Asia be saved?
We feel that through education the people of South Asia can learn to appreciate
one another's differences & respect each other's point of views, as is the case
with the European Union. With the global media now so pervasive throughout the
region, opportunities exist to enlighten one another and thereby further
increase regional co-operation.
Can fundamentalism really threaten the survival of multi-ethnic societies of
south Asia?
Fanaticism in any form whether religious or otherwise is nothing but evil and is
possibly the worst social disease in our midst.
Your comments on leadership (or the absence of it) in south Asian countries
Clearly in the past 55 years since Independence, better leaders would have been
able to lead South Asia to a better, more prosperous state than we see today.
However we are optimistic that in today's youth there exist the seeds of great
leaders and the relatively more open environment that they are growing up in
bodes well for the future of the region.
Should religion be confined to an individual's home and not be taken outside its
confines?
The people of South Asia depend on their religion for their daily guidance and
truly use it as their way of Life. We in South Asia however through education
and the eradication of ignorance of each others' religions can gain respect for
each other. Junoon can be seen as a microcosm of this with persons of several
different faiths existing in our band and organization. We are open about each
other's religion and discuss and share our spirituality with each other without
fear of hatred or prejudice. For example, the teachings of Jesus Christ, the
Upanishads, and the Sufi Islamic beliefs are one and the same and all religions
share the same Source, so how can we disrespect each other's religions? That
would be the same as disrespecting our very own religion!
Is there room, in this day and age, for faith-based institutions and faith-based
political parties in our societies?
Faith is a good thing as long as it is not used to undermine the rights of
people who do not share the same beliefs. If faith is used as a vehicle to
increase one's power ,which in essence corrupts and distorts the teachings of
the faith, or to incite hatred towards people of other faiths and to inculcate a
feeling of superiority among members of a particular creed, then - no to faith
based institutions or faith based political parties.
the-south-asian.com
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