VOL 28 ISSUE 2 2017 VITAL SIGNS NEWSLETTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL PHYSICIANS FOR THE PREVENTION OF NUCLEAR WAR (IPPNW)

“Nuclear weapons are the most powerful and most indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction ever invented. Knowing what we know now about their catastrophic consequences and the impossi- bility of any adequate humanitarian response, we must do everything to ensure that they are never used again.” ~ From Ireland’s opening statement at ban treaty negotiations

One step closer to banning nuclear weapons

Negotiations on a new treaty to pro- IPPNW co-president Tilman Ruff desirable, is not required and the hibit nuclear weapons have begun at called the negotiations “historic.” final decision can be made by major- the UN, and states leading the ity vote.” process have set an ambitious goal “They are the most promising devel- of producing a completed agreement opment in nuclear disarmament IPPNW and ICAN, which have by July. If they succeed, nuclear since the end of the Cold War,” he played a major role in making the weapons will formally be declared said. “A treaty banning nuclear humanitarian case for the ban treaty, illegal, and the nuclear-armed states weapons will be concluded by a will be active civil society participants will have to choose between comply- large global majority of states, ing with the new prohibitions or whether nuclear-armed and nuclear- [Continued on pg. 3] being tagged as outlaws. reliant states like it or not. And it will change the game in disarmament.” The ban treaty will also pose a chal- lenge to nuclear-dependent states, Most of the nuclear-armed states are NEWSLETTER such as Japan, Australia, and NATO boycotting the negotiations (China members: they will either have to and India sent delegations to the HIGHLIGHTS end their extended deterrence rela- organizing meeting). The Nether- “No responsible hands” pg. 2 tionships with nuclear-armed states lands is the only NATO state at the or find themselves on the wrong side conference, as the result of intense ICAN ban treaty booklet pg. 3 of international law. pressure from the Dutch parliament Nobel Peace Summit pg. 4 and ICAN campaigners. The negotiations, authorized by the China and Russia pg. 5 General Assembly at the end of last The key to the success of the nego- year and chaired by Costa Rican tiations, Dr. Ruff said, is that the con- Robert Mtonga remembered pg. 6 ambassador Elayne Whyte, began ference is working under General World Medical Journal pg. 7 as this issue of Vital Signs was going Assembly rules, which means that to press and will continue through no state can block adoption of the IPPNW calendar back page July 7. treaty with a veto. “Consensus, while

VITAL SIGNS VOLUME 28 ISSUE 2 2017 - 1 - IPPNW.ORG NUCLEAR ABOLITION NEWS AND UPDATES

For more information, please contact John Loretz ([email protected]) or follow on twitter.com/JohnAtIPPNW

No responsible hands for nuclear weapons

The election of Donald Trump “has the world—are now in the hands of race in South Asia reminiscent of the demolished a critical underpinning of an erratic and volatile individual who Cold War; and the shadow of nuclear nuclear deterrence policy: the appears to be profoundly ignorant weapons constantly hovers over the requirement that the arsenals of the about the forces he now has the Middle East. North Korea conducted nuclear-armed states would be con- authority to unleash. Trump has a provocative missile test during the trolled by responsible leaders. It is called for dramatic increases in first post-election visit of the time to acknowledge that these nuclear weapons spending, despite Japanese prime minister to the US. weapons are simply too dangerous the fact that the Obama administra- to exist.” tion had already approved plans to Only one leader of a nuclear-armed add new warheads, delivery sys- state has had anything sensible to IPPNW co-president Ira Helfand tems, and infrastructure at a cost of say about nuclear weapons in recent made this blunt assessment of the $1 trillion over 30 years. months. In January, President Xi of increased risk of nuclear war fol- China said “nuclear weapons... lowing the US election in a letter The US is not alone, however, in dis- should be completely prohibited and published by the New York Times in playing irresponsible behavior with destroyed over time to make the February. A few days earlier, the nuclear weapons. Last June, the world free of them.” IPPNW quickly Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists British Navy, which draws from a responded by urging China to partic- had announced it was moving the pool of submarine-launched missiles ipate in the ban treaty negotiations, Doomsday Clock to 2-1/2 minutes shared with the US, test-fired an adding that this would send “a strong before midnight. The Trump elec- unarmed Trident missile off the coast signal to the other eight nuclear- tion, said the Bulletin editors, of Florida. The missile was sup- armed states that their objections to weighed heavily in their judgment posed to go out over the southern the negotiations and their criticisms that we are closer to catastrophe Atlantic, but veered off course and of the treaty itself are misplaced.” than at any other time in the Clock’s headed in the other direction over 70-year history. the US mainland. The world is a more dangerous place than it was a year ago, and the For decades, the nuclear-armed The British government withheld the dangers are increasing. The one states—and states that claim to be fact that this had happened from bright spot is the nuclear weapons dependent upon the nuclear Parliament just as an important ban treaty, currently being negotiat- weapons possessed by others— debate was starting about the UK’s ed in New York. More than 100 coun- have taken refuge behind the argu- controversial plans to replace the tries have shown the courage to pro- ment that nuclear weapons in Trident system at enormous cost to hibit and eliminate nuclear weapons responsible hands keep the peace British taxpayers. When asked dur- and have charted a practical course and promote global stability. ing that debate if she would hesitate toward that goal. Nuclear abolition, if to use nuclear weapons, knowing not the weapons themselves, is final- That argument always rang hollow. that this would kill hundreds of thou- ly in the right hands. VS As former UN Secretary General sands of people, Prime Minister Ban Ki-moon famously stated, Teresa May answered “no.” “there are no right hands for the wrong weapons.” Russia has reportedly moved nuclear weapons closer to its border The launch codes for the US nuclear with Eastern Europe; India and arsenal—one of the two largest in Pakistan are waging a nuclear arms

