It is an essential event because we move into a nuclear free world or else we will witness an increase of nuclear armament quantitatively AND qualitatively; more states will become nuclear powers and the amount and diversity of nuclear weapons will increase by modernizing them. This danger is scaring but real although Russia and the United States have finally agreed to deconstruct old nuclear missiles. That remains an important step towards a nuclear free world but it is, of course, not enough at all.
The last Nonproliferation Treaty Conference in 2005 failed because the signatories could not agree on a decisive progress in disarmament. The peace movements want to achieve that disarmament; abolition will be in the center of the close conference.
States and governments on their own will not save the world. Fortunately they are not alone and among themselves in New York. More than 26 Million signatures have been collected to support petitions initiated by trade unions, professionals of different spheres as teachers, lawyers, doctors etc., or even in churches. They might be different at some point but all over the world Millions of people demand: No nukes now!
On Mayday, two days before the opening of the state-conference on atomic weapons, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon will speak to the international NGO-conference “For a Nuclear Free, Peaceful, Just, and Sustainable World”. More than 1 500 participants have already registered for that assembly. Then the movements will also offer Side Events within the framework of the NPT-conference to explain their goals and to lobby.
Obviously the UN conferences and the movements are not strictly separated. In the question of nuclear weapons the UN did not aggressively barricade itself against the movements like NATO does.
We will report from both conferences for the EL website. “We” are Reiner Braun, secretary of IALANA (International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms), Lucas Wirl, Peace activist, and Christiane Reymann, EL Executive Board.
You can attend the NGO-conference live streaming. Sunday, 1st of May, at one o’clock of the evening, the speech of Ban Ki-Moon will be spread in the World Wide Web, as well as the plenary on Friday and Saturday, on the website of the venue http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/. Luckily you might have a look on the conferences discussions, even if late, via the same web address.
Christiane Reymann, Member of the EL Executive Board
