It’s less than days until #nuclearban negotiations resume at the UN! We’re getting ready with new briefing papers and preparing the first Nuclear Ban Daily. Subscribe at www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/subscribe!
On Saturday 17th we’re marching together across the planet to support the Global Ban treaty on Nuclear weapons!
At the same time as the Women’s March to Ban the Bomb in New York there will be solidarity events all over the world, including several in Scotland.
Events planned so far for Saturday 17th June are listed below.
- Edinburgh, Demo with singing, placards, speeches and an empty (UK) chair at 4pm-6pm, on the Mound Princes Street Please be there. Followed by LIVESTREAM: Women’s March to Ban the Bomb! 5-7pm, at the Serenity Cafe, 8 Jackson’s Entry, The Tun, 111 Holyrood Rd, Edinburgh, EH8 8PJ
- Brodick, Isle of Arran. Gathering opposite the Douglas 4.45-5.15pm
- Dumfries Gathering at Day Centre, Cumberland Street, Dumfries, DG1 2JX time tbc, contact: nfpb@gn.apc.org
- Glasgow Gathering at Donald Dewar Statue 12.00 noon (Timing intended to allow people to attend at both Glasgow and another site if they wish)
- Kilmarnock rally at 5 pm, at the Burns Statue
- If there is not one in your area don’t be shy – go ahead and organise your own. For those with events on June 17th a reminder that hash tags and graphics to support the ‘Women’s March to Ban the Bomb ‘ on June 17th are available from : https://www.womenbanthebomb.org/resources If are doing anything on June 17th can you please register the event at https://www.womenbanthebomb.org/solidarity-events-around-world
- You also can publicise any event you are organising by posting on solidarity event online map and sending information to Scottish CND for our website and to make a Facebook Event. In any case – please call the local press and take pictures to send to them and to us.
- Over in New York Flavia form the SCND and the rest of the Scottish delegation will be going to the march with a Scottish Banner. Read about their progress at nuclearban.org.
Whatever you decide to do this Saturday all eyes will be on the second round of negotiations for the nuclear weapon ban treaty, taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City from 15 June–7 July 2017. You can stay updated by subscribing for the Nuclear Ban Daily or follow the action live on Twitter through @RCW
Abolition 2000 says: Parliamentarians can be encouraged to attend the negotiations, even if their governments are absent, in order to build support for the treaty. Parliaments of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – which includes the NATO and former Soviet countries as well as USA and Canada – last year agreed to ‘support the commencement in 2017 of United Nations-facilitated deliberations and negotiations on multilateral nuclear disarmament.’ See OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls for nuclear weapons stand-down.
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UNfold Zero adds: The nuclear-armed States are not participating in the treaty negotiations. If they don’t join the treaty, it will not directly apply to them.
However, there are some aspects that, if included in the final adopted treaty, could impact on the nuclear-armed States. These include: an affirmation of customary law against nuclear weapons which is universally applicable, and a prohibition on the financing of, and investments in, nuclear weapons.
In addition, the UN will be holding a High Level Conference in 2018 on Nuclear Disarmament which the nuclear armed States are expected to attend. Taking the adopted ban treaty to this conference for further signatures and ratifications could also elevate its impact. The International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA) invites lawyers, law professors, attorneys, judges, other legal professionals, and law students to sign a joint letter supporting the nuclear ban treaty negotiations.
Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda, who is president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), has this opinion piece on the draft ban treaty in the Japan Times, the main English language paper in Japan.
Minutes of the SCND Ban Treaty Group held on 31st May are now available. The next meeting will be 4th July . Minutes of the 22nd May ICAN meeting in London are also available.
The results from the snap General Election are in and it is clear that the Conservatives have been denied the majority they sought to continue with their policy agenda – including the £205bn replacement of Trident.
CND Vice-Presidents Jeremy Corbyn and Caroline Lucas were both re-elected with increased majorities, while Jeremy led Labour to an expectation-defying result which saw gains made across Britain. In Scotland, a majority of anti-Trident MPs were elected again. Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said: “A central plank of the Conservative campaign was to ridicule Jeremy Corbyn’s foreign and security policy. They claimed his commitment to dialogue and his refusal to press the nuclear button made him a threat to the country. But clearly the electorate has not been impressed by this scaremongering.