VITAL SIGNS VOLUME 2827 ISSUE 2 20172016 - 2 - IPPNW.ORG [One step closer to banning nuclear of use of nuclear weapons. The refuse to join it,” said ICAN executive weapons continued from pg. 1] treaty should also provide an obliga- director Beatrice Fihn. “It will also tion for the complete elimination of affect the behavior of many of their in the negotiating conference, advo- nuclear weapons and a framework to allies that currently claim protection cating for the strongest possible achieve it. from nuclear weapons, including treaty language. ICAN has urged the those in Europe that host nuclear negotiators to establish clear prohibi- “We believe that through its norma- weapons on their territory. It will con- tions on development, production, tive force, the nuclear-weapon ban tribute significantly towards achiev- testing, acquisition, stockpiling, treaty will affect the behavior of ing a nuclear-weapon-free world.” VS transfer, deployment, use, and threat nuclear-armed nations even if they

Booklet text and layout: Tim Wright Illustrations: Jenny Jordahl

For live reports and updates from the ban treaty negotiations:

IPPNW blog (peaceandhealthblog.com), follow us on Twitter (@IPPNW), and visit the ICAN website (icanw.org)

ICAN has released an important new resource as the development, production, testing, acquisi- for the historic negotiations at the tion, stockpiling, transfer, deployment, use and on a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons. This book- threat of use of nuclear weapons. It should also let explains the potential impact of the treaty, and provide an obligation for the complete elimination how the negotiations have come about. ICAN is of nuclear weapons and a framework to achieve it. calling for the agreement to prohibit such activities

PDF DOWNLOAD: 2017 ICAN booklet on the ban treaty www.icanw.org/campaign-news/new-booklet-ban-nuclear-weapons-2017/

VITAL SIGNS VOLUME 28 ISSUE 2 2017 - 3 - IPPNW.ORG Nobel Laureates: Time to prohibit nuclear weapons is now!

16th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Bogota,

Photo below: IPPNW co-president There are 15,000 nuclear warheads held Dr. Daniel Bassey shared the pub- lic health perspective that "armed by just nine countries. violence is bad for health."

The risk that these [nuclear weapons] might be used is growing. It is impor- tant to remind ourselves of the danger that we face.

You are not expected to solve the whole problem, but to do what is yours to do. ~ Ira Helfand

Photo below: Dr. Helfand spoke to a group of sur- vivors and activists from the . Seated next to Lisa Clark (in middle) from the International Peace Bureau, and Rigoberto Menchú Tum (on right), a Guatemalan activist who received the 1992 .

Photo above: “To change rifles for words, bullets for ideas, armed struggle for democratic debate, hatred for reconciliation... That’s what peace is about.” President is the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, "for his resolute efforts to bring the country's more than 50-year- long civil war to an end".

Twenty Nobel Peace Laureates have Helfand worked the floor of the con- ONLINE: The full statement is on the joined IPPNW’s call for a new treaty ference to enlist signatories to the IPPNW blog. to prohibit nuclear weapons. In a statement, which got quick endorse- peaceandhealthblog.com/2017/02/05/ statement released at the 16th World ments from the Dalai Lama, peace-laureates-2/ Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Archbishop , and Bogota, the Laureates urged all . Former Soviet presi- ONLINE: Highlights from the summit nations “to work for the speedy con- dent was unable in the Bogota Post. clusion of this treaty in 2017 and for to attend the Summit, but sent word bit.ly/2m5cd5A its rapid entry into force and imple- of his support. mentation.” ONLINE: “Can we prevent nuclear “The danger of nuclear war is grow- war?” TedxVail, Dr. Ira Helfand IPPNW was represented at the ing,” the Laureates said. “The time youtu.be/mUm82W7B2BY Summit by co-presidents Ira Helfand for action is now. We must prohibit and Daniel Bassey (photographed and eliminate nuclear weapons.” VS with President Santos above). Dr.

