Uncategorized

edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 6th February 2018

EVENTS

  1. Saturday 10 February 2018: monthly leafleting, 12.30 pm at the East End of Princes Street.
  2. Thursday 15 February 2018: oganising meeting for Scotland’s Don’t Bank on the Bomb Network, 7 pm, Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh.
  3. Wednesday 21 February 2018: Open meeting on nuclear convoys
    7 pm, Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh
    Did you know that nuclear warheads are regularly transported in lorries for hundreds of miles along UK roads? Any accident involving an explosion or fire could lead to a radioactive plume spreading for miles, poisoning a huge area for thousands of years.
    This meeting will give you the opportunity to hear from David Mackenzie of Nukewatch about its recent report, “Unready Scotland”, which raises sharp questions about the preparedness of the civil authorities in Scotland to respond to a serious incident involving the transport by road of UK nuclear warheads.

convoy-with-Unready-Scotland-and-subtitle-text-box

  1. Tuesday 6 March 2018: ECND regular organising meeting, 7 pm, Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh.
  2. Thursday 26 April 2018: Public Meeting with Tim Coles author of “Fire and Fury: How the US Isolates North Korea, Encircles China and Risks Nuclear War in Asia”, 7.30 pm – 9 pm; Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh.

UK NEWS

  1. It was revealed that the government has spent £100 million deciding whether to replace or refurbish Britain’s nuclear warheads. This money could have been used to pay the salaries of more than 300 nurses for 10 years. In London, CND joined a rally for the NHS on 3 February to demand funding for healthcare not Trident.

trident demo

  1. A National Audit Office report on the Ministry of Defence’s Equipment Plan confirmed that nuclear-related projects, including Trident renewal, are crippling the MoD’s budget. The report warned that that projected costs will increase even more and “[n]uclear-related projects could destabilise the Plan because of their size and complexity”.
  2. The Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berskshire has applied for a licence to raise the radiation levels released from the site so it can run “more realistic” tests in preparation for potential nuclear terrorist attacks. CND chair, Dave Webb, said that if it really wants to stop nuclear terrorism, the British government should scrap Trident and sign the nuclear ban treaty:

“The reason given for the increase in radiation is to carry out tests to prepare for nuclear terrorism, but the root cause of nuclear terrorism is being side-stepped by the British government. Dangerous nuclear materials, that could fall into the hands of terrorists, are being transferred around the world because of our own nuclear weapons system and the nuclear power industry.”

  1. A petition has been launched to stop the transfer of nuclear waste from the UK to Australia, where it could be dumped on sacred Aboriginal land. Please click here to sign.
  2. A new report by Chatham House found that the threat of cyber attacks, such as data manipulation, digital jamming and cyber spoofing, on nuclear weapons systems like Trident is increasing, and could lead to nuclear weapons being used.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  1. Norway’s government pension fund announced that it was divesting from BAE Systems and other companies involved in the production of nuclear weapons. Susi Snyder of divestment campaigning group Don’t Bank on the Bomb welcomed the decision, saying “this is an excellent move in the right direction, demonstrating that any type of investment in any type of nuclear weapons associated company is an investment against the survival of humanity”.
  2. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board moved the hand of the Doomsday Clock to two minutes to midnight “because of perilous nuclear situation“. This is the closest the clock has been to doomsday since 1953.
  3. The US nuclear posture review was released, lowering the threshold for US use of nuclear weapons and calling for the development smaller “more usable” nuclear weapons. Beatrice Fihn, Director of ICAN, described the NPR as “an all-out attempt to take nuclear weapons out of the silos and onto the battlefield. This policy shift from one where the use of nuclear weapons is possible to one where the use of nuclear weapons is likely”.
edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 19th January 2018

Edinburgh CND hosted a showing of the film Nuclear Savage on 17th January. The film is a devastating account of the US nuclear tests in the Pacific and of the impact on the Marshall Islanders who were treated as human guinea pigs. As the US spends untold billions on updating its nuclear arsenal the film should be shown far and wide. The DVD can be borrowed from Scottish CND so think about whether you can show it at a community, campaign or union meeting. 

 Our next meetings:
1. Tuesday 6th February. Monthly planning meeting 6pm at the Peace and Justice Centre 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh, EH1 2JN.
2. Saturday 10th February: Monthly leafleting 1230 at the East End of Princes Street.
3. Wednesday 21st February: Open Meeting on Nuclear Convoys. 7pm at the Peace and Justice Centre 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh, EH1 2JN
————————————————————————————————-

++25/1: The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists today moved the hands of the symbolic Doomsday Clock to 2 Minutes to Midnight, indicating that the world is the closest to possible nuclear armageddon since the height of the Cold War in 1953. Anti-nuclear campaigners have responded to the announcement Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said: “The Doomsday Clock moves dangerously closer to midnight. Scientists have assessed political and military developments in the past year and determined that the twin threats of nuclear war and climate change are more likely to lead to disaster than they were last year. We agree with this assessment. The Basle Peace office adds that the announcement highlights the need for nuclear risk reduction measures, such as those being advanced by U.S. Senator Ed Markey, Co-President of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament. Markey has introduced legislation into the Senate (with companion legislation in the House introduced by Ted Lieu) to restrict the authority of the U.S. President to launch a nuclear attack without first consulting congress.

 ———————————————————————————————-
NEWS
 ———————————————————————————————-
1. 2018 is the 60th anniversary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which was founded on the 17th February 1958 at the height of the cold war.
CND is planning a number of events – as well as publishing a new book – to mark the 60th year of one of the world’s most powerful collective voices against the dangers of nuclear weapons. Preliminary details of these are shared below.
CND at 60 A new book
which tells the history of CND, will be published in March 2018. CND at 60, by Kate Hudson, describes the development of nuclear weapons and the waves of civil society outrage and protest they inspired. From Polaris to Trident, the London to Aldermaston marches to mobilisations against cruise missiles, the story of 60 years of the largest single-issue peace campaign in Europe is told from the perspective of one of Britain’s foremost peace campaigners
The CND logo: 
The role of CND’s iconic logo – which has become an internationally recognised peace symbol – will be marked with a symbol tour of Britain. A giant three-dimensional logo installation will visit more than twenty dramatic locations across Britain, including the White Cliffs of Dover, the Angel of the North in Gateshead, and the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.
Aldermaston:
The symbol will also visit the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, the target of anti-nuclear campaigners in every decade since the founding of CND in the 1950s. The symbol will be joined by CND supporters from across Britain on Easter Sunday, the 1st April 2018, for a rally and celebrations.
60 faces of CND exhibition:
A new exhibition will tell the stories of 60 people and their contribution to the peace movement in Britain. Featuring photos of protest, politicians and passionate people, along with a history of CND in their own words. The exhibition will be displayed online as well as at reception in Parliament on the 21st February. Please contact the press office to register.
Peace, People and Protest:
A cultural event will take place in central London in June celebrating the role of music, song, and spoken word in the history of our campaign. More details will be announced shortly.
CND at 60 web site:
We’ll be adding further details about our 60th year events to the anniversary web site at https://cnduk.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=50a46ed98fb9032bd46d11880&id=047b92b30a&e=96dcf14be7
____________________________________________________________________

2. Scottish CND Education is organsing a fully funded 3 day Peace Campaigning Academy for youth and they need help to publicise it. It is open to people between 18 – 30 years old residing in Scotland.

