National Newsletter

Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia) Winter 2009

Representatives from MAPW and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) in for meetings on nuclear non proliferation between civil society groups, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the International Commission for Nuclear Non- Proliferation and Disarmament. MAPW’s Tilman Ruff and Bill Williams are at back left. Defence ignores peace-makers Australia’s newly released Defence White Paper MAPW made a detailed submission. However chooses military spending over diplomatic on releasing the report, consultation chair INSIDE solutions, and ignores community calls for Stephen Loosley appeared to dismiss the - Movement on greater diplomatic conflict resolution. evidence of such “interest groups”. Weapons nuclear abolition industry representatives, on the other hand, The White Paper promotes the myth that US - Afghanistan and nuclear weapons protect us from attack. Only a were treated to private meetings with the few paragraphs in the 138-page report refer to community consultation panel. Sri Lanka action international nuclear disarmament treaties. MAPW will be writing to the Prime Minister - Townsville report Large numbers of community groups and to express our views on the proposed strategy, - Peace activities individuals had participated in good faith in the and the “consultation”. consultation leading to the report. Read more at www.mapw.org.au

Published by the Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia). Patron: Sir William Refshauge National Office: PO Box 1379 Carlton, 3053; Level 2, Alan Gilbert Bulding, 161 Barry Street Carlton. Phone +61(0)3 8344 1637; Fax +61(0)3 8344 1638; www.mapw.org.au; [email protected] Affiliated with International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW): Nobel Peace Prize winner 1985 MAPW REPORTS National Newsletter Winter 2009 MAPW President’s report National Our voices Council are heard 2007-2009 It is hard to keep track of the number of prominent voices, including PRESIDENT current and former heads of state, [email protected] who are now personally articulating Dr Sue Wareham MAPW’s core message, the need VICE-PRESIDENTS for nuclear weapons abolition. US Dr Jason Garrood President Obama is among them. Dr Peter Karamoskos Dr Ruth Mitchell The work of MAPW and IPPNW Ms Sarah Gardiner has been persistent, consistent and Associate Prof. Tilman Ruff extraordinarily important in the Prof. Peter Underwood Dr Bill Williams global disarmament movement. As just one example, MAPW’s Sue Wareham SECRETARY Vice-President, and ICAN Chair in [email protected] Dr Carole Wigg Australia, Associate Professor Tilman An arms race will then become a self- Ruff has been recognised for his fulfilling prophecy. TREASURER and ICAN’s contributions, by his Among the most significant [email protected] appointment as non governmental Dr Jenny Grounds reminders of the importance of our organisation (NGO) adviser to PM work were the words of former Soviet Rudd’s International Commission NATIONAL STUDENT President Mikhail Gorbachev in his REPRESENTATIVES on Nuclear Non-proliferation and book Perestroika, about the work of [email protected] Disarmament, and as one of two Lauren Finlay our global organisation IPPNW: Sarah Gardiner NGO representatives on Australia’s delegation to the NPT meeting in “…What they say and what they do is ACT New York this month. prompted by accurate knowledge and a passionate desire to warn humanity (Position vacant) Now is the time to redouble our [email protected] about the dangers looming over it. efforts. Opportunities such as those No serious politician has the right to emerging do not come along often. NEW SOUTH WALES disregard their conclusions.” [email protected] While nuclear weapons issues remain Dr Robert Marr Gorbachev was right. Our knowledge of central importance to MAPW, Dr Anne Noonan is accurate, and our concern is Ms Lynnette Saville “conventional” war continues to take passionate. Your knowledge and a terrible toll. The “war on terror” in passion for the future of humanity NORTHERN TERRITORY its various guises continues, bringing [email protected] have made a difference. Dr Rosalie Schultz terror to countless civilians. Please renew your membership soon, QUEENSLAND In Sri Lanka, many thousands are and encourage one or more colleagues [email protected] trapped in a war-zone under appalling to join. (Membership renewal notices Dr Daniele Viliunas conditions, away from media are enclosed with this newsletter, SOUTH AUSTRALIA access and adequate international unless you have paid in advance) humanitarian assistance. [email protected] Heartfelt thanks for your support. Dr Amanda Ruler The unjust and unwinnable war in TASMANIA Afghanistan continues. MAPW has Dr Sue Wareham OAM [email protected] written to PM Rudd, with a copy to Dr Gerry McGushin every federal Member of Parliament and Senator, to urge that Australian Membership forms and VICTORIA [email protected] troops be brought home from online payment are Assoc. Prof. Lou Irving Afghanistan. (See page 5) available on our website There is much to do. As I write, WESTERN AUSTRALIA www.mapw.org.au [email protected] government plans for increasingly Prof. Peter Underwood offensive armed forces for Australia or call us, 03 8344 1637 unfold. 