VITAL SIGNS VOLUME 28 ISSUE 2 2017 - 4 - IPPNW.ORG IPPNW welcomes China’s call to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons; urges leadership at UN treaty negotiations

IPPNW affiliates have been urging renounced nuclear weapons. objections to the negotiations and China to participate in the upcoming IPPNW is encouraged by the fact their criticisms of the treaty itself are United Nations negotiations on a that China abstained from, rather misplaced, and that their massive new treaty to prohibit nuclear than voting against, the UN resolu- reinvestments in nuclear warheads, weapons. In January, Chinese tion authorizing negotiations for a delivery systems, and infrastructure President Xi Jinping declared in a treaty banning nuclear weapon, and are dangerous and contradictory to public speech at the United Nations that China sent an observer to the the goal of a world without nuclear in Geneva that nuclear weapons organizing meeting for the ban treaty weapons. The obligation to achieve “should be completely prohibited and conference on February 16. We that goal is spelled out in Article VI of destroyed over time to make the hope this is an indication that China the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation world free of them.” intends to cooperate in good faith Treaty, and the International Court of with the non-nuclear-armed states Justice has unanimously said that all By joining the negotiations, China leading this historic process, with the nations, whether or not they possess would take a principled and practical goal of making the complete prohibi- nuclear arms, have an obligation step toward achieving this goal. tion of nuclear weapons an unequiv- under international law to negotiate Moreover, it would show that ban- ocal international norm. nuclear disarmament. VS ning nuclear weapons is in the best interests of the nuclear-armed China’s participation would also states, as well as the overwhelming send a strong signal to the other majority of states that have already eight nuclear-armed states that their

Bridging the Cold War divide, again

Photo: NATO Last February, IPPNW returned to symposium to Russian Prime Moscow amidst growing tensions Minister Dmitri Medvedev. The let- between Russia and the US and its ter warned that the danger of NATO allies. nuclear war “is now greater than at any time since the height of the At a high-level symposium on glob- Cold War” and that the use of “less al security, co-organized by IPPNW than 0.5% of the world’s nuclear and Russian Pugwash, Russian arsenals would cause climate dis- academicians and international ruption across the planet, a decade physicians addressed key risk fac- long decline in food production, and tors that are increasing the likeli- a global famine that would put some hood of nuclear war, the humanitar- 2 billion people at risk.” ian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons, and measures to The letter went on to urge Russia to be taken to prevent catastrophe. join the United Nations negotiations ONLINE: Letter from the symposium Several prominent representatives on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons, news.ippnw.de/commonFiles/pdfs/Atomwaffe of the Presidium of the Russian which pose the “only existential n/Letter_IPPNW_Medvedev.pdf Academy of Sciences, which hosted threat to Russia’s survival as a the event, and the Russian Duma great nation” and cautioned that (parliament) were in attendance. “[w]e cannot expect our luck to hold forever, and hope for continued The following day, IPPNW’s US and good luck is not an acceptable poli- Russian co-presidents, Dr. Ira cy. These weapons must be elimi- Helfand and Dr. Vladimir nated as soon as possible before Garkavenko, were invited to per- our luck runs out.” VS sonally deliver a letter from the

VITAL SIGNS VOLUME 28 ISSUE 2 2017 - 5 - IPPNW loses a shining light

A tribute to Dr. Robert Mtonga, our former co-president, colleague, and friend ONLINE: peaceandhealthblog.com/2017/03/08/mtonga

Photo: Aki Morizono

The IPPNW universe has lost one of “As somber as our work often is, he always had that amused twinkle in his its brightest stars with the sudden eye. Some people work for peace passing of our former co-president because they hate injustice. I think Bob Dr. Bob Mtonga of Zambia. He was worked for peace because he loved people which is an even more powerful only 51. “Guns are bad for health” motivation. “ was his mantra, and it extended from ~ Ira Helfand, IPPNW co-president the inhumanity of cluster bombs to the scourge of small arms. His pre- scriptions for peace resounded engaging smile, and persuasive bination of a dreamer and a doer, an through the chambers of the United knowledge about the health conse- idealist and a clear-eyed pragmatist. Nations to the halls of national gov- quences of armed violence, he con- His innate kindness and belief in the ernment offices and helped form the vinced even hardened diplomats to decency of others influenced his political will to pass historic agree- “listen to your doctor.” remarkable ability to find paths ments including the Cluster through the most tangled problems. Munitions Convention and the Arms Bob was as comfortable in a suit and When asked for advice on how to Trade Treaty. With his warm spirit, tie debating policy makers as he was move forward on a thorny issue, he dressed in jeans protesting on the often replied “do the needful.” sidewalks of cities. He regularly IPPNW colleagues and fellow peace IPPNW has created the Bob Mtonga crisscrossed the globe for peace campaigners throughout the world Memorial Scholarship to encourage even as he served his family and who were lucky enough to have African medical students to continue his community in Lusaka, a role model called Bob a friend can best honor work for peace, disarmament and health. for young men who found refuge on his life by doing just that. VS Contact Michael Christ, IPPNW Executive the football team he sponsored and Director, at [email protected] for details. for medical students inspired to fol- ~Maria Valenti, Program Director, low his path. Bob was that rare com- Aiming for Prevention