SCND Education (Peace Education Scotland) is organising a fully funded 3 day training programme on all aspects of campaigning work, focusing on the nuclear disarmament movement. Participants will learn all they need to know about communication tactics, lobbying activities, grassroots empowerment, online engagement, fundraising tools and more. The is an national event taking place in Glasgow, open to 18 – 30 yr olds living in Scotland. Food & accommodation provided. More details on the programme & how to apply here. First round of applications should be sent by 16 Feb. Apply now

27 – 29 July 2018 Apply now for a fully funded place!
SCND are looking for volunteers to help with the organising of the event. Welcoming people willing to assist with admin, event planning and outreach. Please send us an email if you have some time to spare info@peaceeducationsctland.org(some things can be done remotely).
Also for leafleting in Glasgow: wed 24th Jan
 Please share the event with your friends, family & groups. Put a poster up in your local pub, college, university, library, community centre or place that has young people around. Order leaflets/posters from our office (or print your own).
3. (a) Basle Peace Office: An early-morning emergency alert mistakenly warning of an incoming ballistic missile attack was dispatched to cellphones across Hawaii on Saturday 13th, setting off widespread panic. (See NY Times Jan 13). Many in Hawaii were already on edge because of escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea, making the false warning very believable.
“45 minutes ago I thought I was going to die by ballistic missile and now I’m making pancakes. Life is wild.” Darcy Hanneman, Hawaii.
The alert was mistakenly sent by someone in the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency pushing the wrong button on a computer. (Just as well it was not the red nuclear button ‘on the desk’ of KimJong-Un or President Donald Trump).
Meanwhile, Basel Peace Office organized three nuclear disarmament actions at the Basel Peace Forum yesterday – a #3DnukeMissile (to stop the nuclear missiles being launched), a competition to indicate where nuclear weapons are deployed in Europe, and an action for people to stop banking on the bomb. 
Participants at the Basel Peace Forum were assisted by Basel Peace Office staff to check if their banks were amongst those investing in nuclear weapons. If so, they were given information on how to encourage their bank to end such investments, or to switch their accounts to banks which don’t have such investments.
You too can check if you are banking on the bomb, and take other action to shift investments from nuclear weapons to better enterprises. See Don’t bank on the bomb and Move the Nuclear Weapons Money. 
Contact info@baselpeaceoffice.orgto add events to the Abolition 2000 calendar.
 (b) ADDITION: From Parliamentarians for Nuclear Disarmament: On January 24, 1946, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus its very first resolution UNGA Res 1(I), which established a commission of the UN Security Council to ensure ‘the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction.’ On October 17, 2017, PNND released a Parliamentary Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World. The Action Plan was released at  a special event at the 137th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in St Petersburg. In May 2018, the United Nations General Assembly is taking special action to implement the goal by holding a High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament. For more information see Time to implement UN Resolution 1 (I).  

UNFOLD ZERO add: Call on your government to attend the UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament at the highest level (Prime Minister, President or Foreign Minister) and to do their best at the conference to reduce nuclear risks and advance the abolition of nuclear weapons. Click here for a sample letter and list of government contacts.  For more information see Youth call on world leaders to reduce the risk of nuclear war and support nuclear disarmament.

_________________________________________________________

4. (a) Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre Jan Newsletter is now out: peaceandjustice.org.uk  Don’t forget the crane-making every Saturday 2-4pm at the centre
(b) Reminder: Edinburgh CAAT meet on the 29th Jan 7pm to 8.45pm
Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh, EH1 2JN
——————————————————————————
5. After the Successful visit to Scotland last year: PEACE BOAT 96th VOYAGE COMING TO FREMANTLE
Wednesday 24 – Thursday 24 January 2018 | Fremantle Port | a massive 2 days of building a culture of peace around the world
edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 7th January 2018

Wishing all our supporters a peaceful 2018. Our events in January:

  1. Saturday 13 January 2018, monthly leafleting 1230 East End of Princes Street, followed by Origami Cranes workshop 2-4pm at the Peace and Justice Centre.
  2. Wednesday 17 January 2018, Film Screening: Nuclear Savage

    https_%2F%2Fcdn.evbuc.com%2Fimages%2F37334440%2F234036057351%2F1%2Foriginal.jpg
    7 to 9pm
    Augustine United Church
    41 to 43 George IV Bridge
    Edinburgh
    For Facebook event click here
    For Eventbrite tickets click here It was a Pacific island paradise…until the United States tested nuclear weapons and conducted secret human radiation experiments. Experiments that would remain top-secret for decades, until now.
    This documentary reveals a shocking political expose, and an intimate ethnographic portrait of Pacific Islanders struggling for survival, dignity and justice after decades of top-secret human radiation experiments conducted on them by the US government.
    As geopolitical tensions between nuclear armed states continue to escalate, please join us to watch this timely reminder of the humanitarian devastation caused by nuclear weapons. Weapons that threaten our very survival as long as they are allowed to exist. This event is co-sponsored by Scottish Wilpf
    Entry by donation (suggested amount: £3 to help Edinburgh CND cover the cost of room hire).
    Please book through EventBrite if you would like to reserve a place. However, we will also be allowing folk to turn up on the day.                                                               
  3. Edinburgh CAAT meeting, Monday 29th January, 7pm – 8.45 pmEdinburgh Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh, EH1 2JN

STOP PRESS: Anti-nuclear campaigners have condemned Trump’s plans to expand the role of nuclear weapons, expected in his forthcoming Nuclear Posture Review.
Kate Hudson, CND General Secretary, said:
“This dangerous new policy expands the role of nuclear weapons in US foreign policy and makes nuclear war more likely. If it includes, as reports indicate, a plan to develop two new types of nuclear weapons – a low-yield version of the Trident D5 warhead and a sea-launched cruise missile – the weapons will be deemed more ‘usable’ and nuclear war will be more likely. The review also includes new scenarios for when nuclear weapons would be used to respond to non-nuclear attacks. This is a hostile and provocative development and will be understood as such by other states.
“It should be noted that the US Trident D5 missile is used on the submarines of Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons system. The UK government must clarify its position on this development and must reject this catastrophic drive to ‘usable’ nukes.                               On 12th Jan the Los Alamos study group added:  Washington – A leaked “pre-decisional” copy of the Trump Administration’s Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) was published last night by Huffington Post. [1]

The non-nuclear members of the Security Council could be encouraged to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weaponson Jan 18. Watch the Security Council debate on UN Web TV. 

OTHER NEWS:

  1. UNFOLD ZERO thanks everyone for their commitment and action for peace and disarmament in 2017, and wishes you a wonderful new year in 2018.
    UNFOLD ZERO is proud to have informed and engaged civil society around the world in United Nations initiatives and actions for nuclear disarmament. Together we made a difference. Please consider donating to UNFOLD ZERO to enable us to continue working together in 2018.The United Nations Security Council will hold a special thematic debate on January 18 on the topic of ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction and Confidence Building Measures‘.
    The debate will be chaired by Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev, and will have a strong focus on diplomacy and trust-building as important elements to prevent proliferation of WMD and to advance disarmament.
    Kazakhstan has undertaken national and regional disarmament initiatives, including relinquishing all the nuclear weapons that were on their territory and negotiating a Central Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. They have also put forward a number of disarmament proposals to the United Nations, including:
  • a call ‘on all Member States, especially the Security Council’s permanent members, to set a goal of ridding the world of nuclear weapons by the UN’s 100th Anniversary in 2045.‘
  • a proposal for UN members to contribute 1% of their military spending to fund the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The veto power of the Permanent Members (China, France, Russia, UK and USA) makes it difficult to adopt resolutions on these proposals at the Security Council.

However, support from other Security Council members on January 18 could help pave the way for a successful UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament in May 2018, which will not be subject to such veto power. Sample letters are available.

2. The Basel Peace Office also extended very best wishes for the holiday season extends our very best wishes for the new year. Thank you for your support for nuclear disarmament in 2017, a year in which we saw an increase in the risks of nuclear weapons being used in conflicts, but also the achievement of nuclear disarmament measures, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

In the first update of 2018 they nclude information on actions and events this month (January 2018) for peace and nuclear abolition, including a teach-in on no-first-use or nuclear weapons, nuclear disarmament and Martin Luther King Jr Day, commemoration of the UN’s first resolution (adopted in 1946) which was on weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and a special session of the UN Security Council on WMD and confidence-building measures. 
For further information, including actions and events for subsequent months, see the Abolition 2000 Calendar.  

