Pax Christi calls for swift abolition of nuclear weapons

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January 2006

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Pax Christi calls for swift abolition of nuclear weapons
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Pax Christi calls for swift abolition of nuclear weapons
Washington, D.C. - Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement, has endorsed a "Call for the Swift Abolition of Nuclear Weapons," a proposal issued by the Japan Council Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (GENSUIKYO) that urges the United Nations and all world governments to begin negotiations to reach an international convention for a total ban on and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

The proposal was initiated on January 1, 2006, and will culminate at the 2006 Bikini Day on March 1, the World Peace Forum in Vancouver in June 2006, and the 61st U.N. General Assembly.

"It is now 60 years since the first session of the U.N. General Assembly adopted its first resolution in January 1946 pledging to move for the elimination of nuclear weapons," the proposal reads. "The overwhelming majority of both the people and the governments of the world is demanding the abolition of nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, a large number of nuclear weapons, enough to annihilate the whole of humanity, is still being stockpiled and deployed."

Pax Christi USA Executive Director Dave Robinson said that this proposal is crucial toward maintaining the momentum for nuclear abolition, a call being led by the Hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bombings in Japan. "There is only one response to the nuclear holocaust inflicted on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 60 years ago: Never Again!" Robinson said. "Despite calls from leaders around the globe for nuclear disarmament, the United States maintains the biggest stockpile of nuclear weapons, and under the Bush administration has reignited nuclear weapons development and testing. Our response to this must be a continued and intensified call for nuclear abolition—by our own country and all nuclear states around the world."

For more information, click here. The text of the proposal is below.

Call for a Swift Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
It is now 60 years since the first session of the U.N. General Assembly adopted its first resolution in January 1946 pledging to move for the elimination of nuclear weapons. The overwhelming majority of both the people and the governments of the world is demanding the abolition of nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, a large number of nuclear weapons, enough to annihilate the whole of humanity, is still being stockpiled and deployed.

In particular, the government of the United States, the biggest nuclear power, declares that it will retain its massive nuclear arsenals into the foreseeable future. On the grounds of needing to cope with the "danger of terrorism and nuclear proliferation," it is continuing to wage war and even developing plans to use nuclear weapons and build new nuclear warheads. These actions betray the first U.N. resolution, as well as the "unequivocal undertaking" to eliminate their nuclear arsenals, agreed upon in 2000 by the nuclear weapons states governments. Further, they run counter to the purpose and the basic principle of the United Nations "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" and to settle international disputes "by peaceful means."

With the Hibakusha, the A-bomb survivors, we have worked to spread to the world their message that "Hiroshima/Nagasaki should never be repeated." This has helped to prevent the outbreak of nuclear war on every occasion and build up global momentum in support of the abolition of nuclear weapons. Now people around the world share this goal and join in action to carry forward this effort to turn the rest of the 21st century into an era where humans are liberated from the danger of nuclear war. A total ban on nuclear weapons is also the only sure way to remove the danger of nuclear proliferation.

In pursuit of a nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world, we herewith urge the United Nations Organization and all governments of the world, including the nuclear weapons states, to begin negotiations with no further delay to reach an international convention for a total ban on and the elimination of nuclear weapons.nuclear weapons.

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