VITAL SIGNS VOLUME 28 ISSUE 2 2017 - 6 - IPPNW.ORG World Medical Journal warns nuclear war risk growing

The role of the health community in weapons before they are again used preventing nuclear war was the sub- in war,” the authors concluded. ject of a major article in the World Medical Journal this past October. The World Medical Association Among the authors were IPPNW co- considers the elimination of nuclear presidents Tilman Ruff and Ira weapons a duty of health profes- Helfand, and Prof. Sir Andy Haines, sionals, and has joined with IPPNW an advisor to UK affiliate, Medact. in supporting the negotiations for a ban treaty.VS “All other global health progress and ARTICLE ONLINE: WMJ 03 2016, pg. 86 efforts could come to nought if we do www.wma.net/en/30publications/20journal/ not succeed in eradicating nuclear

A man of science dedicated to ending war, abolishing nuclear weapons

Professor Henri Firket, a pillar of for peace and reconciliation, for IPPNW and the affiliate in Belgium, studying and improving the root passed away in the end of February. causes of war and of nuclear war. He was important for IPPNW.” Dr. Ulrich Gottstein of Germany spoke of Professor Firket fondly: “I Professor Firket (photo on right) with will miss the friendship of Henri who the former president of the Belgian was of highest intelligence and his- Senate, Anne Marie Lizin, during a torical knowledge. In all conversa- Dialogue With Decision Makers tions you could learn from him. He meeting in Brussels in March 2006.VS was a committed humanist, urging

Health through Peace 2017 Joint Medact Forum Confronting War, Militarization and 22nd IPPNW World Congress and Global Insecurity as an International Health Community

September 4-6, 2017 University of York, United Kingdom

Health Through Peace 2017 will provide a unique opportunity for delegates to join hundreds of health care providers, students and peace activists at the University of York. Across a three- day program, you will have the chance to net- work with key organizations and leaders in the Web: healththroughpeace.org Register fields of peace, health and nuclear abolition. Email: [email protected] online today!

VITAL SIGNS VOLUME 28 ISSUE 2 2017 - 7 - IPPNW.ORG European Student Conference and Western Balkans Meeting May 25–28, 2017 || Prishtina, Kosovo Get involved!

Negotiating conference for the treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons June 15–July 7 || United Nations, New York

IPPNW Medical Student Bike Tour August 26–September 2, 2017 || Faslane to York (342 miles /550km) Online: www.ippnw-students.org/registration

Joint MEDACT Forum and IPPNW World Congress September 4–6, 2017 || York, United Kingdom Online: www.medact.org/project/forum-2017

Symposium: “Crimes, Human Rights and Future Generations in the Nuclear Age” CALENDAR Plan an event that highlights the devastating September 14–17, 2017 || Monte Verità, Switzerland health impact of armed violence worldwide. Online: www.ippnw.ch The theme for the 2017 Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence (June 5–12) is: “The 8th WHO Milestones in a Global Campaign Road to Development and Peace Begins with for Violence Prevention Meeting Silencing the Guns.” October 19–20, 2017 || Ottawa, Canada #WeekOfAction #SilenceTheGuns #IANSA Online: www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/vio- lence/8th_milestones_meeting/en/ Contact Maria Valenti ([email protected]) for more information.

Partners in Peace are instrumental in funding several aspects of IPPNW’s ongoing work. Join IPPNW’s Give as little as $5 a month and you’ll continue receiving IPPNW’s biannual Partners in Peace newsletter, Vital Signs, and, if you Sustainers Circle wish, our monthly email newsletter filled with updates and action alerts.

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IPPNW is a non - partisan federation of national medical organizations in 64 countries Vital Signs is published twice a year by IPPNW. dedicated to safeguarding health by working to ban nuclear weapons and to address the 339 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148 USA 100% impact of militarism and war on human health. Tel:+1.617.443.1733 || Email: [email protected]

All gifts to IPPNW are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. IPPNW is a non Editor and Designer: Aki Morizono IPPNW Staff: - profit organization registered under Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code. Michael Christ, John Loretz, Maria Valenti, Aki Morizono, Tax ID# 04-2702110 and George Cani.