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Churches in Asia work for nuclear non-proliferation

-26/10/05

The ecumenical Christian Conference of Asia, which brings together churches of different confessions across the region, has been encouraging its members to mobilise for International Disarmament Week from 24-30 October 2005 with a call for the scrapping of nuclear weapons.

The Week coincides with the 60th anniversary of the United Nations and is being marked by peace organisations and faith communities across the world.

In Canada, New Democratic Party lead Jack Layton and international development spokeswoman Alexa McDonough have taken the opportunity of the visit of US secretary of state Condoleeza Rice to call on the US to stop blocking nuclear non-proliferation.

Mexico, Sweden, Brazil, Kenya, and New Zealand had urged a UN committee to establish working groups on disarmament and non-proliferation, in an attempt to break a nine-year stalemate in the Geneva Conference on Disarmament. However the US had persuaded Canada not to endorse this initiative.

At the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference earlier this year, the international community also failed to agree on measures to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and to reduce the danger posed by existing arsenals.

Dr Prawate Khid-arn, general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) warned: ìThe end of cold war, sixteen years ago, should have led to rapid progress toward the global elimination of nuclear weapons. Instead, the nuclear weapons states are maintaining thousands of nuclear weapons, many on high alert, and are continuing to design, research, test and deploy new weapons systems.î

Recalling the Hebrew prophet Isaiahís biblical vision (ìThey will hammer their swords into ploughs and their spears into pruning knivesî), Dr Khid-arn said: ìLet us together build and make all possible efforts for a nuclear weapons-free world, so that the verse from Isaiah will really becomes a reality in our world.î

The CCA chief added: ìRecent developments in the US policy of pre-emptive war, the military threats against Iran and North Korean suspected nuclear weapons programs, a sizable and sophisticated undeclared Israeli nuclear arsenal in the volatile Middle East, the simmering conflict between India and Pakistan, and the potential of South Korea, Japan and Taiwan to develop nuclear capabilities are really threatening the world, particularly here in Asia.î

Along with the World Council of Churches and many confessional Christian bodies, CCA has welcomed the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize (2005) to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its director Mohammed El Baradei.

Dr Khid-arn said that this was a firm signal for the members of the United Nations to redouble their commitment to multilateral action against nuclear weapons.

Some environmental groups, like Greenpeace, have been less happy with the IAEAís award, arguing that in helping to spread nuclear technology it was part of the problem rather than the solution.

But most agree that Mr El Baradei has been a stalwart figure for non-proliferation, using his position to put appropriate diplomatic pressure on nuclear weapons states, including the USA.


Find books now:

Churches in Asia work for nuclear non-proliferation

-26/10/05

The ecumenical Christian Conference of Asia, which brings together churches of different confessions across the region, has been encouraging its members to mobilise for International Disarmament Week from 24-30 October 2005 with a call for the scrapping of nuclear weapons.

The Week coincides with the 60th anniversary of the United Nations and is being marked by peace organisations and faith communities across the world.

In Canada, New Democratic Party lead Jack Layton and international development spokeswoman Alexa McDonough have taken the opportunity of the visit of US secretary of state Condoleeza Rice to call on the US to stop blocking nuclear non-proliferation.

Mexico, Sweden, Brazil, Kenya, and New Zealand had urged a UN committee to establish working groups on disarmament and non-proliferation, in an attempt to break a nine-year stalemate in the Geneva Conference on Disarmament. However the US had persuaded Canada not to endorse this initiative.

At the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference earlier this year, the international community also failed to agree on measures to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and to reduce the danger posed by existing arsenals.

Dr Prawate Khid-arn, general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) warned: ‘The end of cold war, sixteen years ago, should have led to rapid progress toward the global elimination of nuclear weapons. Instead, the nuclear weapons states are maintaining thousands of nuclear weapons, many on high alert, and are continuing to design, research, test and deploy new weapons systems.’

Recalling the Hebrew prophet Isaiah’s biblical vision (‘They will hammer their swords into ploughs and their spears into pruning knives’), Dr Khid-arn said: ‘Let us together build and make all possible efforts for a nuclear weapons-free world, so that the verse from Isaiah will really becomes a reality in our world.’

The CCA chief added: ‘Recent developments in the US policy of pre-emptive war, the military threats against Iran and North Korean suspected nuclear weapons programs, a sizable and sophisticated undeclared Israeli nuclear arsenal in the volatile Middle East, the simmering conflict between India and Pakistan, and the potential of South Korea, Japan and Taiwan to develop nuclear capabilities are really threatening the world, particularly here in Asia.’

Along with the World Council of Churches and many confessional Christian bodies, CCA has welcomed the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize (2005) to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its director Mohammed El Baradei.

Dr Khid-arn said that this was a firm signal for the members of the United Nations to redouble their commitment to multilateral action against nuclear weapons.

Some environmental groups, like Greenpeace, have been less happy with the IAEA’s award, arguing that in helping to spread nuclear technology it was part of the problem rather than the solution.

But most agree that Mr El Baradei has been a stalwart figure for non-proliferation, using his position to put appropriate diplomatic pressure on nuclear weapons states, including the USA.