South Australian HUMANIST POST EXTRACT 2

As printed in the July 1998 issue of the S.A. Humanist Post I.R.H.A. CONDEMNS NUCLEAR TESTS Dr Indumati Parikh, President of the Indian Radical Humanist Association issued the following declaration forwarded through the IHEU. "At the outset we make it clear that the IRHA is totally against any nuclear test whether conducted by India or Pakistan or for that matter by any country. The reasons are obvious but still need to be reiterated. -Nuclear explosions and the development of nuclear weapons are a threat not only to human beings but also to all life on earth. -In 1985 Gandhi inquired about the cost of nuclear tests which would now be much higher. India cannot afford such a costly experiment at the cost of other priority programmes viz., removal of poverty and ignorance and provision of potable water, health care, education, employment, etc. -The next step of developing nuclear weapons is equally costly and dangerous, and the Government do not give any categorical assurance that they will not develop these weapons. -The recent tests conducted by India and Pakistan may start an arms race not only in South Asia but also in the middle east. -There is a widespread fear that with rising fundamentalism the nuclear weapons might fall into the hands of jingoistic politicians and fundamentalist governments which are backed by frenzied masses who may ignite a nuclear holocaust. -We condemn the recent testing of nuclear devices in India, because the decision to do so was not taken by the people but (if media reports are to be believed) by no more than five individuals one of whom is not an elected member and two others were actually defeated in the recent lower house elections. However the IRHA feels that blame lies as much with the economically and technically advanced countries as with both India and Pakistan because: -The five nuclear weapon countries refuse even to undertake a programme for gradual reduction and ultimate elimination of the nuclear weapons in their possession. -The developed countries have all along been selling small weapons as well as weapons of mass destruction and delivery systems, especially to authoritarian and fundamentalist rulers in the third world countries, most of them religious states, in order to maintain a high level of affluence and reduce unemployment in their own societies. -The developed countries which are themselves sitting on piles of nuclear weapons and are condemning India (and now Pakistan) for conducting nuclear tests, having fuelled the growing atmosphere of insecurity. -The transfer of sensitive U.S. missile technology and their soft policy towards China, despite Beijing's repeated violations of international treaties on transfer of nuclear technology, by transferring the same to Pakistan and Iran, has created an imbalance in the South Asia region. I.R.H.A. is however, more concerned with what should be done next, than with apportioning the blame for the ever increasing threat to peace in not only South Asia but the world at large. We suggest the following steps: -Since there can be no vanquished or victors in a modern war, jingoistic calls to arms and threats of war should give way to a process of development of international friendship through dialogues. -Humanists of the world should advocate total disarmament and destruction of all existing nuclear weapons, instead of insisting on nations like India to sign a discriminatory N.P.T. and C.T.B.T. -Humanists should prevail upon the Indian Government that India should immediately stop the process of weaponisation, and stop at the recently conducted tests only. -War industries should not be allowed to continue and used as instruments to provide employment and maintain high standards of living in either developed or developing countries. -While it is the politicians who give a call to arms, it is the poor who are sent to fight and it is the women and children who are the worst sufferers. Humanists, therefore, should put pressure on the politicians of their respective countries, to adopt policies of peaceful co-existence and complete abolition of war. -Notice should be taken of the fact that despite the euphoria created and encouraged after the tests, many a sane individual and institution have opposed the tests and have been doing so at the cost of being branded unpatriotic. The euphoria is dying down now. -The Indian humanists and other sane voices, although labouring under a religious fundamentalist government, continue demanding peace with the neighbours, opposing religious fundamentalism and working towards better future for humanity. -It is very encouraging that I.H.E.U. have decided to hold the 14th World Congress in the disturbed subcontinent at Bombay in early January, next year. This will present an ideal opportunity to Humanists of the world, to express their solidarity in opposing nuclear armaments, arms race, fundamentalism and growing violence. These very themes among others will be discussed in the sessions of the congress. -I.R.H.A. has called the 2nd meeting of the National IHEU Congress Consultative Committee (consisting of most of IHEU member organisation in India for organising the World Congress) on the 7th June where, among other things, this issue will be discussed further." A contingent of Australian Humanists will attend the IHEU congress in Bombay next 10th - 14th January 1999. If you would like to join the contingent and meet Dr. Mrs. Indumati Parikh in person then contact Ray Dahlitz, 03 9857 9717 for details. Dr. Mrs. Indumati Parikh as well as being President of the Indian Radical Humanist Association is a leading campaigner for social work with women and children in the slums of Mumbai (Bombay).