NEWSLETTER

Issue 8

April 2000


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.

CONTENTS

  1. Proceedings of the Nagpur Preparatory Meeting
  2. Letters to ISANW

There is an initiative to organise a National Conference (NC) bringing together all the groups in the country who are opposed to the nuclear weaponisation of India. There was a preparatory meeting in Nagpur on 26th March 2000 to plan out the National Conference. R. Shankar (I.M.Sc) represented ISANW at the meeting. Here we carry the proceedings of the meeting.
This is going to be the first national level meeting of this kind, and ISANW has decided to fully participate in it. ISANW menbers can send there comments/suggestions regarding the National Conference, and any suggestions regarding ISANW's role in it, to isanw@arbornet.org

1. First National Preparatory Meeting for National Conference of Anti Nuclear Movement

Proceedings

The first National preparatory meeting for National Conference of Anti-Nuclear Movement, India was held on 26th March,2000 at India Peace Centre, Civil Lines, Nagpur.

The first session of the meeting was chaired by Mohan Kothekar of NAPM, Nagpur and the Second session was chaired by Arvind Ghosh of Anti-Nuclear Movement, Nagpur. About 60 members participated in the meeting.

The agenda was:

  1. Concept paper to agree upon the conceptual framework.
  2. Programme schedule which was divided into format/structure and content.
    1. Plenary and Parallel sessions - Nos. & other details.
    2. Themes of these sessions.
  3. Logistics.
    1. Venue of the Conference.
    2. Dates of the Conference.
    3. Period/No. of Days.
    4. Finances
    5. Deciding Participation.
    6. Hosting Committee
    7. Symbolic Public Event
    8. Cultural Programmes
    9. How many more preparatory committee meetings.
Discussion on concept paper.

The discussion on concept paper took up most of the morning session. It was felt that there exist various trends in the Anti-nuclear movement . One of the main tensions is between nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. Some are opposed to not just Nuclear Weapons but also to its source i.e. Nuclear Power / Energy also. While others have not yet taken a stand on Nuclear Energy, a distinction should be made on the minimalist and maximalist point of view. The focus of the paper should be on the minimum points of concensus or the general thrust while keeping our differences. The unanimous points of agreement were

  1. Nuclear Freeze
  2. Nuclear Safety.
Resolutions:

  1. It was decided that the concept paper should be in two parts -
    1. First part reflects the minimum points of consensus amongst jus which is opposition to nuclear weapons - basic principles, grounds and rationale - our ethical, moral, technological objections to it and culminates in demands relating to nuclear freeze and safeguards.
    2. Second Part - How are we going to build an anti-nuclear movement in India.

  2. Achin Vanaik will revise his draft incorporating / modifying it as per above and circulate it to all groups within a week.

  3. Comments/suggestions/critiques to be sent back to Achin Vanaik in two weeks time.

  4. A Committee to finalise revisions was formed, which will complete amendments/revisions in another weeks time. The concept paper should be final by April. This final draft will not be reopened for discussion at the next preparatory meeting. The committee consists of the following.

    1. Shankar, Chennai.
    2. Kamal Chinoy, Delhi
    3. Gautam Sen, Calcutta
    4. Arvind Ghosh, Nagpur
    5. Shubha, Bangalore
    6. Shukla Sen, Mumbai
    7. Ilina Sen, Raipur
    8. Surendra Gadekar, Vedchhi
    9. Achin Vanaik, Delhi.

Discussion on structuring of Sessions and Themes.

It was felt that a combination of plenaries and parallel sessions should be used. Possibility of having a plenary on each day focusing on the happenings in each session of that day was also talked about apart from opening and closing plenary.

The opening plenary should be about our concerns, the need for the NC etc. The concluding plenary should pass basic political declaration, formulate an united action plan and establish composition and function of the Co-ordination Committee.

Plenaries should reflect broad kind of consensus, hence theme on nuclear energy should be a working session and not a plenary.

Working sessions should be in two ways - organizational aspects and theme-based .

Parallel working sessions should be held with a view to strengthen certain specific lobbies - scientists, doctors, physicians, journalists, teachers.

Sessions are also needed to create nerwork - mechanisms for resource./ information sharing.

