McGinty to United Nations: “A broken system allows nine nations to hold the world hostage”
On September 26th, Molly McGinty, Associate Program Director for the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), spoke at the High-Level Meeting of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons at the United Nations. https://peaceandhealthblog.com/2022/09/28/a-broken-system-allows-nine-nations-to-hold-the-world-hostage/ McGinty said:
“Honorable President, Distinguished Delegates, and friends,
“I join you as a representative of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and a young person inheriting the world you are building in these very halls. Today, on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, 77 years after the world stumbled into the nuclear age, we stand on the precipice of nuclear annihilation.
“If action is not taken, it is only a matter of time until nuclear weapons are used, whether on purpose, by accident or miscalculation. Studies show that a nuclear war using less than 3% of the world’s nuclear weapons could kill up to every 3rd person on earth. A full-scale nuclear war between Russia and the United States would threaten human survival.
“Despite their empty promises, all nine nuclear weapon states are enhancing, modernizing, and increasing their nuclear arsenals. These deadly investments take precious resources away from addressing the other existential threat to our future: the climate crisis. Climate justice cannot be reached while nuclear weapons continue to plague our planet.
“Recent nuclear threats are a symptom of a broken system which allows nine nations to hold the world hostage with their genocidal weapons. We call on all nations to condemn all threats to use nuclear weapons. But condemnation is not enough. The only way we can step back from the brink of disaster is by eliminating these weapons.
“Distinguished Delegates,
“A world without nuclear weapons is possible.
“A new generation of changemakers — many of whom are witnessing the climate crisis first hand — are waking up to the shocking reality of our global nuclear architecture for the first time. We demand action be taken before our future is ripped out from under our feet. We reject the complacency of nuclear-armed states and their allies, and thank those who have paved the path to abolition.
“The abolition of nuclear weapons is not an abstract goal. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons [TPNW] was adopted by this UN General Assembly in 2017 and held its first Meeting of States Parties earlier this year in Vienna. With the landmark Vienna Declaration and a growing number of supportive states, the TPNW is a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape.
“Distinguished Delegates,
“As the threat of nuclear war grows, so does the global opposition to nuclear weapons. In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one million people worldwide signed IPPNW’s petition with 16 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates calling on Russia and NATO to renounce any use of nuclear weapons in this conflict and urging all countries to support the TPNW.
“While nuclear sabers are rattling, I stand with the support of over one million individuals and once again urge Russia and NATO to use the 77th General Assembly to heed our call and renounce the use of nuclear weapons. To the Member States who have not signed or ratified the TPNW: do not delay your support until it is too late.
“Distinguished Delegates,
“The time for rhetoric is over. If we survive this moment, we must learn from our worldwide near-death experience and never again find ourselves on the edge of a precipice of our own making.
“It is either the end of nuclear weapons, or the end of us. The choice is yours.”
- Friday, October 7th from noon to 1 pm –
Join the weekly peaceful protest for nuclear disarmament on the corners of Alameda and Guadalupe in downtown Santa Fe. Join us to discuss next steps toward nuclear disarmament – see below for the October 14th Defuse Nuclear War Picket at the Santa Fe Main Post Office.
- Saturday, October 1st to Saturday, October 8th –
Keep Space for Peace Week, presented by the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space. http://space4peace.org/ and http://space4peace.org/keep-space-for-peace-week/
- Friday, October 14th at noon –
Join the Defuse Nuclear War Picket line outside of the Santa Fe Main Post Office, 120 S. Federal Place. Organized by Veterans for Peace, CCNS and Nuclear Watch NM. For more information: https://defusenuclearwar.org/ You can print out signs from the website.
- Tuesday, October 18th from 3 to 5 pm –
virtual public meeting of the Radioactive Waste Consultation Task Force, also known as the Governor’s WIPP Task Force. Register in advance at https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/wipp-transportation-safety-program/the-radioactive-waste-consultation-task-force/ A preliminary agenda for the public meeting will be posted at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. A final agenda will be posted no later than 24 hours before the meeting. https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/
- Tuesday, October 18th –
Scoping Comments due to DOE/NNSA/LANL about the Notice of Intent to Prepare a Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operations of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room and http://nuclearactive.org/lanl-grants-a-whopping-15-day-extension-of-time-until-october-18th-to-provide-scoping-comments/ Sample public comments you can modify will be available at http://nuclearactive.org/
- Thursday, October 20th from 5:30 to 7 pm –
35th Anniversary Celebration of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center at the Albuquerque office, 722 Isleta Blvd. SW. Join the celebration with delicious food and live music by Los Domingueros, New Mexico’s premier menudo-based band. https://www.facebook.com/events/1269371930503628?ref=newsfeed
- Saturday, October 22nd at 11 am Mountain –
White Mesa Ute Community Spiritual Walk & Protest: Protecting Our Communities, Health, Environment & Indigenous Sacred Landscapes. The 11 am rally will be followed by the spiritual and protest walk to the White Mesa uranium mill. https://protectwhitemesa.org/
Tags: climate justice, First Meeting of States Parties, General Assembly, International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, IPPNW, Molly McGinty, NATO, nuclear weapons, renounce use of nuclear weapons, Russia, TPNW, Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Ukraine, United Nations, Vienna Declaration
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