People's Democracy

     Citizens Oppose War And Occupation

More than 70 representatives of civil society organisations, mass movements, citizens’ bodies and peace groups from different states met in New Delhi on June 5-6 at a national consultation to plan a National Anti-War Assembly later this year. They considered the UPA government’s Common Minimum Programme, its declared policies and its official statements related to foreign affairs and security policies, and adopted the following resolution.

WE warmly welcome the trouncing of the communal NDA in the Lok Sabha elections and the installation of the secular UPA government at the centre on a progressive mandate which strongly affirms pluralism, just, equitable and people-centred economic policies, and independent foreign and security policies.

This landmark development comes at a time of tumultuous changes in the international situation, with the deepening of the Iraq and Palestine crises, with growing resistance to the United States’ unilateral attempt to build an Empire, and emergence of the globe’s “Second Superpower” in the shape of global popular mobilisations for independence, peace and justice.

This offers India, which has now reaffirmed its commitment to “multipolarity” and opposition to hegemonism, a historic opportunity to join the global resistance to the unjust occupation of Iraq. It is of the utmost importance that India does not accord recognition to the puppet regime being installed in Iraq with the spurious promise of “sovereignty” even while the military occupation continues — irrespective of UN resolutions. This interim government cannot change any laws or policies of the occupation regime and will have no control over the US-led forces. India must not only reject requests to send troops to Iraq; it must demand an unconditional end to the occupation.

The UPA has done well to reiterate its commitment to the cause of Palestinian nationhood — in sharp contrast to the NDA’s blatantly pro-Zionist policy. But it needs to do more to help the Palestinians in their grimmest hour since 1967, when the threat of their national territory being broken up into countless Bantustans currently looms large. The UPA must reverse the NDA’s attempt to construct an exclusive triadic strategic relationship with Israel and the US, re-examine weapons purchase agreements, and cease intelligence-sharing, joint military exercises and counter-insurgency “cooperation.” This would only be in keeping with India’s “past traditions.”

Sustaining and deepening the India-Pakistan dialogue-for-peace process is a major imperative today—and a key to security and prosperity in all of South Asia. Equally important is reducing the grave regional nuclear danger. To our regret and dismay, the CMP’s formulation on “maintaining a credible nuclear weapons programme” is identical to the NDA’s. There is no reference in it to the 1988 Rajiv Gandhi plan for global disarmament, including regional nuclear restraint. 

We are convinced that nuclear weapons do not and cannot provide security and must be abolished everywhere, including South Asia, where they have vitiated the strategic balance and encouraged rank adventurism. In the interim, nuclear restraint and risk-reduction measures are urgently called for, the most important of which is non-deployment of nuclear weapons. These must be immediately negotiated in good faith with Pakistan even before a wider disarmament process gets under way: the nuclear danger is greatest in South Asia. Also vital is reduction in India’s conventional military spending and greater stress on human security.

The first step in India reassuming its advocacy of global nuclear disarmament is to oppose the weaponisation of space and withdraw support to the US’s Ballistic Missile Defence programme and to reject offers of cooperation  on BMD.  India must resume its key position as a mobiliser of the campaign for global disarmament and peace.