Interfaith group calls for arms spending cut

(Aug.18,2010) Young Catholics in Nepal have joined an interfaith signature campaign calling for a reduction in global military spending. Five youths from Kathmandu’s Assumption Church attended the launch of the “Arms Down” project, organized by the international Religions for Peace (RfP) group on Aug. 14 and 16. “The speakers convinced us that we could do something to change the terrible situation, where so much is spent on arms each day,” said Catholic youth leader Kishore Shrestha.
The RfP Nepal branch is trying to collect 1 million signatures nationwide, as part of the international campaign. The RfP is urging all nations to reduce military expenditure by 10 percent and redirect the money toward meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals by the target date of 2015.
“Arms Down!” is really more than just a campaign to collect signatures,” Lawrence Chong, moderator for RfP’s Asia-Pacific Youth Network, told participants. The local campaign aims to collect 60 percent of signatures online and 40 percent on paper, said Hindu leader Chintamani Yogi, who helped organize the program.