2 NUCLEAR WEAPONS National Newsletter Winter 2009 The route to abolition: establishing a roadmap By Dr Bill Williams the recent hearings on our nuclear- “energising the people”, “generating The prompt elimination of the world’s related treaty obligations at the Joint … psychological momentum” and worst weapons of terror will best be Standing Committee on Treaties “the utility of being able to mobilise a achieved via a global abolition treaty. (JSCOT). wider constituency”. According to UN Secretary General Rather than injecting some essential Clearly, we will have to apply the Ban Ki Moon, the model Nuclear high-octane vision and thrust into jumper leads to our representatives if Weapons Convention (NWC) the disarmament machinery, and they are to instruct our diplomats to – the core of the ICAN-sponsored revving up the abolition agenda with negotiate and implement a Nuclear publication Securing our Survival – is the NWC, it seems the Commission Weapons Convention – to get this “a good point of departure”. favours yet more yanking on the machine oiled, moving and gathering In 2007, then Shadow Foreign rusted gears. That approach risks speed. Affairs Minister Robert McClelland muddling on for decades, shuffling up The corollary of this understanding said that an ALP government the ‘incremental steps in multilateral – and the message for our leaders – is would be “committed to driving the fora’, plastering over cracks in the that they actually need to listen to us. disarmament edifice – dawdling in international agenda for a Nuclear We want, we demand, a Nuclear the shadow of annihilation. Weapons Convention (NWC)”. But Weapons Convention: we’ll settle for there is little evidence of Australian Despite his pervasive negativity about nothing less. Let’s do all we can to government progress on that road: the model NWC, Evans did describe encourage the Prime Minister to roll indications so far are of a ‘steady as it as “very intellectually attractive and out the roadmap on the table at the she goes’ approach. actually quite emotionally attractive NPT Review Conference in 2010. Timidity and hesitancy permeated for many people” and called for Gareth Evans’ testimony, as Australia’s ideas about “the best institutional Bill Williams is an MAPW Vice- Co-Chair of the International vehicle for mobilising government President, and a member of the ICAN Commission on Nuclear Non- and community, civil society, Management Committee. He is happy proliferation and Disarmament, to support worldwide”; referring to to consider requests to speak.

iCAN give For a limited time, every dollar you donate to ICAN Australia will be matched, thanks to a generous challenge grant from the Poola Foundation. Please consider making a donation today to help us meet this challenge and approach others who may support our appeal. Contact us for additional brochures to send to your friends and colleagues, or to suggest people we may approach. You can post donations to PO Box 1379 Carlton 3053. If you require tax deductibility, make out cheques to our MAPW Peace Fund. To donate online, please visit www.mapw.org.au. Galen White, with MAPW Executive Officer Nancy Atkin As MAPW’s campaigns expand, including the growth of ICAN, Gifts made through the a growing group of supporters keep our organisation running effectively behind the scenes. National Council recently thanked MAPW Peace Fund Galen White for generously giving his time and expertise to are tax deductible develop our MAPW and ICAN website and database systems. 3 AUSTRALIA WIDE National Newsletter Winter 2009 Students: join us at the GHC WA: An evening with – bringing together 500 students Janet Holmes à Court from medical schools in Australia and On Saturday, 4th April, the WA the South-East Asia region. Branch hosted an evening with Janet MAPW is an Academic Partner to Holmes à Court. The evening was the GHC. We have a lecture stream attended by 37 members and friends, and a workshop focusing on the at the Warehouse Café.

