Goed nieuws uit Mexico! Momenteel komen zo’n 146 staten bijeen in Nayarit, Mexico, om te praten over de humanitaire gevolgen van kernwapens. Vandaag kondigde de Oostenijkse Minister van Buitenlandse zaken, Sebastian Kurz, aan dat Oostenrijk de volgende internationale conferentie over kernwapens zal organiseren. Dit betekent dat na de conferenties in Oslo en Mexico Oostenrijk de volgende stap zet in het kernwapendebat.
Lees hieronder het (Engelstalige) bericht dat zojuist is verschenen op de website van de International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN):
“Today the second conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons in Mexico started with a good burst of energy, as Austria had just made the announcement to host a follow up later this year. Great to know the Mexico conference will not be the last one and that the issue of the impact of nukes will continue to be discussed.
Last night a long time American peace activist said to me, while laughing out loud: ‘We can’t keep on having meetings like this.’ She then explained that two conferences in which experts present their evidence on the humanitarian impact of the use of nuclear weapons should be enough to convince any sane person that it is time to act. The agenda of the third conference should give the opportunity to make a step forward and discuss solutions. It’s no secret we already have the best solution to stop future catastrophic humanitarian harm, the elimination of all nuclear weapons.
Today 146 delegations were confronted with a long list of speakers that all presented evidence on the impact of these weapons of mass destruction.
Some evidence was based on what is known from the impact of the use of nukes and nuclear testing in the past. There were testimonies by several Hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The Japanese Red Cross presented data on the effects of these bombs on people’s health after decades and over longer distances. Data on the impact of the Russian nuclear testing in Semipalatinsk on health was presented.
Research was presented on the effect of small scale nuclear wars on the climate and food production. The Mexican government presented research into the effects of a small scale nuclear blast in Mexico city. Article 36 presented their research on a similar blast in Manchester. Delegations raised questions, proposed to talk about solutions, a roadmap towards a better future..
I feel overwhelmed. The evidence keeps piling up, speaker after speaker. It’s so clear something needs to be done about this madness. How much more of these nightmare stories need to be shared before all states are convinced we need a ban on these weapons now?”
Meer informatie over de conferentie vind je op Twitter: #goodbyenukes en #HINW14 of kijk op www.goodbyenuk.es.