IDPD reiterates demand to divert nuclear arm race to health development

Our Correspondent Imphal, May 27 (EMN): The Indian doctors for peace and development (IDPD), an affiliate of International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), reiterated its demand to divert the “wasteful expenditure” on arms towards health, education, and development. IPPNW is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. Conveying this in a press conference conducted in Manipur after the general body meeting of IDPD of Manipur state branch on Sunday, the co-president of IPPNW Dr Arun Mitra accompanied by the president of IDPD Dr S S Soodan and the vice president of IDPD Dr M Nara Singh urged all the nuclear armed states to join the Treaty on the Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons and initiate steps to abolish the weapons of mass destruction immediately. Expressing concern at the continuous low-level conflicts in the Middle East, particularly in South Asia besides intermittent tensions at India’s border, Dr. Mitra said, “These low level conflicts could any time escalate into larger wars. Once war started, use of nuclear weapons in war could mean extinction of human life from Earth. So it is imperative that these weapons must be completely eliminated from Earth.” India, which ranks 130 among 188 nations with very poor human development index, is presently the biggest buyer of arms in international market, 'but our health indicators are one among the lowest in the world and our public health expenditure is around 1.04 % of the global development index, which is too low,' said Dr. Mitra. The money saved from arms race should be used to improve health and other needs of the people. “So let peace be the public agenda in the upcoming elections. Nuclear weapons destruction should be the public agenda,” said Dr. Mitra. Supporting the sentiment, Dr M Nara Singh expressed the need to take up people’s movement in this regard. Citing that without people’s movement nothing can be achieved he said, “because of people’s pressure there is no third World War. We want qualitative change of our life.” Presently, IDPD which have units / active contacts in many countries has just two branches in Northeast Manipur and Tripura, according to Dr. Singh.