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LONDON, Jan 12: A veteran leader of the Labour Party, Tony Benn, has said Pakistan and India must resolve their problems through talks as they would face ‘mutual assured destruction’ in case of a conflict.
He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Root Causes of Terrorism’ organised by Third World Solidarity Forum here on Friday.
Answering to a question on current tension on the Line of Control, Mr Benn said, each country could destroy other as they had the mutual-assured-destruction capability. Nuclear weapons were a threat to peace, he said.
“The only thing to prevent splitting of atom is unity of mankind,” said Benn who remained British MP for more than 40 years.
Mr Benn said there should be a definition of terrorism and gave many examples from the history of Europe, Africa and America where national freedom fighters were branded as terrorists.
Terrorism meant people were ready to sacrifice innocent lives for their political purpose as they did in the New York by killing thousands of people, he said.
Benn said that an impression had been created “that Muslims’ lives do not count”.
HE SAID : “Terrorism is an action of very violent kind to put pressure on governments”.
The current freedom movements in many parts of the world, he said, should not be looked in isolation. If you referred to these movements as terrorism, then who was George Washington who had also used military means to achieve American liberation.
Tony Benn did not agree with those who had tried to link terrorism with religion. It were mainly other reasons and injustices when people had resorted to begin their liberation struggles. He gave examples where people took up the arms against their rulers.
He stressed for reforms in the UN. The world body had been sidelined as the heads of governments were taking decisions. we have to be respectful to the other civilizations, he added.—APP