3. In February 1958, anti-nuclear activists gathered at Methodist Central Hall in London for what would be CND’s first ever meeting. 60 years on, this anniversary presents us with an opportunity to look at how we’ve contributed to the changes in politics and society that have shaped the lives of millions. Read more about CND past, present and future in this month’s Campaignmagazine, as well as about the financial interests involved in the Trident debate. Read Campaign: January edition
Download Campaign: January edition

4. Los Alamos Bulletin 240, 241and 242: http://www.lasg.org/ 

5. Another special issue of nuClear News. This one covers our comments on a report
commissioned by the Government from Professor Dieter Helm on the cost of energy. Professor Helm’s report was published on 25 October 2017. The government is assessing the findings and recommendations set out in the Helm Review. As part of that process it is asking for the views of stakeholders. nuClear News No.103 January 2018 is available here: www.no2nuclearpower.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/NuClearNews_No103.pd

6. Latest Scotland Ban Group and SCND Exec Minutes available on request

7. After the Peace Prize ICAN has been busy : Much discussion about Trumps behaviour. Member organisation SCRAP will have the pleasure of hosting Angela Kane – former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairts – on Thursday 18th January for a roundtable discussion on “Prospects for the Future of Disarmament: Building on the Nuclear Ban Treaty and the ATT“. The roundtable will be on a first-come-first-serve basis for seating. Please RSVP to km60@soas.ac.uk

edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 18 December 2017

EVENTS:
  1. Wednesday 17 January 2018, Film Screening: Nuclear Savage

    https_%2F%2Fcdn.evbuc.com%2Fimages%2F37334440%2F234036057351%2F1%2Foriginal.jpg
    7 to 9pm
    Augustine United Church
    41 to 43 George IV Bridge
    Edinburgh
    For Facebook event click here
    For Eventbrite tickets click here It was a Pacific island paradise…until the United States tested nuclear weapons and conducted secret human radiation experiments. Experiments that would remain top-secret for decades, until now.
    This documentary reveals a shocking political expose, and an intimate ethnographic portrait of Pacific Islanders struggling for survival, dignity and justice after decades of top-secret human radiation experiments conducted on them by the US government.
    As geopolitical tensions between nuclear armed states continue to escalate, please join us to watch this timely reminder of the humanitarian devastation caused by nuclear weapons. Weapons that threaten our very survival as long as they are allowed to exist. This event is co-sponsored by Scottish Wilpf
    Entry by donation (suggested amount: £3 to help Edinburgh CND cover the cost of room hire).
    Please book through EventBrite if you would like to reserve a place. However, we will also be allowing folk to turn up on the day.

NEWS

ICAN receives Nobel Peace Prize

  1.  On the 10th December, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to ICAN, the global network which supported the 122 states backing the new UN treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

    Beatrice Fihn and Setsuko Thurlow delivered the Nobel Lecture in Oslo on 10 December. Fihn said:

    “Nuclear weapons, like chemical weapons, biological weapons, cluster munitions and land mines before them, are now illegal. Their existence is immoral. Their abolishment is in our hands. The end is inevitable. But will that end be the end of nuclear weapons or the end of us? We must choose one.”

    ICAN’s photos from Oslo can be found here and ICAN UK’s photos are here.
    On December 8, a party was held at UN House in Edinburgh to celebrate the win.

  2. Scots attend in Oslo: Scottish activists with political and popular support from home, symbolised by carrying a torch specially gifted by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, traveled to Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize celebrations.
    Scottish CND Vice Chair, Janet Fenton, wrote:

     “The award is a significant acknowledgement of work by the Scottish peace movement and, in turn, increases Scotland’s contribution to peace in the world.”

    sturgeon.jpg

    3. Day of Action: On December 9, CND called a Day of Action to celebrate the Peace Prize award, draw attention to the nuclear ban treaty and encourage as many people as possible to sign the Citizens’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Events were held around the country.
    Members of CND, along with other members of ICAN-UK, hosted their own ceremony outside the Ministry of Defence in London. Veteran campaigner Bruce Kent presented “awards” to those campaigners present. Other speakers will included journalist Victoria Brittain, Sheila Triggs from the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom – a previous Nobel peace laureate, Dr Michael Orgel from Medact and Kate Hudson from CND.
    Edinburgh CND held a stall on Princes Street, with an “empty chair” to signify the UK government’s boycott of the treaty.

malcolm.jpg
4. Nobel Peace Prize Concert: Parts of this video message from Scotland was shown on the big screens at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo. The concert was seen live on TV by millions of people. You can watch the full concert here. A video from Edinburgh was sent to the producers as well.

5. Political support for ICAN and the ban treaty: The leaders of the SNP, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru wrote an op-ed urging the UK government to “sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons without further delay and stop wasting public money on weapons of mass destruction that threaten human survival and could never rationally, morally or legally be fired”.

6. Support from religious leaders: A large number of the UK religious leaders issued a joint statement to congratulate ICAN and “call on the UK government to add its support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.”

7. The Perfect Gift: Robert Harrap, general director of a socially engaged Buddhist movement, described the ban treaty and the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to ICAN as “the perfect gift” for peace on BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought.

Trident

On December 19, CND responded to the news that Trident could be shifted from the Ministry of Defence budget. Dave Webb, CND Chair, said:

“This is an extraordinary development if the government goes ahead. Where precisely will £205 billion or more, the full cost of Trident replacement, be found outside of the MoD budget? The government has repeatedly said it hasn’t got billions laying about so, for lack of a magic money tree, this can mean only one thing. Further cuts to schools, hospitals or other areas of social spending.
There are growing numbers of MPs concerned about the impact of Trident spending on conventional weaponry and defence. The leaks on HMS Queen Elizabeth, the new aircraft carrier, could well be an example of the sort of corner cutting the MoD is charged with. But the answer to this is not to shift the responsibility for Trident spending elsewhere. The credible answer is that it’s time to face the reality about Trident: it’s outdated, expensive, leaves us vulnerable, and doesn’t address the major 21st century security threats. It’s time to cancel Trident.” 

Other news

  1. Daniel Ellsberg on US nuclear war plans: Discussing his new book “The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner” on DemocracyNow!, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg revealed that  US President Eisenhower had plans to kill hundreds of millions of people in a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union and China. Ellsberg also discussed the dangers of a nuclear conflict being started by President Trump with North Korea, Iran or Russia.
  2. You still have time to get someone an awesome CND gift for Christmas! Like one of their soft, warm, organic hoodies. And what’s better than knowing your gift is supporting a globe-saving campaign to end nuclear weapons? All garments are organic and ethically made, printed in a wind-powered factory! http://www.cnduk.org While CND members have been wearing them for years, protest t-shirts hit the fashion headlines in 2017. And hitting the news headlines this year was the United Nations’ treaty banning nuclear weapons. Read about both in this month’s Campaign magazine: Read Campaign: December edition
  3. The December Edition of Drones Campaign News is out: https://dronecampaignnetwork.wordpress.com/ 
  4. Los Alamos Bulletin 239: http://www.lasg.org/ 
  5. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK Labour Party and a PNND Council Member, gave a keynote policy speech on human rights at the United Nations in Geneva on December 8, when he received the Sean McBride Peace Prize. Corbyn told the packed auditorium that ‘We need to redouble our efforts to create a global rules based system that applies to all and works for the many, not the few. No more bomb first and think and talk later.’                                                                                                                        LATE ADDITIONS:
  6. A special issue of nuClear News covering out comments on the UK Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, which the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has called for before the end of December 2017. These comments were produced on behalf of the Stop Hinkley Campaign and the Nuclear Free Local Authorities. www.no2nuclearpower.org.uk/wp/wp content/uploads/2017/12/NuClearNews_No102.pdf—
  7. PEACE BOAT 96th VOYAGE COMING TO FREMANTLE Wednesday 24 – Thursday 24 January 2018 | Fremantle Port | a massive 2 days of building culture of peace around the world
edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 3rd December