MAPW ad at 2008 GHC psychological impacts of war, with Daniele Vilinius sharing her expertise. The dinner provided a wonderful opportunity to listen to Mrs. Holmes Well, 2009 is rapidly marching on We also plan to host an early evening à Court, one of Australia’s most and the student section of MAPW is meet-and-greet for new MAPW as always busy with active passionate students, and a ‘Nuclear Free my Cup consummate leaders, talk about her students hosting membership events, of Tea’ afternoon tea. family history, her involvement in the peace movement, and her role as chair talks and orientation events. If any students are going to the Natalie Shulman in WA has done GHC and are keen to help out on of the Australian Children’s Television a superb job with recruitment and our booth, recruit other students and Foundation. is leading the interstate student generally talk proudly about MAPW Janet’s talk was excellent — and membership drive – well done and its activities please email us at received a warm measure of Natalie. [email protected] appreciation from every member that Tasmania and both had an Keep up the excellent work. Combining attended. MAPW presence at their Orientation studies and thinking about the bullets People were touched by her week. Melbourne always has a source and bombs in our world makes for a description of her family background, of inspired MAPW students who busy and interesting schedule. Don’t and how her own passion for justice actively host regular meetings and forget to recruit a couple of friends each was forged through her parents’ . . . Best wishes, Sarah and Lauren events. unrepentant vision of a better world. The national AMSA Global Health Sarah Gardiner and Lauren Many were surprised to learn that Conference (GHC) is the next big Finlay are MAPW’s National her mother, in particular, was very event for MAPW, 2-6 July in Brisbane Student Representatives politically active, deeply committed to Aboriginal education and world peace, and an active protester against Sydney Grand Round nuclear weapons. Janet acknowledged that her strong discusses nuclear peril belief in behaving in a way which is MAPW President Sue Wareham was the guest at Royal North Shore respectful to people of all colours, Hospital Grand Round on 21 April. shapes, sizes and religions goes back to her parents’ example. Sue spoke to a group of perhaps 100 consultants, VMOs, registrars, nurses, pharmacists, residents, interns, allied health workers, medical Many of those who attended were technologists – and importantly a respectable representative body of also struck by her lack of pretension, students. Her message on nuclear weapons and health was clear and and how she seemed to be so little informative. touched by the power elites she often One of the members of the audience recalled that IPPNW co-founder needs to move with. Bernard Lown addressed a Grand Round at the same hospital about 25 Her passion for children’s television, years ago. and the need for future generations Questions were focused and plentiful, with the allocated time expiring to continue to hear and see quality before the questions ran out. The NSW Branch congratulates Sue and Australian stories on television, was thanks her for speaking. evident. Lynnette Saville, NSW Branch Co-Coordinator. It was wonderful to hear a few weeks later that a dedicated children’s To invite an MAPW expert speaker to address a Grand television channel for the ABC was Round or meeting, call us on 03 8344 1637 or email one of the 9 proposals adopted from [email protected]. We also have films suitable for the 2020 summit. screening and discussion. Leigh Dix, WA Executive Officer [email protected]

4 MAPW NEWS National Newsletter Winter 2009 Sri Lanka, Afghanistan: MAPW calls for peace MAPW President Dr Sue Wareham has recently written twice to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd: asking for the Australian Government to work for peace in Sri Lanka; and to urge the withdrawal of Australian troops from Afghanistan. • Read the letters in full at Professor Richard Tanter (second from left) addressed a dinner of Victorian members in March, on the proposed nuclear reactors in www.mapw.org.au Java. Since then, this hazardous project appears to have been shelved.

