Renounce Nuclear Weapons, Unions Urge India And Pakistan

The Indian and Pakistani governments should "renounce nuclear weaponry," the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) urged today. The ICEM's worldwide membership includes workers in the civil nuclear industry.

Full text of the resolution unanimously adopted by the ICEM Executive in Blankenberge, Belgium, today:

Emphasising the position of the world's nuclear industry workers, as expressed at the last World Conference of Nuclear Industry Workers in Washington, USA, in March 1995, that this powerful technology should be directed towards the peaceful service of humanity;
Understanding that the causes of fear and conflict in the world spring from social and economic injustice and are heightened by the impacts of globalisation;
the ICEM Executive Committee, meeting in Blankenberge, Belgium, on 28-29 May 1998

Expresses its alarm at the recent testing of nuclear devices by the governments of India and Pakistan;
Calls upon the Indian and Pakistani governments to renounce nuclear weaponry in the pursuit of national interests and to cease any deployment of nuclear weapons as a threat to their neighbours;
Pledges its support for the people and especially the workers of India and Pakistan in their just struggle to obtain a fair share of world production and resources to feed and to develop their nations.