PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT

INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST NUCLEAR TESTS AUG 29 2013

PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT HUMAN SURVIVAL PROJECT

Today is recognised by the United Nations, from a resolution in the General
Assembly submitted by Kazakhstan in December 2009, as the
'International Day Against Nuclear Tests'.


Nuclear testing, first above-ground, and then underground, has been the most
important way in which nuclear weapons development proceeded.

A complete and effective ban on all nuclear testing such as would be
imposed by the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty,(CTBT)  would, together
with the verification and monitoring framework set up under it, be a
powerful tool for nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, which is
in turn a human survival imperative.

Nuclear testing has everywhere proceeded on the lands of indigenous peoples
who have borne the brunt of its catastrophic environmental effects,
including having their sacred hunting grounds literally vaporized by
the largest nuclear explosion ever of 60megatons.

Kazakhstan itself had approximately 700 nuclear tests carried out on its soil at
the 'polygon' nuclear test site close to Kurchatov and Semipalatinsk,
with terrible effects on the Kazakh people.

In Australia, British nuclear tests took place on the land of Aboriginal
people. The land was described as 'uninhabited', yet bands of
aboriginals were later found to have walked through contaminated
areas.

In the United States, native americans and Marshall islanders were
likewise deemed to be expendable.

Here in Australia, the International Day Against Nuclear testing is
virtually unknown. Yet it constitutes both a vital human survival
priority, and is a reminder of shame for our relations with the
original inhabitants of this country on whose land, as in the US, the
USSR, and elsewhere, nuclear testing took place.

Like the issue of nuclear disarmament itself of which it is a part, the
International Day Against Nuclear Testing needs to be much, much,
higher on everyones agenda.

At the UN, the International Day Against Nuclear Tests will be marked by
an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly, and by an address by
Ban Ki-Moon.

Contact: John Hallam 0416-500-793 h9810-2598 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,