On Sri Lanka: On Afghanistan: including children, have died as a Dr Wareham noted that MAPW Dr Wareham urged the Prime result of Australian military action. views with horror the plight of Minister to support a political A [recent] report finds that the innocent civilians who are caught in solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, Afghan population feels increasingly the civil war in Sri Lanka; and called to withdraw Australian soldiers from insecure as the incidence of violence for protection of civilian lives by: the region, and to assist in rebuilding. in their country rises. The plight of • An immediate and permanent Dr Wareham wrote: women in Afghanistan remains dire, ceasefire “As the war in Afghanistan continues, with appalling human rights abuses. • Free access for international aid with no clearly achievable goals or . . . the ongoing war in Afghanistan agencies to assist the displaced end points having been announced, is seen by many as a perpetuation of and injured people MAPW shares with many other innocent suffering, which, far from • Free access for international Australians grave concern at the removing terrorism, will augment it.” observers and media to ascertain what is happening prospect of an escalation of the war, Dr Wareham notes that over 1000 possibly with Australian assistance. • Cessation of arms transfers to coalition military deaths have both sides Civilian deaths as a result of the war occurred, including Australians. For in Afghanistan are not easy to number the remainder, a significant number “MAPW urges you to call on both with certainty, but are likely to be will suffer severe psychological sides in this conflict to end the in excess of 20,000. . . President trauma, probably for life. Australia violence. Karzai himself has accused the US is reported to have spent $2–$2.5 The United Nations is well placed to and NATO of being ‘careless’ with billion on the war in Afghanistan, provide such mediation, and we urge civilian lives, as the effects of aerial while health and other services suffer you to promote such a process.” bombardment have risen. Civilians, desperate shortfalls in funding. Nurses unite for peace across the Tasman MAPW’s SA Branch Coordinator, also met Dr Nick Wilson, coordinator and invite them to link up with Dr Amanda Ruler, RN, reports: for the New Zealand branch of MAPW. I travelled to New Zealand in 2008 the International Physicians for MAPW has been strongly supported and 2009 and was able to join forces Prevention of Nuclear War. by the New Zealand Nurses with a number of groups who assisted Nurses often work amongst victims Association in their magazine Kai in raising peace issues and MAPW. of violence or conflict and have great Tiaki Nursing New Zealand. The In March 2008 I met up with insight to these situations and a lot editors published an article about the members of the Peace Movement to offer in the promotion of peace, essential values and work of MAPW Aotearoa and attended a residential whether it is purely on the domestic in their February 2009 issue, and my national Peace Workshop. It was a scene, or internationally. article titled Making the Case for Gun great opportunity to explore different We thought it would be a great idea Law Reform. styles of effectivepeaceful resistance. I to let nurses know of our activities Find Kai Tiaki at: www.nzno.org.nz

