Say No to nuclear weapons

In the first week of August, Japan solemnly marked the anniversary of the Hiroshima nuclear bombing. As the only country in the world to have suffered a nuclear bombing, Japan truly knows the horrors of war. But even the massive destruction and loss of life in Hiroshima has not deterred the world from manufacturing, stockpiling and testing nuclear weapons. Nine countries (including four outside the five permitted by the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty) together possess more than 15,000 nuclear weapons. The United States and Russia maintain roughly 1,800 of their nuclear weapons on high-alert status - ready to be launched within minutes of a warning. Most are many times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 (ICANW.ORG). Since their peak (of around 76,000 nuclear weapons and warheads) in the mid-1980s, global arsenals have shrunk by over two-thirds.

Devastating effects

Although nuclear testing may seem to be a remote or irrelevant subject to most Sri Lankans, our region does have nuclear weapons which could be used in a conflict. Since nuclear weapons testing began in the mid-twentieth century, with the first test on 16 July 1945, nearly 2,000 have taken place. Until a band on ground testing came into effect, most were conducted on land. There has been little consideration of the devastating effects of testing on human life, let alone the understanding of nuclear fallout from atmospheric tests despite the availability of data from Bikini Atoll and other places.

The US National Security Archives has declassified previously secret material related to a series of nuclear bomb tests on Bikini Atoll in the Pacific in 1946 that exposed many US servicemen to radiation and left the island uninhabitable forever. All of Bikini Atoll's 167 native residents were relocated to the uninhabited Rongerik Atoll some 206 kilometres away, never to return. The bulk of documents, photos and unedited film footage related to the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests was published on July 22, on the eve of 70th anniversary of the operation's second nuclear explosion. Operation Crossroads was planned as a series of three nuclear explosions that would allow observers to study the damage caused by nuclear explosions at sea in imminent proximity to warships. Bikini Atoll remains uninhabitable even today due to the radiation lingering from a total of 67 nuclear tests carried out from 1946 to 1958, which included the explosion of the first Hydrogen bomb in 1952.

History has shown us the terrifying and tragic effects of nuclear weapons testing, especially when controlled conditions go awry (even nuclear power has its fair share of scare stories such as Chernobyl and Fukushima). Hence there is a compelling need to observe the International Day against Nuclear Tests which falls on August 29 (tomorrow). It is a day in which educational events, activities and messages aim to capture the world's attention and underscore the need for a unified attempt in preventing further nuclear weapons testing.

It has been 20 years since the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was first initiated, but it is yet to enter into force even though 183 countries have signed it. The door to the resumption of nuclear testing remains open because eight key states, including the United States, must still ratify the treaty in order to trigger its formal entry into force.

Efforts are now underway for a resolution to reinforce the regulations against nuclear testing. The proposed resolution, now under discussion with UN Member States, would also support ongoing efforts to maintain the monitoring system established to detect and deter clandestine testing. Among the other countries which are yet to ratify the Treaty are China, India, Israel, Iran, and Pakistan.

On December 2, 2009, the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly declared 29 August the International Day against Nuclear Tests through a resolution that calls for increasing awareness and education "about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world."

The resolution was initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan, together with a large number of sponsors and co-sponsors with a view to commemorate the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site on 29 August 1991.

The Day is meant to galvanize the United Nations, Member States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, youth networks and the media to inform, educate and advocate the necessity of banning nuclear weapon tests as a valuable step towards achieving a safer world. The year 2010 marked the inaugural commemoration of the International Day against Nuclear Tests.

Since its establishment, many bilateral and multilateral governmental level developments as well as broad movements in civil society and efforts of the UN Secretary-General himself have helped to advance the cause of banning nuclear tests. This is observed in tandem with the International day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on September 26. The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons was observed for the first time in September 2014.

Defining a ban on nuclear weapons as "vital", in May 2010, all the States Parties to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) committed themselves to aim to "achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."

Optimistic prospects

The International Day against Nuclear Tests, together with other events and actions, has fostered a global environment with more optimistic prospects towards a world free of nuclear weapons. There have been visible signs of progress on various fronts but, equally, challenges remain. Several States including Iran have stopped their Uranium enrichment programmes while some others such as North Korea are yet to come on board. In fact, it is the only country that has conducted nuclear-weapon test explosions in this century. North Korea test fired a submarine-based ballistic missile from its east coast on Wednesday.

The argument that the presence of nuclear weapons acts as deterrent to war is rather common, but really holds no water. There have been several major conflicts around the world since 1945, some involving nuclear-armed States. Yet, no one was foolish enough to use nuclear weapons. But the bigger danger is that functioning nuclear weapons or at least the technology needed to make one could fall into the hands of a rogue state or terror group.

That will be an alarming situation since these non-state actors do not have the skills or patience to try out other means of dispute resolution except war. The world must act fast to get rid of nuclear weapons for the greatest good of the greatest number before that happens.