[sacw] South Asians Against Nukes Mailer (June 6, 1999)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asians Against Nukes
June 6, 1999

Contents:
#1. 'War is No Solution'
[a report on a recent Pakistani anti-nuclear /anti-war demo.]
#2. A Letter to the Editor of Times of India
#3. India Shops Abroad for Ammunition
[a report on Indian army's expensive shopping spree & who's selling...]
===========================================
#1.

'The News' - on Sunday,
Lahore, June 6 1999

'WAR IS NO SOLUTION'

by Mohammed Farooq

Following the Indian nuclear test of May 11 last year, ruling elites on both
sides of the border created a 'nuclear euphoria'. And on the eve of
Pakistan's test, it appeared that the nation had a consensus on going
nuclear. But there were voices opposing the nuclear tests in both countries.
A year after the blasts the government tried to revive the May '98 nuclear
euphoria. The state-controlled electronic media and a big section of press
blinded by years of anti-India indoctrination lent the government a helping
hand in glorifying nuclearism.

Lahore was made a hub of celebration. Triumphal demos, rallies, banners,
posters all contributed to the impression that Lahore had gone nuclear-mad.
But this was not so - as proved by the hundreds of peace activists on May 27
at a demonstration at Faisal Chowk opposite Punjab Assembly building.
It was an interesting sight. Faisal Chowk was decorated with banners
congratulating the nation for its nuclear achievement, along with a
larger-than-life hoarding of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. All this was in
marked contrast to the over 300 peace demonstrators chanting Bomb nahin roti
chahiay, bomb nahin taleem chahiay (Bread not bombs, education not bombs).
Their slogans were given impetus by the declaration of the Punjab law
minister just days, that demanding education and bread and not bombs are
'anti-nation' slogans.

The demo organised by Labour Party Pakistan in collaboration with Communist
Mazdoor Kissan Party was represented by a cross-section of society.
Political parties, community based organisations, trade unions, student
unions - all were represented.

Interestingly, many passers-by thought the demo was pro-nuclear, given the
surroundings, and only those who managed to read the placards realised what
it was about. After half an hour of peaceful demonstration and slogan
chanting, there were speeches.

Addressing the participants, renowned Left leader Tahira Mazhar Ali
regretted the celebration at a time when people driven by economic hardship,
were committing suicides. "It's sheer madness. We need bread not bombs. We
need housing, clothing, education and a nuclear free region", she said. "Is
it hunger, poverty and suicides that the rulers are celebrating?"
She demanded an immediate end to the nuclear race in the region.
Farooq Tariq General Secretary Labour Party Pakistan was critical of Punjab
Law Minister Raja Bhasharat who had termed the peace activists as traitors.
He said, "May 28 is being observed in Balochistan as a black day, the
province where the blast took place. Sind has also boycotted the so-called
celebration organized by the government. This demo at the Mall Road proves
that working class, CBOs, trade unions and students of Punjab do not approve
of the celebration."

He criticized Punjab welfare minister Pir Benyamin for harassing and
blackmailing non-governmental organizations. Former Federal Minister and
Convener of Pak India Forum for Peace and Democracy, Dr. Mubashir Hasan
demanded an immediate end to the shelling at Line of Control between India
and Pakistan. He demanded that ruling elite across the border to sit around
a table to seek a peaceful solution to all the issues. "War is no solution.
It just adds to the misery of toiling masses," he observed.

Syed Azim, Taimur Hasan, and other political activists also spoke on the
occasion. Asghar Ali sang a peace song with his friends who represent a
peasant organization in Punjab: "Until the system changes, wars will
continue".

The demonstration in Lahore, the home-town of the Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif, indicates that the peace movement is well and alive.

-------------------------------------
#2.

Times of India
Saturday 5 June 1999
Letters to the Editor

Forum for Peace

The military flare-up in Kargil has worsened the continuing tensions
in Jammu and Kashmir. The claim that the possession of nuclear
weapons by India and Pakistan would create a situation of deterrence
and hence of peace has been falsified and the hopes raised by the
Lahore Declaration have been belied. In the nuclear environment in
the region, this development has escalated the danger of war in the
sub-continent.

