A message to the World Pugwash on April 27, 2020.
Michiji Konuma, the Pugwash Japan,
This message was originally attached in a letter to the Secretary General of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. It was posted on the Pugwash Forum which provides a virtual space for Pugwashites (members of the Pugwash Conferences) to discuss and debate topical issues from a variety of perspectives. Anyone can use this message without permission although the author owns the copyright.
The new corona virus disease COVID-19 is engulfing the world.
The Black Death, the plague, became furious in Europe the 14th century.
The Spanish flu spread all over the world in the 20th century.
We have experienced the SARS and the MERS in this century.
The armament and the military equipment could not protect the nations against these diseases.
The arms race will be reversed to the arms control and the disarmament by the human wisdom.
Another urgent matter, the climate crisis, will be overcome by the human collaboration.
On the other hand, the pandemic by newly varietal virus will definitely and repeatedly come back to the human society.
We should redirect the military budget to the expenditure to avoid the collapse of medical care ant social activity including world economy in the present and future pandemic.
The World Pugwash should make every effort for this new way of thinking.
This is on the same line with the Russell-Einstein Manifesto:
Remember your humanity and forget the rest.