PRAGUE PEACE ASSEMBLY

Speaking for millions to avert war,

By JACK PHILLIPS

PRAGUE — Until June 26, this city was known as the
capital of Czechoslovakia, a socialist republic in the
middle of Europe, a beautiful city with a history going
back more than a thousand years. Today, after the con-
clusion of the World Assembly For Peace and Life,
Against Nuclear War, it has become the peace capital of
the world.

That is the feeling and conviction of the 3,625 particip-
ants of the Assembly and the Youth and Student Peace
Village, after six days of dialogue.

On June 26, the Assembly unanimously and with great
enthusiasm adopted an Appeal to the people of the
world, For Peace and Life, Against Nuclear War, which
opened with this challenging message: ‘‘Humanity
stands at a crucial crossroads of history. One step in the
wrong direction — and the world could be irrevocably
thrown into the abyss of nuclear war.”’

Whatever differences may exist on other issues, we
must unite to overcome war; that was the central theme
that ran through all the many dialogues that took place in
Prague.

Who were the people who adopted this stirring mes-
sage in the name of humanity? They came from 132
countries, people of various races and nationalities, of
different philosophical views, religions and political pos-
itions. They represented 1,843 national organizations,
trade unions, peace, women’s, youth and students’
movements, political parties and churches, 108 inter-
national non-governmental organizations and 11 inter-
governmental organizations.

Forty per cent of the participants came from advanced
capitalist countries, 40 per cent from developing coun-
tries and 20 per cent from socialist countries. Women
accounted for more than 25 per cent of those participat-
ing, reflecting their high level of activity in the world
peace movement.

There were 11 dialogues on the following subjects:
Dangers of Nuclear War; European Security and
Disarmament; The Arms Race; Exchange of Exper-

_iences and Ideas of Peace Movements; The Role of the
United Nations; Economics of Arms Race and
Disarmament; Development, Arms Race and _Inter-
national Economic Co-operation; Social and Ethical As-
pects of the Arms Race and Disarmament; The Role of
The Non-aligned Movement; The Danger of War and
The Problems of The Middle East, Asia, Africa and
Latin America; Education For Peace and the Prevention
of War.

In addition to the dialogues, there were meetings of

Part of the 200,000 who assembled for peace in Prague at

the opening of the World Peace Assembly, attended by
representatives of 132 countries.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JULY 15, 1983—Page 6

«

_ Romesh Chandra (top) president of the World Peace
Council addressing opening of World Peace Assembly;
part of the formal opening (bottom).

special interest groups: women, trade unionists,

educationalists, physicians, writers and cultural work- -

ers, parliamentarians, mayors and local representatives,
religious circles, lawyers and jurists, scientists, jour-
nalists, sportsmen, military veterans, cosmonauts and
astronauts and businessmen. All of these groups dis-
cussed the problems of winning the peace and what role

they and their counterparts could play in every part of
the world, using the dialogue and consensus approach.

The 11 Assembly dialogues were attended by moré
than 3,000 participants who made 1,183 contributions t0
the discussion. Almost the same number attended the
special interest groups, where 1,978 participants spoke.

On the third day, 2,000 participants travelled to 68
districts in all parts of the country to see for themselves
the life and work of Czechoslovak citizens and thei
deep, sincere peace feelings, their extensive, fully exel-
cised rights, their broad possibilities for participating 10
public life and their real power in the shaping atl
implementing of public policy. _

The 73 Canadians who participated included 49 from
English speaking Canada and 24 from Quebec. They
included representatives of peace groups, trade unions,
churches, women’s and ethnic organizations. They als0
included teachers, school trustees, aldermen and 4
businessman. They intend to make the proceedings of
the Assembly the public property of millions of. Cana-
dians and are determined to work even harder for peacé
on their return.

They have nothing but admiration for the host coul-
try. I should also say that I talked to a few Canadians
who, like some participants from other non-socialist”
countries, came to Prague with the suspicion that the
Assembly would not offer a free dialogue but would be
manipulated by representatives from the socialist coun-
tries. In every case, they said there was a true and ope?
dialogue from whichall participants found that what they
have in common in the fight for peace is much more
important than any differences on other questions.