EVENTS:
  1. Tuesday 5th December: Edinburgh CND monthly meeting with AGM and winter treats, all welcome: 6pm to 7.30pm, Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2JN.
  2. Friday 8th December: UN House, a partner organisation of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), will hold an open party on the eve of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, featuring Protest in Harmony: from 5.30 pm, Dolphin House, 4 Hunter Square, Edinburgh EH1 1Q. Please email if you wish to attend this.
  3. Saturday 9th December: UK CND Day has called a nationwide Day of Action to celebrate ICAN’s Nobel Peace prize win and to promote the United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons. We will be having our monthly stall that day and intend to make it a part of this event: 12.00 noon (note earlier time) at the East End of Princes Street. We will be continuing until 1330 with the support of Women in Black.              and                 From 2pm to 4pm there will be Peace Prize Crane-Making at the Peace and Justice Centre 5 Upper Bow
  4. UNFOLD ZERO encourages people to commemorate Human Rights Day today (December 10) by advancing the human right to freedom-from-the-threat-of-nuclear-weapons. They recommend two recent appeals on nuclear weapons and human rights to send to your parliamentarians and governments. Both of the appeals highlight the threat of nuclear weapons to current and future generations, and call on governments to undertake significant nuclear disarmament measures at the 2018 UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament.
    Such measures could include non-nuclear states signing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (today being highlighted by the Nobel Peace Award) if they have not already done so, and nuclear-reliant states agreeing to no-first-use as a step towards comprehensive prohibition.
  5. Monday 11th December WILPF Scottish Branch Party to celebrate ICAN winning the Nobel Peace Prize will be held at  Serenity Café  6.15 to 8 pm Serenity Café  The Tun, Jackson’s Entry, 111, Holyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJ All Women Welcome. Check out the venue: www.serenitycafe.co.uk  
award_ceremony
The majority of Scottish parliamentarians are now committed to work for the new UN nuclear ban treaty. All SNP (including our First Minister Nicola Sturgeon), all Scottish Greens along with some Scottish Labour representatives (including leader Richard Leonard) have signed it. This commits signatories “ to work for the signature and ratification of this landmark treaty by their respective countries.“ 
Peace is the prize – Celebratory weekend (8-11 December) 
On the 10th December, the Nobel Peace Laureates will take centre stage in Oslo to collect the 2017 prize. This year’s peace prize will be awarded to ICAN, the global network which supported the 122 states backing the new UN treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.
To celebrate the Nobel Peace Prize – which honours the tireless efforts of thousands of people across the world who brought about the nuclear ban – Bruce Kent will host an ‘award ceremony’ at the MoD! This is your chance to come and collect a peace prize and raise awareness about the nuclear ban.
After the ceremony, there will be a die-in to highlight the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. Medact members will wear scrubs to symbolise the lives of medics that would be lost once a nuclear bomb is detonated. 
And for your diary:. Wednesday 17th January, 7 pm, Nuclear Savage Film + discussion. Augustine United Church, George IVth Bridge
See below for events on 14th and 15th, 16th and 18th
 ___________________________________________________________________
OTHER LOCAL NEWS:
0. NEW: Saturday 16th December 12.30pm – 2pm: Campaigning stall at the east end of Princes Street (next to the Wellington Statue – drop by for a chat or stop for a while and lend a hand it would be much appreciated.  We’ll have copies of the greetings cards that we’ve produced on sale as well as CDs, leaflets and petitions.If you’re in Glasgow on Saturday Glasgow Stop the War have organized and event at 2pm on the Jamaica Bridge – details at https://scotlandstopwar.org/2017/12/15/events-on-16th-december/                                                                                                                                               Monday 18th December 7.30pm at the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace: This is our final meeting of the year. We’ll be at the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace at 7.30pm – come along and share homemade Muffins, Mince Pies and conversation about the state of the world and plans for 2018.

1. Don’t Bank on the Bomb Scotland have the following activities planned –
Thursday December 14 – 11 am – street stall and leafleting at Tescos in Nicolson Street Edinburgh .
This activity will mainly involve handing out leaflets on the links between banks and financial institutions and companies involved in the production of nuclear weapons
Thursday December 14 – 12 30 pm – Don’t Bank on the Bomb planning and organising meeting in the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre Upper Bow Edinburgh .
Anyone interested is welcome to come to these activities
Please help pass word round. Also see news from Commonweal below.
 
 2. Edinburgh CND and the CO Memorial Committee are pleased to announce the Design Competition for a permanent Memorial to Conscientious Objectors to be created in Edinburgh’s Princes St Gardens.
Artists are invited to submit applications by 12 noon 15 December 2017. A shortlist of three or four artists will be engaged to create designs for the Memorial.
View and Download the Brief Here.
Queries should be directed to: COMemorial@peaceandjustice.org.uk
Attached is a full text of the announcement of the Memorial Design competition  which you are welcome to amend and use as you see fit.

———————————————————————————————–
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
University students, young academics and young activists from around the world met at the historic Charles University from Nov 27-29 to discuss actions and initiatives to prevent nuclear war and promote nuclear disarmament. As nuclear tensions increase following North Korea’s most recent missile test, they released an appeal calling on world leaders to reduce the risks of nuclear weapons being used and to support United Nations initiatives for nuclear disarmament, including the High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament to take place in 2018. The appeal also calls for the $100 billion nuclear weapons budget (most of which is spent on the US nuclear arsenal) to be slashed, and the funds to instead by allocated to climate protection, implementing the sustainable development goals, and for other social and economic needs. The appeal recognizes that a large number of countries still rely on nuclear deterrence as part of their security doctrine, but affirms that these countries are legally obliged to achieve nuclear disarmament. The appeal – Reach High for a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World – was adopted at the conclusion of a three-day conference in Prague, Czech Republic, organised by the Youth Network of Abolition 2000, the global civil society network to eliminate nuclear weapons. 

Basel Peace Office and Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament (PNND) were honoured to be invited to the international conference held at the Vatican earlier this monthat which Pope Francis gave a powerful speech condemning nuclear weapons.
PNND Co-President Senator Ed Markey, Chair of the United States Senate Climate Change Task Force, also joined the “We Are Still In” coalition at the COP23 Climate Conference which was held in Bonn, Germany from Nov 6-17. The We are still in coalition consists of  a group of U.S. states, cities, universities, companies, and nongovernmental organizations working together to achieve America’s commitments to the Paris Agreement despite the Trump administration/s efforts to the contrary. See Markey’s press release on COP23. 
On November 15, PNND held two events in the Spanish parliament (Congress of Deputies) to discuss risks of nuclear war, international initiatives to abolish nuclear weapons, and the role of parliamentarians.
On November 14, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on the President’s unilateral authority to launch a nuclear attack, including the first use of nuclear weapons and PNND Council member Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the UK Labour Party, is one of three recipients of the prestigious 2017 Sean MacBride Peace Prize, conferred by the International Peace Bureau (IPB) a Nobel Peace Laureate organisation.
Los Alamos Bulletin 237: http://www.lasg.org/  NNSA doubts LANL pit production; Nobel peace prize get-togethers Sunday Dec. 10 (Santa Fe & Albuquerque) and Bulletin 238: Normative plutonium policies as we see them – a quick sketch
Australia: Walkatjurra Walkabout: Supreme Court Case update with other news available on request
___________________________________________________________________
OTHER THINGS:
 1.On 17th February 2018, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament will celebrate its 60th anniversary.
To celebrate six decades of vibrant and powerful activity, we are curating an online exhibition with exhibits provided by our members and supporters. We are inviting you to send in a photo that best symbolises your most significant memory from the past 60 years. This could be a photo of you at a demonstration, vigil or blockade; a picture of a site that is significant to you, like Greenham, Molesworth or any of the bases; or a photo of an artefact, like your favourite badge, banner, knitting or piece of fence. What you choose is up to you! If you have something to share, please include a short explanation (100 words max) of why the image is so important to you.
2. In August 2015, Common Weal South Lanarkshire submitted a Freedom of Information request to all 32 Local Authorities in Scotland to establish which councils had investments in companies designing, manufacturing or selling arms in the UK and worldwide. All 32 local authorities responded, with NINE councils confirming they had investments (Orkney Island Council, Highlands Council, Moray Council, Glasgow City Council, Edinburgh Council, Scottish Borders Council, Fife Council, Falkirk Council and Aberdeen City Council). These investments were made without the consent, consultation and knowledge of residents within these local authorities. These investments have been made through scottish local government pensions schemes.
In a bid to highlight those councils who declared investments in the arms industry we decided to target each council individually starting with Edinburgh City Council. This Council alone has £128m invested in the arms industry, while Scotland’s largest local authority pension scheme, Strathclyde Pension Fund has investments worth £83 million in 11 of the 20 companies with the biggest global involvement in arms manufacture. Glasgow City Council has had shares worth £19.6 million (2015), in the top two arms-producing and military services companies; Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of Trident nuclear weapons, and Boeing.
Through a social media, press and targeted campaign we contacted every politician representing each council, all associated community councils and groups active in the council area. We wrote to Edinburgh City Council requesting that they investigate, review and support an investment policy which is transparent, ethically and morally sound that opposes any direct or indirect investments in the arms industry. Common Weal South Lanarkshire believe such a policy would attract the overwhelming support of the people and encourage a wider movement which seeks to invest in our future, instead of perpetuating conflicts using public funds. Alas our request was not taken seriously by the Leader of The Council who merely stated these investments were done so via their Pension Committee. That said, we expected such a reply, our intention being to raise public awareness of how public money was being invested by a council whose conscience is questionable at best in acknowledging the pain, death and suffering such investments have on those least able to protect themselves. It is worth noting the UK are one of the largest arms traders in the world and we wonder why we are a target for terrorism.
3. A new book on North Korea: Fire and Fury: How the US Isolates North Korea, Encircles China and Risks Nuclear War in Asia https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-Fury-Isolates-Encircles-Nuclear/dp/1905570937/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
edinburghcnd

Special Post: Two Events on 2nd December.

