Nuclear threats, common security and disarmament
A reflection on the 35th anniversary of New Zealand’s nuclear weapons ban, and what we can do now to prevent nuclear war and achieve global nuclear abolition. by Alyn Ware* If you have been following the conflict in Ukraine, you will no doubt have noticed that not only has Russia been undertaking a horrific ‘military […]
Nuclear weapons and law for the future
Nuclear weapons and law for the future: The application of principles protecting future generations in international tribunals By Alyn Ware* Paper presented at ‘Taking Legal Action on Behalf of Future Generations’, an international conference held from November 17-18, 2017 hosted by the University of Caen (France) and organized by Region Normandy as part of the […]
Human Security and the United Nations are vital to address the pandemic
The corona virus pandemic has highlighted how important the United Nations and a human security framework (versus a military security framework) are for humanity in this globalized world. Globalisation – especially international travel – has been a key factor in the spread of the virus. On the other hand, key elements of globalisation and especially […]
UN Conference on establishing a Middle East WMD-Free Zone: Will it lead anywhere?
The Middle East is a region where nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs arise from, and contribute to, tensions, instability and conflict. The 2003 invasion of Iraq was launched by the US and the UK with the stated purpose to ‘disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction’ (see ‘Operation Iraq Freedom’, statement by US President […]
UN Human Rights Committee condemns the threat or use of nuclear weapons and other WMD
by Alyn Ware* On October 30, 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted a new General comment No. 36 (2018) on article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), on the right to life. According to the General Comment (paragraph 3), the Right to Life as codified in Article 6 […]
Containing the nuclear weapons corporations: Nuclear weapons divestment in the United States
The United States spends over $60 billion annually on nuclear weapons – more than the other eight nuclear-armed States combined. This colossal amount of spending on nuclear weapons is unnecessary, regardless of whether or not you support unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United States, or conditional nuclear deterrence until there is a multilateral nuclear abolition […]
Don’t drink the water – nuclear tests in Kiribati
Photo: Grapple nuclear test, Malden Island, Kiribati, 1957. Between 1957 and 1962, the UK and USA undertook 33 atmospheric (above ground) nuclear tests at Malden and Kiritimati (Christmas) Islands, now part of the Republic of Kiribati. The health of the Kiribati populations – and the military personnel from Fiji, UK, New Zealand and the USA […]
Doomsday clock warning makes UN High Level Conference even more important
Last week, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the hands of the symbolic Doomsday Clock to 2 Minutes to Midnight, indicating that the threat of a nuclear war through accident, miscalculation or intent has risen to an alarming level, and that climate change is not being averted. The Bulletin highlighted nuclear threats between the […]
New Zealand and the new treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons
On July 7, 2017, the United Nations adopted a Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (nuclear ban treaty) following 5 weeks of negotiations. 122 countries voted in favour of the treaty, demonstrating the clear and unequivocal acceptance of the majority of UN members never to use, threaten to use, produce, possess, acquire, transfer, test or […]
Nuclear sabre-rattling in North East Asia: Can Godzilla be tamed?
[Author’s note: Tensions and nuclear threats between North Korea and USA/Japan/South Korea have increased in recent weeks. This is a reprint of an article I published in 2013 when there were similar tensions and threats. The ideas in the article are again very relevant. This article is also available in: French, Portuguese.] Godzilla, a giant […]
The shepherd girl who cried wolf! Credibility and the campaign against sexual abuse
Let’s be clear. Sexual violence and rape continue to plague our societies. In the United States, police figures indicate that 1 out of 6 women have been the victim of attempted or actual rape. In the UK, there are 85,000 women and 12,000 men raped every year; that’s roughly 11 rapes every hour. These figures […]
UN to hold High Level Conference on nuclear disarmament
On December 3, 2016, the UN General Assembly adopted ground-breaking Resolution 71/71, supported by over 140 countries, calling for the start of negotiations on an international treaty to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons, and affirming its decision to hold a High Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament no later than 2018 to review progress. The UN […]