Bulletin # 5 - October 2007

ICAN BULLETIN OCTOBER 2007

Thanks to those who took ICAN actions this month: Letters from ICAN supporters have been printed in the Courier Mail and the Age; several MPs have received letters on nuclear issues; mayors have been visited and signed up to Mayors for Peace; and many leaflets have been distributed.

ICAN asks all supporters to take one action this month to help make nuclear abolition a reality – see below for ideas and resources

Quick links in this issue:

ICAN ACT – things to do
ICAN EVENTS
ICAN NEWS
NUKES NEWS (inc update on Iran)
WE CAN – new ICAN partners

ICAN ACT - things to do this month

WRITE TO YOUR MP. Click here for draft letters

DISTRIBUTE PRE-ELECTION POSTCARDS & POSTERS: We have ordered thousands of posters and postcards “DON’T RADIOACTIVE WASTE YOUR VOTE”. E-mail Jessica@icanw.org for copies and distribution ideas.

Promote www.votenuclearfree.net – put it on your e-mail signature; link to your website; display in your office or home window; sign write it in the sky; get stickers from FOE to display on your bike or car….

BOOK an ICAN speaker for your next event. E-mail jessica@icanw.org

Watch new short film - ATOMIC FOOTPRINTS

SIGN THE ICAN PETITION

Sign up celebrities to ICAN: Add faces to the growing personal endorsements of ICAN - from states people, politicians, musicians and others. If you know any 'famous' people who may want to endorse ICAN - we can provide information to approach them with.

Are you a friend of ICAN on Myspace or in the ICAN Facebook group?

Join your organisation with ICAN. ICAN partners commit to building the campaign. Could your union, church, professional group, social group or other become an ICAN partner?

ICAN EVENTS

MELBOURNE: Monday 15 Oct, 6pm, Pax Christi: Australian security & the new nuclear threat, Cnr Grattan & Barry Sts, Carlton. Download flier

MELBOURNE: Wednesday 17 Oct, 7pm, City of Yarra nuclear forum, Collingwood Town Hall, Hoddle Street. Speakers include Dr Jenny Grounds from ICAN, Mayor Jenny Farrar, Friends of the Earth and Federal election candidates. Download flier

SYDNEY: Thursday, 18 Oct, 5.30pm, Call to Australia – Stop fuelling nuclear weapons, Sydney University, Mackie Building, Arundel St, Glebe
This public meeting sponsored by ICAN and the Centre for Peace and Conflict studies will focus on Australia’s role in the nuclear weapons chain. Download flier

 

 


ICAN NEWS - Australia and International

Nuclear Weapons: The Final Pandemic IPPNW Conference. Doctors from around the world held a conference at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. Report on whole conference coming soon to www.ippnw.org One paper examined the effect of a'limited' nuclear war. Read the full paper OR Read the news story: Regional nuclear war could trigger mass starvation.

Treatment not Trident. In the lead up to the IPPNW conference, students and others rode their bikes to promote trident. See: flier and link to report of earlier blockade at Faslane

ICAN Australian asks Japan to block US:India deal. Assoc Prof Tilman Ruff called on the Japanese Government recently to use their power as a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Grou, to block the US:India deal. Read the Japan Times Article.

ICAN DVD shown at Glastonbury Festival. This 6 minute DVD was shown thanks to WMD Awareness Program and their “Get Up, Stand Up” show. Watch the film now

Felicity Hill provides a wonderful finale as ICAN International Director, presenting at: Festival of Science in York, England and at Landmines Week events in Oslo.

ICAN UK has formed! Medact, CND, WMD-Awareness Program, Pugwash, WILPF, Abolition 2000 and others have come together to form the ICAN campaign in the UK. Contact: Gill Reeve

ICAN Australia visits politicians and embassies. An ICAN delegation visited Canberra twice recently, meeting with ambassadors and key politicians and their advisors. Among others we met with Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, Shadow Foreign Minister Robert McClelland, staff from the Deputy Prime Minister’s office and the Defence Minister; the Shadow Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, and representatives of the Greens and Democrat minor parties. We also met with diplomats from the USA, Japan, Indonesia, Egypt, South Africa, Mexico and New Zealand.

NUKES NEWS

Iran’s nuclear program continues making news, with a current stand-off between the UN Security Council and Iran. The UN Security Council has demanded that Iran cease to enrich uranium as part of its nuclear program, for fears that this will lead to nuclear weapons.

Iran correctly asserts that Article 4 of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty enshrines their right to develop nuclear power. The nuclear watchdog (the IAEA) states there is no evidence that Iran is currently weaponising its program. However nuclear power programs have often provided the stepping stones to developing nuclear weapons, and given Iran’s policies, many are unwilling to let them take the first step. Because of this link between power and weapons, ICAN does not support Article 4 of the NPT.

Last month the UN Security Council delayed imposing further sanctions until November when reports are due from the International Atomic Energy Agency and European Union negotiator. The US, UK and France (all nuclear weapons states) sought to immediately impose further sanctions.

More information: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/iranactionpack.html

News Stories:

Six powers to meet next week for Iran talks, AFP, Australia, October 11

Ahmadinejad says Iran won't negotiate over its "nuclear rights", Int Herald Tribune, France, Oct 5, 2007

Putin sees no proof of Iran arms plans, New York Times, USA, Oct 11, 2007

Iraq official says “big fat no” to attack on Iran, Reuters, Canada, Oct 5, 2007

Paris urges tougher Iran sanction, BBC, London, Oct 4, 2007

Iran leader defiant in UN speech, BBC, London, Sept 27, 2007

Good news…

New Poll: Global Citizens would eliminate nuclear weapons: A significant majority of adults polled in six nations believe nuclear arms should be banned, updating the evidence that the people want nuclear abolition. Read the poll

U.S. Presidential Candidate Barack Obama calls for a global ban on nuclear weapons: Link

Jimmy Carter condemns US:India nuclear deal: Link

Bad news…

New Research show health effects of British nuclear tests in Australia.
British servicemen in the 1950s and '60s were deliberately exposed to radiation from nuclear bombs tests in Australia and at Christmas Island. Veterans' children and grandchildren were found to have high levels of miscarriages, stillbirths and congenital conditions.

See also research released earlier this year on New Zealand Navy veterans exposed through the Pacific nuclear weapons testing

War on Terror a disaster: British think tank. The Oxford Research group has released a report stating that the war on terror has been a disaster and that "Going to war with Iran will make matters far worse, playing directly into the hands of extreme elements and adding greatly to the violence across the region"

 


WE CAN - ICAN's Partners

Thanks to all the following organisations who have signed up as Australian partners this month:

-- 

Jessica Morrison
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Director - Australia
Medical Association for Prevention of War
G03 60 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053
Phone: + 61 3 9347 4795	
Mob:     0431 519 577
Fax: + 61 39347 4995
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