On Saturday 2nd December, Edinburgh CND will be visiting Faslane Peace Camp. Please see the letter below for details on how you can help.

Also on that day we will have a stall at the Radical Fair 1pm to 5 pm Augustine United Church 41-43 George IV Bridge, EH1 1EL Edinburgh, United Kingdomhttps://www.facebook.com/events/328452514225147/

Peace Camp post: For a year now Edinburgh Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has been directly supporting the Peace Campers at the gates of Faslane Trident submarine base. You may be one of the kind people who have already donated cash, food, clothing and tools to these off-grid heroes who have been opposing nuclear weapons 24/7 for 35(!) years.

Despite the Westminster government going ahead with Trident replacement at a cost of over £200 Billion the peace movement is not downhearted. This year has seen the UN Treaty on the banning of nuclear weapons and the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to ICAN (International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons) who worked so hard to achieve it. The tide is turning, just as it did with cluster bombs and land mines; not completely eradicated yet but generally given up by most nations.
Meantime the nuclear warhead convoys continue to roll, placing us all in danger. Last week one used the Edinburgh bypass, shadowed by Nukewatch and widely reported on social media. Faslane Peace Campers play their part here, monitoring the base for these sinister unmarked trucks which come from the bomb factory near Reading.

The peace campers have great spirit and work hard to oppose nuclear weapons in any way they can.
But life is tough living on almost no money in ‘vintage’ buses and caravans with no mains power. Regular court appearances, sometimes at the other end of the country, follow direct action, and drain cash and energy.

Can you help? Almost anything you can donate will be used!

Cash, food and clothing are all welcome, also any camping and building materials. 

On the Faslane Peace Camp Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ faslanepeacecamp/ there’s a wish list, and, as you’d expect at this time of year, SOCKS feature quite prominently! Follow this link to the peace camp’s CROWDFUNDER page https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ support-faslane-peace-camp/

So, if you’d like to support the peace camp please contact us soon at the mobile number or email address below. We hope to run our next peace convoy through to the camp in early December.

Thanks in advance!

With best wishes,
Malcolm Bruce
Edinburgh CND
edinburghcnd@yahoo.com

edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 19th November

STOP PRESS : CNDs Budget Statement: http://www.cnduk.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3598

UPCOMING EVENTS:

++Gerry Mulvenna has kindly agreed to shoot a wee video to send a message to ICAN in Oslo from all Scottish supporters. If you can participate, please come to the foot of Castle Street, Edinburgh for ten am on Saturday 25th November.

  1. Saturday 2nd December: Edinburgh CND will have a stall at the Radical Fair between 1pm and 5pm. We will have SCND cards and jewellery for sale, as well as plenty of campaigning materials: Augustine United Church, 41-43 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.

Image may contain: one or more people, people sitting and indoor

This will likely also be the day of our next visit to the Faslane Peace Camp.

  1. Tuesday 5th December: Edinburgh CND monthly meeting with AGM and winter treats, all welcome: 6pm to 7.30pm, Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2JN.
  1. Friday 8th December: UN House, a partner organisation of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), will hold an open party on the eve of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, featuring Protest in Harmony: from 5.30 pm, Dolphin House, 4 Hunter Square, Edinburgh EH1 1QW.

0

  1. Saturday 9th December: UK CND Day has called a nationwide Day of Action to celebrate ICAN’s Nobel Peace prize win and to promote the United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons. We will be having our monthly stall that day and intend to make it a part of this event: 12.00 noon (note earlier time) at the East End of Princes Street.

More from Edinburgh CND: the following motion proposed by Edinburgh CND at the Scottish CND annual general meeting on 11 November was carried:

“This conference affirms that the prime aim of SCND and it’s local groups is to push for the abolition of the Trident Weapon system and all other nuclear weapons. We will work with all other campaigns that help to further this aim. In particular, we should work with Nukewatch to urge the Scottish Government to take firm action to keep convoys off our road.”

Please help Faslane Peace Camp get through the winter! To maintain an all year round presence, the camp relies heavily on donations of money, food, tools and building materials. Money raised through crowdfunding will enable them to buy better tools and building materials, build longer-lasting structures, and most importantly, be better resourced in our campaign against nuclear weapons. Click here to support the Faslane Peace Camp crowdfunder. Or you can visit the camp, taking some of the items on their wishlist:

News From CND UK: The UN’s global ban treaty could eliminate all nuclear weapons and help create true security for the world. But only with nuclear armed states like ours on board. We need to develop a transition plan for disarming Trident, lobby the government to support the Ban Treaty and raise awareness of this issue through a national Citizens’ Treaty. If we succeed, the UK will join the 95% of the world that doesn’t own nuclear weapons, making us safer and freeing up £billions to put into the things we genuinely need: hospitals, homes, schools and jobs.

CND’s response to John McDonnell’s emergency budget demand:
Kate Hudson, CND General Secretary, said: “Investment in public services is vitally necessary – so it’s time for Labour to prioritise that and drop its commitment to wasting £205 billion of public money on Trident.
“Investment in public services is about creating a decent society for all – a well-educated and healthy populace, with real security issues addressed. Wasting £205 billion on a cold war relic is completely incompatible with that approach.
“The Labour Party is putting forward a real alternative vision of how to run the economy to address inequality and serve the needs of the whole community. But on Trident it lines up with the government and accepts the status quo.
“Every billion committed to Trident is a billion that could be spent on schools and hospitals, or on defence diversification for hi-tech jobs that address the 21st century threats we face like climate change and terrorism.
“Britain needs a government with a new vision and a new set of spending priorities that meet people’s needs. They cannot include Trident.”

News from ICAN:

  1. Stewart McDonald MP is holding an event in parliament for the achievement of ICAN’s Nobel Peace Prize. There will be an ICAN meeting will before at Medact’s office (The Grayston Centre, 28 Charles Square, London N1 6HT) from 11.30am.
  2. CND and Medact are hosting a demo outside the Ministry of Defence on the 9th of December, which is Nobel Ceremony weekend! Info and updates on ICAN’s Facebook event here. Please click that you are going to try and spread the word. Two posters can be downloaded from Dropbox here.
  3. Chester CND came up with the brilliant idea of buying some space in their local paper for an ad congratulating ICAN on the Nobel Peace Prize and drawing attention to the Treaty.  A sample can be downloaded from Dropbox here
  4. Parliamentarians played a major role in realizing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Now we are seeking their help to promote the signature and ratification of the treaty by all nations. The Parliamentary Pledge is a commitment by parliamentarians around the world to work for their government to join the treaty. Please ask MPs to sign.
  5. ICAN UK publication: The Treaty on the prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – What was achieved and why the UK should join can now be downloaded.

+++++The 2017 Annual NFLA / Mayors for Peace joint seminar, which will take place from 1.30pm – 3.30pm on Friday 1st December in the LEAF Centre, 113 – 115 Portland Street, Manchester. 

UNfold Zero asked: Do you have ideas on interesting actions or initiatives for nuclear disarmament – especially for youth? You are invited to send these ideas by email or twitter (#ReachHighPrague or #YouthAgainstNukes) for consideration at the Reaching HIGH for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World international youth conference and training in Prague this week.

