DATE=8/6/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236612
TITLE=INDIA / ANTI-NUCLEAR / L-O
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ON HIROSHIMA DAY (OPT) THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOMBING OF
HIROSHIMA (END OPT), THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS HELD A PEACE MARCH IN
THE INDIAN CAPITAL CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO HALT ITS NUCLEAR
PROGRAM. ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS, THE RALLY WAS ONE OF THE
BIGGEST, ANTI-NUCLEAR DEMONSTRATIONS HELD IN THE COUNTRY SINCE
ITS RECENT NUCLEAR TESTS.
TEXT: // SOUND OF HINDI CHANTING //
WINDING THEIR WAY DOWN A BUSY NEW DELHI STREET, THOUSANDS OF
CITIZENS CHANTED, "WE WANT JOBS, NOT BOMBS, WE WANT FOOD NOT
BOMBS."
A CROSS-SECTION OF CITIZENS -- AUTHORS, ARTISTS, UNIVERSITY
TEACHERS, PROFESSIONALS AND HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN -- JOINED
THE MARCH.
IT WAS THE FIRST BIG ANTI-NUCLEAR DEMONSTRATION IN A COUNTRY
WHERE MANY PEOPLE HAD VOICED PRIDE IN THE RECENT NUCLEAR TESTS
AND HAILED THEM AS A SPECTACULAR ACHIEVEMENT.
THE MARCHERS EXPRESSED CONCERN THE SUBCONTINENT'S RECENT NUCLEAR
TESTS HAD PROPELLED THE ASIAN REGION INTO A DANGEROUS PHASE,
WORSENED RELATIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN, AND UNDERMINED
INITIATIVES AT FORGING PEACE BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS. IN A
STATEMENT READ OUT BY ONE OF THE MARCH LEADERS, HISTORIAN ROMILA
THAPAR CALLED ON BOTH NATIONS TO END THE NUCLEAR RACE.
///THAPAR ACTUALITY///
THE PEOPLE OF INDIA AND PAKSITAN MUST STOP THIS MADNESS
WHICH THREATENS US WITH MUTUAL ANNIHILATION. THROUGH
THIS MARCH WE WISH TO CONVEY TO THE RULERS OF THIS
COUNTRY THAT WE DO NOT WANT NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND WISH TO
CALL FOR A HALT TO THE GOVERNMENT'S WEAPONISATION
PROGRAM AND ITS DEPLOYMENT. INDIA MUST RETURN TO THE
PATH OF PEACE AND DISARMAMENT.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
MUBASHIR HASAN, A FORMER FINANCE MINISTER OF PAKISTAN, CAME TO
DELHI RECENTLY, AND STAYED ON TO TAKE PART IN THE MARCH. MR.
HASAN SAYS MANY PEOPLE IN THE SUBCONTINEMT ARE UNAWARE OF THE
CONSEQUENSES OF NUCLEAR WAR.
/// HASAN ACTUALITY ///
NUCLEAR BOMB IS NOT A WEAPON OF WAR, IT IS A WEAPON OF
GENOCIDE. IT IS (DESIGNED) TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS
IN MILLIONS, TO MAKE THEM INVALID FOR LIFE. IT IS TO
BRING THE END OF THE EARTH.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
POLITICAL ANALYST KULDIP NAYAR SAYS THE CITIZENS WANT NOT ONLY
INDIA AND PAKSITAN, BUT ALL COUNTRIES TO DISMANTLE THEIR WEAPONS.
/// NAYAR ACTUALITY ///
THIS MARCH IS NOT ONLY AGAINST INDIA AND PAKISTAN FOR
ACQUIRING THE BOMB, BUT IT IS AGAINST ALL THE POWERS
WHICH HAVE THE BOMB OR ARE TRYING TO HAVE THE BOMB.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
ORGANIZERS OF THE MARCH SAID PEACE RALLIES WERE ALSO HELD IN
OTHER INDIAN CITIES. THEY SAID THE MARCHES ARE THE BEGINNING OF A
WIDENING PEACE MOVEMENT WHICH WILL URGE DISMANTLING OF NUCLEAR
WEAPONS WORLDWIDE. (END WITH CHANTING -- HIROSHIMA, NAGASAKI, NO
MORE, NO MORE.) (SIGNED)
NEB/WD/KL
06-Aug-98 9:41 AM EDT (1341 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
