Spring Brings Hope for Nuclear Abolition by 2020

by Carol Urner, DISARM!/End Wars Issue Committee

In March, we expect to hear report backs from Jackie Cabasso and other US WILPFers who attended the March 2 and 3 Oslo meetings on nuclear weapons abolition and also the UN conference for governments and civil society representatives on Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear War on March 4 and 5. Read and share widely the free on-line WILPF publication on Unspeakable Suffering: The Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons prepared for these conferences.

On March 11, DISARM/End Wars is remembering Fukushima Day. In fact, New England, Midwest, and other WILPF Branches, as well as new WILPF member Helen Caldicott,  are continuing actions all month long, making it clear that nuclear power and the whole nuclear chain now make nuclear abolition imperative.

In mid-March, fact sheets and resources for April 15 Tax Day should begin to come available. The US is much the biggest military spender in the world and this year other groups around the globe will be demonstrating  and holding forums in support of our own tax day actions.  See Tackling the Big Beast on the British War Resisters League website. Let’s not let them down as they seek to be partners in our own efforts.

March 18–28 comes the second round of negotiations on the arms trade treaty. Our US WILPF UN Rep will be there and keep us in touch. Sign the WILPF-originated petition on prevention of gender based violence. Reaching Critical Will also reports and has extensive resources available to us. The US was not very cooperative earlier this year, but we hope for better results now that elections are over. Our actions and support are needed!

We are seriously seeking someone to represent WILPF and DISARM!/End Wars in Geneva at the NPT April 22–May 3 and/or special events before and after. It would also be great if someone working passionately for nuclear abolition could go to the Abolition 2000 meetings in Edinburgh Scotland April 13–19. Key emphasis is on shutting down the Trident base in Faslane where British nuclear weapons submarines are stationed. Scotland will be voting on independence and an aim of many in the Scottish parliament is to shut down the base, leaving Britain and the US no place to station US/British nuclear weapons. Activists for a Nuclear Free Future see this as a giant step toward abolition!

For information or help on this or any other item here contact Carol Urner at carol.disarm@gmail.com and/or Ellen Thomas et@prop1.org.

Image credit: Commemorating A-bomb victims in Hiroshima [© Getty Images]