CNDP Seminar Report – New Evidences of the Unacceptable Consequences of Nuclear Weapons: Time for a Nuclear Ban Treaty

SEMINAR REPORT

“New Evidences of the Unacceptable Consequences of Nuclear Weapons: Time for a Nuclear Ban Treaty”

Organised by the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace(CNDP), partnering in India with the the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons(ICAN)

April 04, 2014 | 2.30pm-5.30pm

Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Speakers:

Dr. Rebecca Johnson, Vice-President, CND(UK), Co-Chair ICAN
Mr. Akira Kawasaki, Peace Boat, JAPAN/ Co-Chair ICAN
Dr. Arun Mitra, Indian Doctors for Peace and Development,
Prof. Achin Vanaik, Founding Member, CNDP

In Chair: Dr. Mohinder Singh, SIS/JNU.

Report by- Caitlin Stronell

As part of its efforts to promote the nuclear ban campaign in India and highlight the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, ICAN-partner Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace(CNDP) organised a seminar in the School of International Studies of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

Making use of the key ICAN figures Akira Kawasaki and Rebecca Johnson’s recent travel to India, where they participated in a conference on “A Nuclear Weapon-Free World: From Conception to Reality” hosted by Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and Indian Pugwash Society, CNDP organised this seminar to sensitize university students and teachers about the ICAN campaign.

Film Screening: ICAN campaign video titled ‘The Urgency to Ban Nuclear Weapons’ was screened at the beginning of the seminar. The video underlines the grave threat that the continued existence of nuclear weapons pose to the humanity and ecology.

Rebecca Johnson spoke about the need to change the rules and take the disarmament debate beyond security and diplomacy experts. Irreversible and unacceptable consequences of n-weapons should lead us to acknowledge the urgency to get rid of them. Outlawing these weapons would be the first crucial step in this direction and this is doable. The world can no longer be allowed to be taken hostage by the handful of nuclear armed nations. Nuclear free countries can jointly bring forward a piece of legislation to outlaw nuclear weapons. The critical mass and will for this already exists, we need a concerted and consistent effort. A treaty outlawing possession, production and deployment of nuclear weapons is the biggest human imperative today.

Akira Kawasaki, PEACE BOAT, Co-Chair, ICAN

We have been witnessing and organising Hibakusha story telling for several decades now in Japan and abroad. However, it somehow used to be seen as a sort of Japanese story-telling; a part of Japan’s bygone history. But now it has to be part of an urgent global call. Hibakusha testimonies play an important role today in this humanitarian movement.

While the Indian government has a ‘no first use’ undertaking, but second use is OK for it. Ask the govt. what circumstances would you actually use NW? Concretely. Are there scenario simulations? IS India more secure? It is important to highlight in India that nuclear weapons have only further weakened the security situation in South Asia.

Japan is a nuclear dependent country like Australia etc. But, can being under the nuclear umbrella actually make us more secure?Nuclear umbrella is no guarantee of security. Consider 9.11, when the country with the most largest nuclear arsenal in the world was totally messed up by a surprise terrorist attack.

Damage caused by Fukushima is actually similar to damage that would be caused by accident with N weapons. People should demonstrate this, work on showing the connection between N-power and N-weapons, show the economic/political/social effects of nuclear disaster through Fukushima.

Arun Mitra, Indian Doctors for Peace and Development

Dr. Arun Mitra made an elaborate presentation on the health effects and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons use which have been highlighted in the recent researches conducted by the International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). Dr. Mitra presented a detailed analysis of the irreversible and insurmountable human catastrophe that nuclear weapons represent. Besides immediate deaths, the long-term consequences of radiation leading to widespread contamination and a large number of diseases would unleash a damage for which no meaningful civil defence or relief is really possible. This has been emphasised also by the ICRC in recent years. In India, there have been credible studies like M V Ramana’s Bombing Bombay which described the death and destruction that would follow if a nuclear bomb is detonated over Mumbai. Similar hypothetical studies have been done for other cities and regions across the world. Also, actual studies of radiation-borne diseases among the communities living nuclear nuclear tests and mining sites should serve as n urgent reminder of the unacceptable consequences.

Prof. Achin Vanaik highlighted the growing militarism and right-wing political surge in both India and Pakistan that threatens to make nuclear exchange a much more real possibility. The Indian nuclear posture is replete with duplicity – of declaring no-first use and then qualifying it, and then continuing with the huge buildup of nuclear triad and other military hardware. A global outlawing of nuclear weapons would certainly help by criminalising their use and possession. For nuclear disarmament in South Asia, a number of mid-term and short-term steps have to be undertaken and they have to be anchored in an international deligimisation of nuclear weapons and opposition to all forms of militarism.

The presentations were followed by animated discussion spanning questions of deterrence, best ways to highlight the humanitarian consequences as well as dealing with issues like NPT about which Indian people and have been really sensitive. Dr. Rebecca Johnson emphasised that we can continue to debate technical details for a long time, but it won’t MOVE people. People need to be motivated and made aware and inspired, not bored and disempowered, otherwise we are bleating to the already converted.

Akira Kawasaki stressed on the fact that we need to work for both comprehensive peace and partial measures together. We must not sacrifice one for the other, even though it might is a contradiction in certain cases. In Japan, one of our major campaigns is to save Article 9, the peace constitution, which could be considered comprehensive but if only nuclear weapons are banned, it may lead to expansion of conventional forces etc., in direct contradiction to the constitution and overall peace, but STILL we must work for both.

Discussion regarding role of the youth:

Bhargavi Dilipkumar, Kumar Sundaram, Noorjahan Momin and other youth participated in the debate, emphasising on the increased participation of the youth and utilisation of the social media. Bhargavi highlighted that there is a renewed interest in India in the issue of empowering women amongst young people, so our campaigns should tie in gender issues and the nuclear question.