Several suggestions were made regarding themes. They are listed below:

  1. Politics of the Bomb. The fascist ideology behind it.
  2. Militarisation (Related aspects of negative gendering and mascularization).
  3. CTBT, NPT etc.
  4. Indo-Pak relations (or more generally South Asian relations)
  5. Experiences of neighbouring countries.
  6. Peace
  7. Struggles in different areas and History of the anti-nuclear movement.
  8. Environmental safety and nuclear power.
  9. Draft nuclear doctrine.
  10. Freedom of information vis-à-vis Nuclear Industry (in India)
  11. Weapons production, storage and damage caused by it.
  12. Formation of a loose co-ordination body - its composition, role, functions,scope etc
Resolutions

Since discussions could not be completed, a 3 member "Schedule Drafting Committee" was formed which would draft the program schedule including structuring of sessions and themes for sessions on above mentioned discussions. It would also suggest ideas for the symbolic public event on last day and cultural programmes. The draft programme schedule would be circulated to all groups and finalized. This programme schedule will not be re-opened at the next preparatory meeting.

Venue & Date:

Quite a few names like Delhi, Pokhran, Vedchhi, Sewagram & Nagpur came up for discussion. It was finally agreed that Delhi should be the venue as several factors weigh in its favour as compared to the other places.

After considering the period from November to January it was felt that November 11-14th would be the most convenient time to have the conference.

Hence it was decided that the first National Conference will be held in Delhi from 11-14 November,2000.

Another question which came up for discussion was whether we should allow politicians i.e. MPs & CMs to speak. Apprehensions were raised that they may misuse the platform for their own ends. But it was decided that we should have such MPs and CMs who have taken a clear cut stand against nuclear weapons provided we can stop them from misusing the forum.

Next Preparatory Meeting:

It was decided to have another Preparatory Meeting at Nagpur on 30th July, 2000 to have a mid-stream review of progress made regarding conference to follow up the commitments made by various groups/persons to reevaluate,monitor and re-energise ourselves.

It was also decided that the next preparatory meeting would discuss only logistics. New organizations who did not attend this meeting may be allowed to take part in it provided they agree to the draft concept paper and programme schedule both of which will not be reopened for discussion again at the next preparatory meeting.

Numbers:

The Conference will have approximately 500 participations of which 200 will be from Delhi and 300 from outside.

Participation: It was decided that since this is the first conference all will be delegates except foreign participants, MPs and CMs who will be observers. There will be no voting. As far as possible resolutions should be passed through consensus. However, in case of divergent opinions, the general spirit of the session should be recorded along with dissent. Finance/Funding: The following decisions were passed -

Budget for the conference was estimated to be roughly Rs. 5 lacs.

Host Committee: was formed of Delhi groups comprising MIND,NAPM,AIPSO,DSF, AIPSN which would work out the detailed budget and send it to others groups.

General principles of funding: The following discussions were taken:

  1. No corporate funding
  2. No funds from any foreign funding agency.
  3. Funds may be collected through donations from individuals - both Indian and NRIs.
  4. Funds may be collected from progressive groups working in foreign countries.
  5. Funds may be collected from foreign peace groups/organizations provided it has a proven record in Peace Movement. (e.g. Hague Appeal for Peace & Japanese Peace Groups.)
Other sources of fund raising could be :
  1. Produce items like badges, jerseys, bags etc.
  2. Get artists to donate paintings and auction them.
  3. Fund raising programme with Remo Fernandes.
  4. Print coupons of Rs.2,3 or 5 and collect funds.
  5. All groups should commit a certain minimum amount .
Steering Committee: All organizations present at the Nagpur meeting (26.3.2000) should name one representative for the steering committee which will look after the overall task of organizing the conference. All organizations should sent the name to Achin vanaik Delhi and Arvind Ghosh, Nagpur within a week.

Specific responsibilities taken up and commitments given by different groups (other than the committees and their jobs given above)

  1. Setting up a web-site (On Anti-Nuclear Movement ,India /First National conference Delhi) immediately - Arvind,Bombay..
  2. Lectures in AIIMS before Conference (as part of awareness raising and fund raising campaigns) - Physicians for Peace, Chennai.
  3. Identify Chief Ministers and MPs who have taken a public stand against nuclear weapons, ensuring their presence and participation in the conference (without shifting focus from the main issue) - Praful Bidwai, MIND, Delhi.
  4. Preparing list of e-mail addresses - Shubha, Bangalore.
  5. Contact Trade Unions, women' group like AIDWA,AIPSO,Sahmat etc. - Kamal Chinoy,MIND and Jayprakash,AIPSN
  6. Contact groups in Chennai - JANW, Chennai.
  7. Print coupons for fund raising - NAPM
  8. Fund raising - all.

PART II

Lists of groups which attended Nagpur Preparatory Meeting on 26.3.2000.

2. Letters to ISANW

Edited by: Tabish (tabish@arbornet.org)

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