New Hope for a Nuclear Ban Treaty

Published on March, 31 2014

. . . And No More Hiroshima/Fukushima Blues

By Carol Reilly Urner, DISARM/End Wars Issue Committee

In March we commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the continuing Fukushima disaster and the 60th anniversary of the Castle Bravo test the US conducted on Bikini. Our focus continues on the hope WILPF helped generate in February. Read our February Program report and then join us in working for demilitarization and ending wars. Currently our priorities are nuclear weapons abolition including a BAN treaty as a real step on the way, dismantling the nuclear-military-industrial complex, negotiating a nuclear weapons of mass destruction (WMD) free zone in the Middle East, banning militarized drones, and ending and preventing wars everywhere.

We are hard at work for a WMD free zone in the Middle East and in the US new anti-nuclear legislation. There is also growing resistance to wars and militarized drones. However, much more effort is required of us and humankind if life on earth is to survive into the future. List your own concerns and save our updated 2014 Disarm/End Wars calendar to enable planning ahead.

In March we commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the continuing Fukushima disaster and the 60th anniversary of the Castle Bravo test the US conducted on Bikini. In 1954 our military exploded a hydrogen bomb over Bikini with 1000 times the power of the Hiroshima bomb. Thousands of people—some living hundreds of miles away—still suffer from the radiation damage. Read our February Program report to catch a glimpse of the growing light at the end of our nuclear tunnel: improved prospects for a nuclear weapons ban treaty, new anti-nuclear legislation, and growing resistance to wars and drones. However, much work is required of us and human kind if life on earth is to survive into the future.

March 1 was the 60th anniversary of US hydrogen nuclear bomb test on Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands. Remember Bikini and the thousands subjected to radioactive fallout as the US tested its largest hydrogen bomb, 1000 times the force of the two dropped on Japan. Or find and read Don’t Ever Whisper, by Giff Johnson. This is the biography of one Marshall Island woman who became a champion for her fellow nuclear test survivors. It is a remarkable multi-levelled love story which reminds us that victims of US militarism are not just throw away people, but potential heroes and heroines that can teach us much about how to live our own lives for others.

Make local appointments now for Congressional constituent work weeks March 17-21, April 14-25 and May 12-16 or 23-27. Educate your own Senators and Representatives on new hopes for nuclear sanity and a world without war. Seek their co-sponsorship of the bills we support and educate them on WILPF work to end wars, abolish nuclear weapons, ban militarized drones and demilitarize our nation so that life may continue on earth.

March 4 -- 2015 budget introduced in US Congress by President Obama a month later than usual. Listen/watch/ and campaign for deeper military budget cuts. This will be a big part of our work for this year.

March 8 -- International Women's Day. Resources and speakers on ending wars

March 11 – third anniversary of the continuing Fukushima Disaster

March 14-16 -- Global Network Annual International Conference will be at Santa Maria House in Santa Barbara with a vigil at Vandenberg Air Force Base.  We will consider the dangers of the Pacific Pivot, space domination by one nation, robotic warfare, “missile defense,” nuclear weapons and drones.

And March is time to plan ahead for April and May, two months with the most opportunities for peace building, demilitarization and ending wars.

April 2014 – 

All month – Coalition days of action on militarized drones during month of April and into May. Contact Joan Ecklein at joanecklein@comcast.net for action resources.

Undetermined date—Ann Arbor conference on WMD Free Zone in the Middle East. Contact Odile Hugonot Haber at odilehh@gmail.com for details.

April 14 – Global Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS). Day coincides with release of military expenditure statistics by SIPRI. Our friends world-wide want to help us seek US military budget cuts.

April 15 – US Income Tax Day traditionally marked by creative WILPF demonstrations against wasting tax dollars on militarism. Combine with actions and resources of GDAMS.

April 22 -- Earth Day

April 22- May 1 – Check out the Green Cabinet Global Climate Convergence. This Earth Democracy Project advertises that it includes demilitarization as it promotes a green economyr. It is a coalition event led by the Green Shadow Cabinet. Contact Nancy Price at nancytprice39@gmail.com for details.

April 28 -- WILPF 99th birthday!

April 28-May 9 -- 2014 UN NPT Prep Com in New York City, preparing for the 2015 Review conference. Check the side event calendar for NGO presentations for delegates and each other. WILPFUS and Alliance for Nuclear Accountability are presenting an event on Thursday, May 1, on current status of rebuilding and modernizing the United States warheads and nuclear weapons complex. WILPFers Susi Snyder, Ray Acheson, Regina Hagen, Alice Slater and Jackie Cabasso are also presenting very relevant side events.

May 2014 –

through May 9  -- UN NPT Prep Com continues and concludes

May 13-16 – 117 nations party to the  UN Convention on Conventional Weapons will begin discussion in Geneva on banning autonomous drones.

May 18-21 -- ANA D.C. Days. Register and start preparing now. Contact Carol Urner at carol.disarm@gmail.com for details.

May 21- 25 -- ANA spring retreat in D.C. Check info on ANA members (WILPF is last with a video on You Get What You Pay For.)

Photo: Image courtesy of Wikipedia. This photo came from the US government Department of Energy files and is in the public domain.