The Indian Scientists Against Nuclear Weapons (ISANW) was formed immediately after Pokhran II nuclear tests conducted by India in May 1998, as a spontaneous reaction to the changed nuclear scenario in the country. It aims to be a united informed body of scientists to work against the proliferation of nuclear armaments in the country.

1. Some Interesting Articles

1. No Clear Yield
   by M. V. Ramana (Frontline, January 8, 2000)
   http://www.isanw.org/news/05/fizzle.html

2. Falling Out
   You've Got the Bomb. So Do I. Now I Dare You to Fight.
   by Celia W. Dugger and Barry Bearak (The New York Times, Sunday, January 16, 2000)
   http://www.isanw.org/news/05/nyt.html

2. News Reports

KARACHI, Jan 1: The Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) on Friday called upon India and Pakistan to move away from their "maximalist" positions towards some compromise that respected the wishes of the Kashimiri people as well.

This was spelt out in a resolution adopted at the PPC seminar on "Prerequisites for peace in the 21st century and the role of Pakistan," held at the Karachi Press Club.

At the millennium's end, the resolution stated, it was completely clear that five decades of confrontation between Pakistan and India had led to nothing but misery, deprivation, and war.

Apart from draining the resources away from the needs of the people of the two countries, the nuclear tests in April-May last year had put the subcontinent under the shadow of a nuclear catastrophe, it said.

The PPC resolved that the Kargil episode was a disaster for Pakistan and it had worsened the country's relations with India, as well as adversely affecting Pakistan's credibility and support internationally.

It noted there was no solution to the Kashmir problem in sight and economic collapse had been a constant possibility since the nuclear tests and emphasized that "if Pakistan is to prosper, it will have to cut down military expenditure sharply. It welcomed the recent 5 per cent reduction in the defence budget, but said it was not sufficient.

It was of the view that Pakistan was at the mercy of international lending institutions because of consistent diversion of resources away from the real needs of our people towards heavy consumption by the country's elite and towards military expenditure sharply.

Recognizing that nuclear war was not an abstract possibility but something very real, the PPC called upon Pakistan and India to enter into negotiations on nuclear issues, initially with the aim of creating confidence-building measures to minimize the chances of their accidental use, but with complete denuclearization as the ultimate goal. It called upon Pakistan to sign the CTBT immediately.

The seminar was chaired by M.B.Naqvi, Pervez Hoodbhoy, Dr. Nayer, Hasan Abidi and Mr. Karamat spoke in the seminar.

Pervez Hoodbhoy emphasized the need for focusing on improving economic capability to be successful in the next century. He cited the example of Indian economic gains and folly of dependence committed by Pakistan.

Hasan Abidi expressed concern over the failure of society to provide opportunities of education to more than a million children of school going age.

Dr. Nayar criticized the anti-India psyche in Pakistan which, he said, was rooted in history. He said such an attitude had allowed fundamentalist to make gains. He was also critical of the new policy on Kashmir announced by General Pervez Musharraf.

At the millennium's end, it is completely clear that five decades of confrontation between Pakistan and India have led to nothing but misery, deprivation, and war. Apart from draining resources away from the needs of our peoples, the nuclear tests of May 1998 have put the subcontinent under the shadow of nuclear catastrophe. Kargil was a disaster for Pakistan and has worsened our relations with India, as well as further decreasing Pakistan's credibility and support internationally. India has lost much, but Pakistan has lost still more. There is no solution to the Kashmir problem in sight, and economic collapse has been a constant possibility since the nuclear tests. In view of the seriousness of the situation, the Pakistan Peace Coalition calls upon the people and leadership of Pakistan to:

• Recognize that Pakistan is now at the mercy of international lending organisations. This is nobody's fault but our own. We have consistently diverted resources away from the real needs of our people towards heavy consumption by the country's elite, and towards military spending. If Pakistan is to prosper, it will have to cut down military expenditure sharply. We welcome the recent reduction by 5% of the defense budget, but this is insufficient.

• Recognise that nuclear war is not just an abstract possibility but something very real. Pakistan and India must enter into negotiations on nuclear issues, initially with the aim of creating confidence-building measures to decrease the chances of the accidental use, but with complete denuclearisation as the ultimate goal. Pakistan should sign the CTBT immediately.

• Recognize that our position on Kashmir has not brought us any closer to winning the rights of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan and India must be willing to move away from their maximalist positions towards some compromise that respects the wishes of the Kashmiri people as well.

3. Letters to ISANW

• Re: INDIA'S NUCLEAR POLICY

  I will not be able to attend the meeting but have a couple of observations I wish to share.
  1. I have read the new policy document.It is intellectually appalling but grim in the determination to go ahead. Not a single issue is made clear:In the next 20 years what are our risk perceptions?How would our nuclear arms reduce our risk in comparison to investment in conventioal arms?How would the escalation affect defence expenditure and thus inlation,budget deficits,development?
  2. Unfortunately for the subcontinent,the polotics in the subcontinent remains fluid and can easily lead to adventurism .Kashmir is not only an unsolved problem but the international opinion(in its current espousal of of aspirationseedom and democracy)is unlikely to be supportive of India. Islamic Fundamentalism is only a part of Islam but problem areas make more progressive Islamic politicians defensive or silent.In addition Pakisthan has serious internal problems as well as a perception of being wronged on Kashmir (whatever may be our attitude to that).So it is geopolotically expected that the region will remain an area of intense mbrinkmanship made even nmore dangerous by the fact that for Pakisthan9but not India) a nuclear bomb is indeed a deterrent.
  3. China is a superpower.Is India (still on a losing battle against poverty,even dwindling food security and a fragile environment)aiming at that kind of thing too?Only a superpower would dream of a nuclear deterrent against a superpower?

  For all these reasons the position of Indian hawks remains as unclear as ever.This is purely on strategic grounds.Most of us who came back to India for her love of peace and peace based Gandhian values of independence now feel stunned by this volte face.

  Jayanta Ghosh
  Jawaharlal Nehru Professor
  Indian Statistical Institute
  Calcutta.
  Email: jkg@www.isical.ac.in

• Nuclear Disarmament Technology

  Dear Sirs/Ma'ams,

  This note consists of two parts. The first part describes the possibility of a technology that can render radioactive materials inert over time. The second part is the text of a response I recieved from an internet physics newsgroup moderator (m.a.p.), which addresses the feasability of the concept described in the first section.

  I think you will find this information well worth your time. It is my hope that your organization will be able to forward it to individuals qualified to assess it in detail.

  Thank you
  Todd Murphy
  Researching Behavioral Neuroscientist.
  Email: brainsci@jps.net
  [ Murphy's note is available at http://www.isanw.org/news/05/murphy.html ]

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  Edited by: Radhika, Tabish

  Indian Scientists Against Nuclear Weapons
  isanw@arbornet.org.
  http://www.isanw.org/
  

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