“The politics of fear has been roundly defeated in this election and voters in their millions have shown they are not afraid of a new approach to foreign policy. Jeremy Corbyn’s longstanding opposition to nuclear weapons, and his personal opposition to Trident replacement, has not deterred people from voting for him. Indeed the likelihood is that many – particularly young people – have voted for him precisely because he opposes war, intervention and weapons of mass destruction.
“Corbyn’s approach to nuclear weapons and foreign policy is a vote winner. It’s time for those in the Labour Party that still cling to Trident to catch up with his policy vision. Labour needs to throw off the ridiculous, dangerous and expensive burden of Trident, and recognise that the party’s future lies in setting a new agenda for Britain, orientated towards the future, to doing things differently, for people, and for all our communities, local and global.”
As the polls close on an election which has been dominated by discussions around Trident and nuclear weapons, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has called on the incoming government to take action on the issue. CND General Secretary Kate Hudson said: “Nuclear weapons have been at the heart of this campaign like never before. Candidates have been repeatedly asked if they would or wouldn’t be prepared to launch a nuclear strike and in what circumstances they would be willing to order the mass killing of millions of people in a nuclear exchange.
The incoming government will inherit a decision to replace the UK’s nuclear weapons system, Trident, at a cost of more than £205bn. At a time when our public services are under continued financial pressure, this money could be spent much better in other government departments. It is time for action to rid the UK of these devastating weapons of mass destruction.
In just nine days time the international community will gather at the United Nations to conclude negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. The last government boycotted the first round of talks, and we urge the new government to join the global mainstream and work towards a world free of nuclear weapons. The UK has a chance to lead the world towards a new future free of the threat of nuclear catastrophe. CND and our supporters sincerely hopes that progress can be made.”
CND Conference in London: No need for nuclear: the renewables are here
An impressive line up of experts, and activists and politicians campaigning for change, will explore topics including what’s wrong with nuclear power; the politics of nuclear power; energy demand, energy efficiency; & the scope of renewables in the UK.Buy your ticket online Saturday 17 June 2017 9:45 registration, 10:15 start, 5pm finish.
Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
For the full speakers list and further information, visit the conference web site.
STOP PRESS NEW EVENT: 1.Sunday 18 June. 12noon – 2pm. Meet at Regents Rd.
In light of the recent devastating attack in Manchester and London and the increasing rise of violence and Islamophobia this march has been called for people to come together as a community to show solidarity against all forms of extremism, violence and terrorism in the UK and elsewhere in the world.
Everyone who is against Terrorism and Violence is invited. Organised by Edinburgh Young Muslims Contact: Ahshan Uddin / Mizan Rahman Share the Facebook Event Here. 2.Next Edinburgh Stop the War Meeting: 7.30pm Monday 19th JuneWe will be meeting at the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace. Hope to see you there.A general leaflet and our petition on arms sales to Saudia Arabia and the impact on Yemen can both be downloaded from the resources page at www.scotlandstopwar.org
Trident Ploughshares Nuclear Disarmament Camp Coulport (& Faslane) in Beautiful Scotland
July 8th – 16th 2017 All welcome for as little or as long as you can stay. Bring friends, make friends, and enjoy camping in an ancient oak woodland adjacent to MOD Coulport, where the nuclear weapons are stored in sinister bunkers deep inside the hillside by one of the most beautiful lochs in Scotland.
Save the date. Spread the word.
Details and Full Briefing on www.tridentploughshares.org
Facebook Event to JOIN and SHARE
The Scottish Peace Network will be at the Armed Forces Day in Stirling this Saturday, June 17, to provide a positive alternative to the grotesque militarism of the official event. We will have banners and a flyer. We will be assembling at the gate to King’s Park at noon, in time for the military parade that will be strutting to the display of weapons and tanks in the park.
PLEASE SEE PREVIOUS POST FOR MORE EVENTS (including P and J events and The Good Soldier Schwejk)
and remember what is happening in Australia: the activities against Uranium mining continue:For the latest update: https://walkingforcountry.
edinburgh cnd 