 

edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 14th November

REMEMBER: 2 meetings onWednesday 15th: These are Edinburgh CND supported events
1. Socially Constructed Radiation Hazards: Nuclear Power and Fracking   4 -5.30pm 
Staff Room, sixth floor Crystal Macmillan Building, 15a George Square Edinburgh EH8 9LD
 Dr Fairlie is a radiation biologist, an expert on radiation doses and risks to human health. As a public intellectual, he speaks out plainly against human activities that add to radiation hazards.  The Chernobyl accident in 1986 triggered his studies of the hazards of radiation releases from nuclear facilities. He contributes to the international debates about leukaemia clusters around nuclear plants.  More recently, he has commented on the likely long-term health impact of Fukushima, the radioactive risks of fracking and the health hazards of shells hardened with depleted uranium.  This is a unique opportunity to ask questions of an expert. These topics may not be close to your research interests but they may impact on your life. Nuclear accidents, like atmospheric nuclear tests, have a global impact but small local emissions also have health effects. Dr Fairlie will present some of his work and take questions about the radiation hazards on any of these issues. This is a rare opportunity to ask questions of an independent expert, as most radiation scientists tend to come from nuclear energy or nuclear weapons establishments.
 Fairlie, I. 2014. ‘A hypothesis to explain childhood cancers near nuclear power plants’. Journal of environmental radioactivity 133: 10-17. 
Fairlie, I. 2009. ‘Depleted uranium: properties, military use and health risks’.Medicine Conflict and Survival 25: 41-64
 
2. Don’t Bank on the Bomb Scotland invites you to a Stop Funding Nukes public meeting in the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2JL on 2017. Doors open at 6:30 pm and meeting starts at 7 pm.  Don’t Bank on the Bomb Scotland invites you to a Stop Funding Nukes public meeting in the Quaker Meeting House 7 Victoria Street Edinburgh EH1 2 JL on Wednesday November 15 . Doors open at 630 pm and meeting starts at 7 pm.
Don’t Bank on the Bomb Scotland is a campaigning network and  we are inviting people to the public meeting to discuss developments in campaigning for divestment in nuclear weapons . Programme for meeting – 630 pm – Coffee
7 pm – Welcome and Brief introduction
710 pm- Medical and Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons- Dr Michael Orgel – Medact Scotland
740pm- International Campaigning – Elizabeth Minor – from Nobel Prize winning peace organisation ICAN
750pm- Susi Synder – from Don’t Bank on the Bomb in the Netherlands on using Global Ban Treaty to boost divestment
820pm- A chance to ask questions of radiation biologist Ian Fairlie who is an expert on radiation doses and risks to human health . 835 pm – brief input on the work of Don’t Bank on the Bomb Scotland
840 pm – questions and answer session
9 pm – closing remarks and information on forthcoming activities of Don’t Bank on the Bomb Scotland.
 Anyone who is interested is very welcome to attend the meeting and please pass the word round.
 
 Activities Around the Nuclear Ban
 CNDUK writes: We’ve seen the British government boycott the nuclear ban negotiations and attempt to trash the treaty. That’s why we must continue to take matters into our own hands. CND has launched the Citizens’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
They are inviting all of  supporters to help collect thousands of signatures to show that British citizens support the ban and want the government to sign up. We already know that 75% of British citizens think the government should have supported the negotiations – now we must mobilise that sentiment to pressure the government to sign.
On the 10th December, the Nobel Laureates will take centre stage in Oslo to collect the 2017 prizes. This year’s peace prize will be awarded to ICAN, the global network which supported the 122 states backing the new UN treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. The Nobel Prize is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness about the ban. At a time when the British government is boycotting the ban, it’s apt that the Nobel Prize Committee has chosen to award the movement that is challenging the nuclear states that seek to maintain the status quo.
Day of action
For the 9th December CND are planning a day of action. Local CND groups will hold street stalls to invite citizens to sign the treaty. Edinburgh CND will be at the East End of Princes Street from 1230.

 

The Scrap Trident Coalition in Scotland is inviting people all over Scotland to throw a PEACE IS THE PRIZE! Party, where they choose a way to celebrate the occasion and to share their contribution to the party on social media. The sharing will also stretch beyond our borders and it will be great to show the world just how much it means to us in Scotland to be part of that majority world that is determined to end the nuclear threat for once and for all. Everyone can take some pictures or videos and upload them on Facebook and Twitter and tell the world how you are celebrating, anytime from Friday the 8th December through till Monday 11th. Don’t forget to share with scraptrident on Facebook and Twitter and make sure to use the hashtags #nuclearban #TPNW Watch out for Scottish participation! A special song and some funky images and some interesting locations are already in the pipeline. If you can let us know what your plans will be we can work on getting a bit of media attention on the weekend. We hope you will want to get active for Peace is The Prize and to share your plans and, when the time comes, some messages and pictures. To get details of the song when its ready and to use the new graphics when they are done, get in touch and let Scrap Trident know via a private message on the ScrapTrident Facebook page or by sending an  email to scraptrident@gmail.com.                                                                                                                          Also: UN House will be hosting another event in Edinburgh on Friday 8th December at 5.30 and others are invited to join them, or host other activities – more details on the Scrap Trident websiteThere is also an international Peace Rally planned for Faslane on Sep 18th 2018, so local groups can start to think about how they may take part. SCND would like to hear from anyone interested in helping to organise this.

An interesting article:

CND UK magazine this month looks into how nuclear weapons and nuclear power are both outdated industries, on top of all the other reasons to oppose them. They’re also launching a Day of Action to celebrate the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to ICAN, a network of disarmament organisations including CND. Read Campaign: November edition Download Campaign: November edition
Scottish Parliament: The SNP will be holding a briefing and reception for ICAN at the Westminster House of Commons on 29th November, and there will be a cross party parliamentary briefing at Westminster on 5th December – I will send more details on these events as they emerge
Other meetings:
  1. Join Scilla Elworthy, founder of Oxford Research Group and Peace Direct, Scot and internationalist, for a day workshop celebrating a life committed to conflict resolution. 10.30am – 4pm Saturday 18 November, David Hume Tower LG.09, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JX. Attend by donation [see below]. Register: https://peacebuilding18nov.eventbrite.co.uk/ “Many people feel powerless in the face of what they see on TV or read in the news – a world in crisis, with wars and violence…
  2. CAAT Edinburgh next group meeting will be taking place on: Monday 27 November from 7 to 8.45pm at the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow Edinburgh EH1 2JN.  CAAT Nationally is taking legal action to end the UK’s shameful complicity in the devastation in Yemen  but they urgently need your support: caat.org.uk/saudi-appeal Weapons produced in the UK are playing a central role in the attacks: over £4.6 billion worth of arms sales – including £2 billion of bombs – have been licensed by the UK government to Saudi Arabia since the conflict started.
International news (or more Nuclear Ban):
Young academics, professionals and activists working in the field of nuclear disarmament, are invited to Prague for the international youth conference Reaching HIGH for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World. The conference, which will take place from Nov 27-29, 2017 (apologies for incorrect date in an earlier notice) at the historic Charles University, established in 1348 by King Charles of Bohemia. 
Jacinda Ardern, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party and a member of PNND, last month formed a coalition government and became Prime Minister following a hung parliament in the September elections. She is New Zealand’s third female prime minister and, at 37, the country’s youngest leader in 150 years.
Republican U.S Senator Bob Corker, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced last night that on November 14 he will convene a committee hearing on the President’s unilateral authority to launch a nuclear attack, including the first use of nuclear weapons. “A number of members both on and off our committee have raised questions about the authorities of the legislative and executive branches with respect to war making, the use of nuclear weapons, and conducting foreign policy overall,” Corker said yesterday (See Trump critic Sen. Corker to hold hearing on president’s authority to launch nuclear attack, ABC News). The most vocal of the Foreign Affairs Committee Members on this issue has been PNND Co-President Senator Ed Markey, who has introduced draft legislation which would bar the president from launching a preemptive nuclear strike, without authorization of the U.S. Congress. NB this is being held at time of writing  (November 14): U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee  hearing on the President’s unilateral authority to launch a nuclear attack, including the first use of nuclear weapons.
PNND invite you to participate in Move the Nuclear Weapons Money, a global campaign to cut funding for nuclear weapons and reinvest these resources in areas of social, environmental and economic need.
Launched at the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in October 2016, the campaign builds on the work done over the years by parliamentarians and civil society on this issue, and highlights new initiatives. The campaign is being led by Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament (PNND), World Future Council (WFC) and the Basel Peace Office, in cooperation with the International Peace Bureau (IPB) Global Campaign on Military Spending and Abolition 2000.
Last Friday Nov 10, Pope Francis addressed a high-profile conference on nuclear disarmament hosted by the Holy See at the Vatican, where he denounced the possession of nuclear weapons. Pope Francis told participants that ‘humanity cannot fail to be genuinely concerned by the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental effects of any employment of nuclear devices. If we also take into account the risk of an accidental detonation as a result of error of any kind, the threat of their use, as well as their very possession, is to be firmly condemned.”