Mere than 3,600 participants came here as sincere
peace workers in search of ways to break down barriers;
nationally and internationally, in order to achieve a grea-
ter degree of unity in the struggle for peace. They returm
to their respective countries with the firm conviction that
they had achieved their objective.

PRAGUE PEACE ASSEMBLY APPEAL

‘Humanity at the crossroads’

Humanity stands at a crucial
crossroad of history. One step in
the wrong direction — and the
world could be irrevocably thrown
into the abyss of a nuclear war.

Never before has the arms race,
especially the nuclear arms race,
reached such threatening propor-
tions as today. All negotiations for

the limitation and reduction of -

armaments are in fact being block-
ed. New military programs are
being approved. Additional weap-
ons of mass destruction are being
designed. Attempts are made to
impose on people the idea of the
‘acceptability’ of nuclear weap-
ons, of the possibility of carrying
out a “‘limited’”’ or “‘protracted”’
nuclear war.

Explosive situations exist in var-
ious parts of the world, above all in
the Middle East, Central America,
Southern Africa, South-East Asia
and Far East. Aggressions are
committed against sovereign
states. Military conflicts between
different countries are provoked
from outside, thus hindering
peoples in their just aspirations for
political and economic indepen-
dence, national sovereignty and
territorial integrity, and endanger-
ing world peace. The network of
military bases on foreign territories
is expanding.

An especially acute danger is
represented by plans to deploy new
first-strike nuclear missiles in
western Europe. The realization of
these plans will sharply increase
the danger of a nuclear conflict.

Such a conflict will not be limited to
the continent of Europe, but will
lead to a global holocaust. It is ur-
gent to stop the deployment of mis-
siles in Europe, to reduce all nu-
clear arms on the European con-
tinent and to work for the total elim-
ination of all nuclear weapons
throughout the world.

Being extremely concerned by
the increasing danger of nuclear
war and realizing our great respon-
sibility to safeguard peace, we have
gathered at the World Assembly
for Peace and Life, against Nuclear
War from June 21-26 in Prague,
the capital of Czechoslovakia. We
are citizens of 132 countries of the
world, peoples of various races and
nationalities, of different philo-
sophical views, religions and poli-

_tical positions. We represent 1,843

national organizations, trade
unions, peace, women’s, youth
and students’ movements, political
parties and churches, 108 interna-
tional non-governmental organiza-
tions. Representatives of 11 inter-
governmental organizations -also
took part in the Assembly.

We declare:

Preparation for a nuclear war is
the most serious crime against hu-
manity. But war is not inevitable. It
is not yet too late to prevent a nu-

clear holocaust. Salvation is in the

hands of the people themselves, of
each man and woman, resolutely
standing together for peace.

The mass movement for peace is
a powerful force, a determining fac-

tor in the international situation,
capable of influencing the practical
policies of governments in the
direction of peace.

The strength of this broad and
diversified peace movement lies in
its ability to act together. Whatever
differences on other issues exist be-
tween us, we are strongly con-
vinced that nothing must divide us
in the face of our common purpose
—to save peace and life, to prevent
nuclear war.

We appeal to all peoples:

Let us not allow 1983 to become
yet another springboard to a new
and mortally-dangerous round of
the arms race, to further intens!-
fication of confrontation! Let us
concentrate our efforts to achieve —

the most urgent demands of the

peoples of the world.

No to new missiles in Europe!

Yes to real negotiations on the
reduction of all types of nuclear
weapons in Europe!

Freeze all nuclear arsenals now!
No to nuclear weapons in the west or
in the east, around the world!
Stop the arms race, nuclear and
conventional!

Yes to nuclear weapons-free zones!
For general and complete disarma-
ment! x
Peaceful political negotiations, not
military confrontation!

The world’s resources for peace and
life!

Peace, freedom, independence and
prosperity for all nations! ,