The resort to aerial bombings so close to the Line of Control has
escalated the military tensions between India and Pakistan. What is
alarming is that this bombing and armed operations are taking a toll of
innocent civilian lives. This flare-up coming so soon after the Lahore
Declaration exposes the fragility of the two governments' commitment
to peace. So long as the Kashmir question remains unresolved such
flare-ups are likely to recur and threaten to escalate into full-fledged
war including the danger of nuclear a holocaust.

There should be an immediate cessation of armed hostilities and
bombings. Indian and Pakistan troops and militants and mercenaries
should withdraw immediately. There should be a demilitarised zone
along the LoC [Line of Control]. Steps must be taken urgently to start
discussions on the
pending issues with active participation of people from both sides of the
LoC.

(E Deenadayalan on behalf of the Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for
Peace and Democracy, New Delhi)

---------------------------------------
#3.
The Indian Express
Thursday, June 3, 1999 (Indian Express Front Page)

INDIA SHOPS ABROAD FOR AMMUNITION

by Rahul Bedi 

NEW DELHI, JUNE 2: India is concluding
negotiations to buy around 100,000 rounds of
varied ordnance from abroad to replenish
ammunition expended over several weeks in the
Kargil conflict for around Rs 200 crore.

Military sources in New Delhi said the
Ministry of Defence (MoD) was finalising
agreements with Denel of South Africa to
provide around 25,000 rounds of 155-mm shells
for around $1000 apiece for its FH 77B Bofors
howitzers, deployed in large numbers near
Kargil, close to the Line of Control (LoC).

While the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) does
make 130-mm shells, military sources say the
numbers in stock were insufficient. The Army
needs to maintain war wastage reserves of
equipment for times of conflict but over the
years these have, unfortunately, been rather
on the lower side.

The sources said the agreement for the
ordnance purchase will be finalised by the end
of the week and the rounds will be airlifted
from the respective countries and start
trickling in by mid-June.

The Army is daily expending hundreds of rounds
of artillery shells and mortar rounds to
counter Pakistan's barrage across the LoC that
is sustaining the insurgents holding strategic
ridges and pushing back India's advancing
columns fighting to dislodge them.

Meanwhile, the OFB's newly established
facility to produce varied ordnance at Badmal
in Orissa, including 155-mm shells, with US
equipment and knowhow, has been jeopardised by
the imposition of sanctions after last year's
nuclear tests.

The worst hit at Badmal is the manufacturing
facility set up by Day and Zimmermann of
Pittsburgh in the US for detonators, delay
devices and fuses for desperately needed High
Explosive Extended Rounds (HEER) for the
Bofors howitzers.

Sources connected with the project said though
the 155-mm filling plant supplied by the US
company was commissioned barely a week before
the nuclear tests, subsequent sanctions had
forced it to abandon work on the fuse and
detonator plants scheduled for commissioning a
month later.

The termination ofwarranty support, spares and
further technical assistance on all US
equipment, including the explosive pouring and
``puddling'' machines and X-rays to examine
shells, would also adversely affect the
production of 155-mm rounds.

Also affected is the manufacture of the 125-mm
rounds used by T-72 tanks, India's main battle
tank. These shells have been in short supply
for years and live firing for around 26 of 58
regiments equipped with T-72 tanks has been
curtailed, in some instances even cancelled
for several years.

The negotiations for around 100,000 rounds of
125 mm shells have been in the pipeline for
several months but, military sources said, are
now likely to be expedited. The remaining
regiments armed with T-55s and locally built
Vijayanta tanks, however, have continued with
their routine firing schedules as the 105mm
ammunition they utilise is made by the OFB.

Day and Zimmermann had also supplied India
40,000 rounds of 155-mm cargo ammunition in
late 1980s for around $ 80 million when the
Boforshowitzers were imported, including the
data package, to make them locally, an option
that too remains foreclosed.

Projected as Asia's largest munitions factory,
the Badmal ordnance facility was set up to
annually produce 200,000 Barmines, 200,000
155-mm rounds, 150,000 125-mm rounds and large
quantities of 30-mm ammunition for BMP's
besides various fuses and detonators.

The fuse plant for 30-mm shells at Badmal has
been set up by KINTEX of Bulgaria while
Meissner GmbH & Co of Koln in Germany has
installed the unit to make automatic
detonators capable of activating large calibre
ammunition and fuses.
______________________________________

::SOUTH ASIANS AGAINST NUKES::
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex/NoNukes.html

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