End note: Following the unique live shoot of “THE GOOD SOLDIER SCHWEJK” last July, Sands Films is now engaged in the long post production process. The film promises to be very special and unique, not unlike  Schwejk himself: much loved character with his very own, unexpected and enduring ways of anti-war protest.Meanwhile, life goes on and the studio is very busy with a great many projects and events. (Please keep in touch by joining our mailing list if you are not already receiving our weekly newsletter) and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 3rd November

STOP PRESS: White Poppies on sale Friday 10th at the Wellington statue  5pm – 6pm to catch people going home from work.

STOP PRESS (2) Radical Voices Sunday, 12 November 2017 Come and join our quarterly gathering to listen to singers of radical songs and share songs, stories and poems on a different theme each month. Entry is free, with raffle and donations collected for a relevant cause. White poppies… Peace is possible The Constitution Bar Constitution Street Leith, EH6 6RS 6.30-9.30pm With music from: Penny Stone, other special guests ……..and you! – bring a song, story, poem or something to share

EVENTS in November
1. Saturday 4th: SCND Stall at Edinburgh’s Ecofair  The Out of the Blue Drill Hall from 10am to 4pm. White Poppies will also be on sale on the SfB Bookstall
2. Tuesday 7th: Monthly organising meeting 6-7pm at the Peace and Justice Centre
3. Saturday 11th (1): Monthly leafleting 1230 East End of Princes Street. White Poppies for sale.
4. Saturday 11th (2): SCND annual conference St Columba’s by the Castle, 14 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2PW.  Registration is from 10 am and the meeting starts at 10:30 am. The meeting should last until about 3 pm and a lunch will be provided. The agenda is available on the website (see also P and J events below)
5. Saturday 11th (3) After the Origami Peace Cranes workshop (P&J Centre, 2-4pm), we will go to lay a white poppy wreath at the War Memorial on the Royal Mile just outside City Chambers (across from St Giles). All invited to join us in a brief ceremony to remember all those who have died or been adversely affected by wars, including civilians and the soldiers of our “enemies
 5. Sunday  12th  1pm to 4pm Poppies for Peace film showing. Grassmarket Community Project Candlemaker Row
6. Wednesday 15th (1): Socially Constructed Radiation Hazards: Nuclear Power and Fracking   4 – 5.30 pm 
 Staff Room, sixth floor Chrystal Macmillan Building, 15a George Square Edinburgh EH8 9LD
 7.  Wednesday 15th (2) : Don’t Bank on the Bomb Scotland invites you to a Stop Funding Nukes public meeting in the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2JL on 2017. Doors open at 6:30 pm and meeting starts at 7 pm. This is an Edinburgh CND supported event
 —————————————————————————————-
The continuing struggle for international nuclear disarmament:
The Basel Peace Office encourages you to support, and take advantage of, key parliamentary and youth actions (listed below). These include initiatives and events to increase the number of countries signing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (Ban treaty), reduce the risks of nuclear war, and build success for the 2018 UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament (UNHLC). A Parliamentary Action-Plan for a for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World was published and released by PNND at the IPU special session on October 16 and youth participated in the 26th Sept conference (see previous post)
STOP PRESS: Young academics, professionals and activists working in the field of nuclear disarmament, are invited to Prague for the international youth conference Reaching HIGH for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World. The conference, which will take place from Nov 27-29, 2017 (apologies for incorrect date in an earlier notice) at the historic Charles University, established in 1348 by King Charles of Bohemia.
In a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly, the UN set the dates and mandate for aHigh-Level conference on nuclear disarmament to take place from May 14-16, 2018. The principal aim for the conference is to make progress on effective measures for nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament. STOP PRESS The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution yesterday (2nd) setting the dates and mandate for this first ever UN High-Level conference on nuclear disarmament, which will take place from May 14-16, 2018.


Modelled after successful UN high-level conferences and summits on sustainable development, climate change and the oceans, the principal aim for this event is to make progress on effective measures for nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament.

Alyn Ware at PNND: As reported last week in the UNFOLD ZERO update, the Non-Aligned Movement has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations General Assembly laying out the general mandate and dates for the 2018 United Nations High-Level Conference for Nuclear Disarmament. The vote at the United Nations will take place between Oct 26 and Nov 2.
Are you (individually or as your organisation) able to contact the United Kingdom government to urge them to vote in favour of the resolution (or at least to abstain)?
Recent United Nations High Level Conferences (UNHLCs) on sustainable development, climate change, oceans and refugees have all been very successful, despite difficult political environments.
The beauty of the UNHLC on Nuclear Disarmament is that it calls for ‘effective nuclear disarmament measures’ to pave the way for a nuclear weapons convention (a global treaty which would include the nuclear-armed States and would prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons). These effective measures could include:
  1. comprehensive measures like the ban treaty which is currently only supported by non-nuclear States (a goal is to get 100 countries signing by the end of the UNHLC);
  2. regional measures, such as nuclear weapon free zones in the Middle East and North-East Asia;
  3. incremental measures like de-alerting, no-first-use and stockpile reductions that could be supported by the nuclear-armed States, and could reduce the risks of nuclear war occurring by accident, miscalculation or intent.
 Three nuclear-armed States already support the draft resolution, along with over 120 non-nuclear countries. The United Kingdom, in answers to questions in the UK parliament from PNND members, has indicated that they are not yet decided on whether to attend the UNHLC. The UK Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, Ambassador Matthew Rowland, participated as a speaker in a roundtable event we organised on this topic in Geneva in September. Although critical of the ban treaty, he gave suggestions on how the 2018 UNHLC could be useful to make progress on incremental measures, and affirmed that the UK is still open to the possibility of attending.
 
Albuquerque – Today the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its 73-page of the future costs of maintaining and modernizing US nuclear weapons, entitled “Approaches for Managing the Costs of U.S. Nuclear Forces, 2017 to 2046.”[1] The total cost estimated by CBO was $1.242 trillion (T), of which $800 billion (B) is estimated as necessary to maintain and operate planned forces. The remainder ($400 B) is CBO’s estimate of the cost to modernize these forces. According to CBO, it will cost $4.6 million (M) per hour, 24/7, to keep US nuclear forces for the next 30 years.
+++Minutes of October Scottish Ban meeting are available
 
——————————————————————————————————-

 ICAN UK network meetings in November:                                                                                      – There will be a meeting in Edinburgh on 14th November at 2.30pm, provisionally at the Peace & Justice Centre, 7 Upper Bow EDINBURGH EH1 2JN, for ICAN UK partners who are in town and available – RSVP to coordinator@peaceandjustice.org.uk if you are able to come to this                                                                                                                                            – There will also hold a meeting in London on 29 November at 12pm – location to be confirmed.                                                                                                                                                    – Parliament: The SNP will be holding a briefing and reception for ICAN at the Westminster House of Commons on 29th November, and there will be a cross party parliamentary briefing at Westminster on 5th December – I will send more details on these events as they emerge

 

FOR OTHER EVENTS in November including: Cooperative Games & Conflict Resolution for Primary Schools Facilitator Training.  Sat 4 Nov. 9:15 –1:30pm and Origami Peace Cranes Workshop. Sat 11 Nov. 2 – 4pm.   see http://peaceandjustice.org.uk/   

 AND IN THE FUTURE:

1. CND are still revelling in the outstanding news that ICAN won the Nobel Peace Prize. The prize is being awarded on 10th December, and to utilise this historic moment, CND has called a day of action on Saturday 9th December to help raise the profile of the global ban treaty. Watch this space! We will be having our monthly stall that day……
 
2. Also in Edinburgh UN House open ICAN group will welcome all to a party at UN House on the eve of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, 
Friday 8th Dec from 5.30, UN House 4 Hunter Square with Protest in Harmony .                  
 

