Antinuclear

Red Cross expert speaks out on nuclear weapons

Nuclear weapons are a threat to humanity, expert tells conference http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/nuclear-weapons-are-a-threat-to-humanity-expert-tells-conference/story-e6frea83-1226510200063 Katrina Stokes adelaidenow November 04, 2012 GOVERNMENTS must work towards eliminating nuclear weapons for the sake of humanity or risk devastating effects in the future, a leading expert says.

Australian Red Cross international law expert Dr Helen Durham cited the dangers of immediate and long-term radiation damage to people and the environment, saying nuclear weapons were uniquely destructive weapons.

“They are a deadly and dangerous weapon,” she said.

“They have capacity to create immediate effects and long radiation
damage to people and the environment.”

She was a speaker at nuclear discussions held at Uni SA at the weekend
and organised by Flinders University and Australian Red Cross.

Dr Durham said Australia did not possess nuclear weapons and she
reminded South Australians of their own experience, the nuclear
testing at Maralinga in the 1950s.

She said the British tests had left parts of the community with
long-term effects, including cancer and growths from the radiation.

“Australia doesn’t have any weapons,” Dr Durham said. “We are in an
arrangement with the US … we can have them used if we needed to.”

Leading academics from around the world debated the urgent need for a
nuclear-free world at a two-day conference in Adelaide at UniSA this
weekend, organised by the Australian Red Cross and Flinders
University.

A panel of 20 international and Australian speakers discussed the
issues flowing from the existence of more than 20,000 weapons of mass
destruction in existence around the world today.

They will discuss the need for governments to act and introduce new
laws to ban the use of nuclear weapons and their devastating
humanitarian and environmental impacts.

Key speakers include Flinders University Professor of International
Law Susan Breau, Hiroshima survivor Junko Morimoto and a professor
from The Hague, Tim McCormack.

Dr Durham called on all governments to create stronger laws to
prohibit the use and production of the weapons.

“(We need) a treaty or convention to clearly state that the use of
nuclear weapons is illegal and work towards their eradication,” she
said.

Dr Durham said the process should start at the bottom with communities.

“It needs to be a whole change of attitude,” she said.

“People in the community need to say this is not good enough that we
have the capacity to blow ourselves up as well as stronger
international laws.”

Dr Durham highlighted nuclear weapons cost billions of dollars to
maintain and produce each year and believed the money could be better
spent elsewhere.

“It’s an economic loss for the whole world (at present),” she said.

“The more that we have these weapons, the more chance they might be
used.”  Hiroshima survivor Junko Morimoto and a professor from The
Hague, Tim McCormack.

November 4, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News