3. 4th of December, 7 pm, CCA Glasgow It was a Pacific island paradise…until the United States tested nuclear weapons and conducted secret human radiation experiments. Experiments that would remain top-secret for decades….Until now…This documentary reveals a shocking political expose, and an intimate ethnographic portrait of Pacific Islanders struggling for survival, dignity and justice after decades of top-secret human radiation experiments conducted on them by the U.S. government

Trailer – “Nuclear Savage: The Islands of Secret Project 4.1.” The film showing will be followed by a Skype discussion with a victim of the nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific Islands where participants can make remarks and raise questions. More details about the speaker to come. Unfortunately the venue can only accommodate up to 74 people so please get your tickets soon. This event is organised by Peace Education Scotland (SCND Education).

4. Please also note that SCND are calling an 
International PEACE RALLY, at FASLANE SEP 15, 2018 This PEACE RALLY is to mark the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AWARD YEAR and to highlight  international support for Scotland’s desire to get all nuclear weapons out of Scotland and out of the world. Themes to help you plan, its never too soon to start mobilizing!

International campaigners have already committed to join.

Other news:
1. The Peace & Justice Centre and the Conscientious Objectors Memorial Committee are pleased to announce the Design Competition for a permanent Memorial to Conscientious Objectors to be created in Edinburgh’s Princes St Gardens. Artists are invited to submit applications by 12 noon 15 December 2017. A shortlist of three or four artists will be engaged to create designs for the Memorial. View and Download the Brief Here. 
Queries should be directed to: COMemorial@ peaceandjustice.org.uk
2. Another film: the filmmakers have interviewed communities effected by the nuclear industry and are making a digital archive of these oral histories that will be available to anyone. This week we released our first podcast, which includes interviews from downwinders at the Trinity Test Site: https://soundcloud.com/u ser-636230507/how-many-thousan ds-of-yearsThis month they are fundraising so that we can conduct fieldwork at the Nevada Test Site, finish post-production and release this film. I was wondering if you could help us spread the word about this project. This is the link to our fundraising page which has a trailer and the story of the project: http://bit.ly/OffCountry
and for an alternative at Christmas: Comas The Tun, 8 Jackson Entry Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 8PJ email@comas.org.uk
edinburghcnd

Edinburgh CND News 20th October: Update 26th

STOP PRESS (26th):
LOVE CULTURE HATE RACISM Sat 28 October, 12pm - 4pm
Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh, EH1 2QA
There is something for everyone in the best ever line-up for  this year’s Love Culture Hate Racism: including a stall with  White Poppies and CND materials.This musical and cultural     celebration reflects Edinburgh's diverse communities and has performers including Jit Jive playing African music sure to get you on your feet, Syrian Guitarist Ayman Jarjour and story   teller Mara Menzies who will enchant and captivate your kids. From pulsating drumming to the Baharat ensemble performing music from the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean, to bookbug sessions we have it all.
Stalls and events include origami tutors, face painting, Henna hand painting, hair wrapping, books and stalls from local    community groups (including CND) And no multicultural celebration would be complete without food from the corners of the globe. Free entry, donations welcome.
Please like and Share the Facebook event page
https://www.facebook.com/events/114101745975266/
1. Talking about the Iran Nuclear deal Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:
“President Trump has sabotaged the Iran nuclear deal, opening the door to nuclear proliferation and military conflict. This is a tragic misuse of power. The world faces enormous existential global challenges, like climate change: this is the time for states to work together, to cooperate, not to take unilateral, confrontational actions that risk reducing our planet to a radioactive wasteland.
“The Iranian nuclear deal was a remarkable achievement which shows just what can be achieved through painstaking diplomacy and negotiation. It removed the prospect of war and nuclear weapons development and replaced it with cooperation and the possibility of real constructive engagement. Rather than seeing this as a model for future engagement, as a way forward for solving complex problems like that of the Korean peninsula, Trump is on the path to war.”
On a similar theme: an interesting article:
Commenting on this:
 Ian Fairly is speaking at a ECND sponsored meeting in Edinburgh on 15th November:
Stop funding nukes – Don’t Bank on the Bomb
(Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2JL) 
Doors open at 6:30 pm and meeting starts at 7 pm.
Speakers include: 
Susi Snyder – (Don’t Bank on the Bomb- Netherlands), Elizabeth Minor (ICAN UK), Dr Ian Fairlie (radiation biologist) and Dr Michael Orgel (Medact Scotland)
and another comment:
 ——————————————————————————————————

2. After the Edinburgh World Justice Festival: Helping the Faslane Peacecampers        In response to the support offered at the last CND meeting they did as part of the Justice Festival, the Faslane Peace Camp have finally set up a crowd funding page to make it easier to donate. They’ve popped it up on the facebook page

 ——————————————————————————————————–
3. The UNFOLD ZERO/Basle Peace office virtual conference (see previous blog for details) included key participants from other UN High-Level conferences (HLCs) that have had considerable success, including those on climate change, sustainable development and the oceans.
A key point that ensured their success was develop a mandate, agenda and proposed outcomes for the HLC that can attract participation of all countries, and especially the most relevant countries, i.e. those who are most needed to make progress on the issue.
Another key point was to ensure active participation of parliamentarians, including through parliamentary questions and motions, participation in the HLC preparatory meetings, and coordination through inter-parliamentary forums like the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Parliamentary Assembly for the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Basel Peace Office asks you to contact your government and urge them to support the resolution (if they are not already doing so), and to announce that they will attend the UN High-Level Conference at the highest level.
For more information on the Oct 11-12 conference visit Reaching HIGH virtual conference. They are also organizing a nuclear abolition event for the 700 parliamentarians from around the world who are gathering today in St Petersburg for the IPU Assembly. (The President of the ban treaty negotiations is one of the keynote speakers).  The Non-Aligned Movement submitted their draft resolution on the 2018 UN High-Level Conference to the United Nations on Thursday. The UN conference will advance ‘effective measures for nuclear disarmament’ including (but not limited to) a nuclear weapons convention.  One goal put forward is to get 100 signatures for the ban treaty by the end of the UN High-Level Conference (many states will sign at the conference). The Non-Aligned Movement, representing 120 countries, submitted a  draft resolution to the United Nations General Assembly late last week laying out the general mandate and dates for a special United Nations process to advance comprehensive nuclear disarmament – a United Nations High-Level Conference for Nuclear Disarmament.
The conference, which is like a summit, will take place at the United Nations in New York from May 14-16, 2018. It could build support among non-nuclear countries for the new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and also build traction and progress on nuclear-risk reduction and disarmament measures to be undertaken by the nuclear-armed States. (Three of the nuclear armed States are already supporting the draft resolution). 
The 2018 UN High Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament aims for the same inclusivity. The proposed mandate, outlined in the draft resolution, is to advance ‘effective measures’ for nuclear disarmament. This can include incremental measures on which it’s possible to get agreement and action by nuclear-armed and allied countries. And it includes more comprehensive measures which non-nuclear States can support, such as the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (‘ban treaty’).
 —————————————————————————————————–

4. Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre Newsletter http://peaceandjustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Peace-and-Justice-News-October-17.pdf

——————————————————————————————————

5. Following on from the successful UK CND conference last weekend, Youth and Student CND will this weekend host an exciting workshop day to discuss how we build an alliance to scrap Trident. Organisations such as Food not Bombs London will host sessions on campaigning, there will be screenings of anti-nuclear films and former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett will give a talk. And there will be refreshments, including beer! Saturday, October 21st 9:45am-4:30pm Waterloo Action Centre, London Register for your free ticket here  If you live outside London and would like to attend, we can offer the first ten people to contact us £20 towards your travel expenses. Terms and conditions apply but do email information@cnduk.org for more information on this offer.

6. Extra bit: November 1 is the first ever National Block It Out Day. This initiative from STOMP Out Bullying™ aims to block negativity from online spaces, and end cruelty, homophobia, LGBTQ discrimination, racism, hatred and online violence.
National Block It Out Day encourages those who are bullied, trolled and mistreated online to block out their bully on social media, and empower their friends to do the same. With a focus on positivity and safety, National Block It Out Day seeks to erase online cruelty for good.