5 NUKES IN NEWS National Newsletter Winter 2009

nuclear arsenal - would not only kill and negotiating deep weapons reductions. Leaders speak tens of millions from blast, fires and Achieving a world free of nuclear radiation, but would cause severe climatic weapons will require not only existing consequences persisting for a decade arsenals to be progressively taken off out on nuclear or more. Cooling and darkening, with alert, dismantled and destroyed, but will killing frosts and shortened growing require production of the fissile materials weapons seasons, rainfall decline, monsoon failure, from which nuclear weapons can be A recent opinion piece published in The and substantial increases in ultraviolet built - separated plutonium and highly Age and the Sydney Morning Herald saw radiation, would combine to slash enriched uranium - to cease, and existing prominent Australians from across the global food production. Globally, 1 stocks to be eliminated or placed under political and professional spectrum come billion people could starve. More would secure international control. together to call for an end to nuclear succumb from the disease epidemics and The International Commission weapons. social and economic mayhem that would on Nuclear Non-proliferation and inevitably follow. . . . Disarmament announced by Prime Signatories were Malcolm Fraser (former A Nuclear Weapons Convention prime minister), Sir Gustav Nossal (research Minister Kevin Rudd in Kyoto last scientist), Dr Barry Jones (former Labor Such a treaty approach has been the basis June and led with Japan is a welcome government minister), General Peter for all successes to date in eliminating initiative with real potential. It could Gration (former Defence Force chief), whole classes of weapons, from dum- most usefully direct its efforts to building Lieutenant-General John Sanderson (former dum bullets to chemical and biological political momentum and coalitions to chief of the army and former governor of weapons, landmines and, most recently, get disarmament moving, and promote Western Australia) and Associate Professor cluster munitions. a comprehensive framework for nuclear Tilman Ruff, who is MAPW’s Vice Negotiations should begin without delay, weapons abolition. President and Chair of ICAN in Australia. and progress in good faith and without Australia can lead interruption until a successful conclusion The article follows prominent citizens is reached. It will be a long and complex Australia should prepare for a world free calling for nuclear abolition in the USA, process, and the sooner it can begin the of nuclear weapons by “walking the talk”. Italy and elsewhere. Some excerpts follow better. We should reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our own security policies, as (subheadings have been added). More action to support a treaty we call on nuclear weapon states to do. . . Incremental steps can support a THERE has never been a better time comprehensive treaty approach. They Our reliance on the “extended nuclear to achieve total nuclear disarmament; can achieve important ends, demonstrate deterrence” provided by the US should this is necessary, urgent and feasible. We good faith and generate political be reviewed so that Australian facilities are at the crossroads of a nuclear crisis. momentum. Important disarmament and personnel could not contribute to On the one hand, we are at an alarming next steps have been repeatedly identified possible use of nuclear weapons, and we tipping point on proliferation of nuclear and are widely agreed. They remain valid anticipate and promote by our actions a weapons, with a growing risk of nuclear but unfulfilled over the many years that world freed from nuclear weapons. terrorism and use of still massively disarmament has been stalled. bloated arsenals of the worst weapons Canada championed the treaty banning The 13 practical steps agreed at the of terror. On the other, we have perhaps landmines, or Ottawa Treaty; Norway led nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review the best opportunity to abolish nuclear the way on the cluster munitions with conference in 2000 should be upheld and weapons. . . . the Oslo Convention. Why should the implemented. They include all nuclear Nuclear Weapons Convention the world Recent scientific evidence from state- weapons states committing to the total needs and deserves not be championed of-the-art climate models puts the case elimination of their nuclear arsenals; and led by Australia and become known for urgent nuclear weapons abolition entry into force of the Comprehensive as the Canberra (or Sydney or Melbourne beyond dispute. Even a limited regional Test Ban Treaty; negotiations on a treaty or Brisbane) Convention? nuclear war involving 100 Hiroshima- to end production of fissile material; sized bombs - just 0.03 per cent of the taking weapons off extremely hazardous www.theage.com.au/opinion/imagine- explosive power of the world’s current high alert “launch on warning” status; theres-no-bomb-20090407-9zj0.html

Nuclear Briefs MAPW ADDRESSES ENQUIRY HUNTERS HILL REPORT OUT Dr Sue Wareham OAM, speaking as The NSW Government has released See these stories in detail at: MAPW President and submission author, its response to the NSW Legislative www.mapw.org.au was one of six of experts invited to a Council report regarding the former Obama-medvedev letter Round Table with the Parliamentary uranium smelter site at Hunters Hill in On the eve of Prime Minister Rudd’s Committee inquiring into all of Sydney. The response accepts the need meeting with US President Barack Australia’s nuclear treaties. Associate for comprehensive characterisation and Obama, more than 300 of the world’s Professor Tilman Ruff participated on clean-up of contaminated areas. top physicians, including 22 prominent behalf of ICAN. The Joint Standing MAPW Vice-President Tilman Ruff, Australians, wrote to the Presidents Committee on Treaties is expected to invited as a witness to the enquiry, calling for nuclear weapons abolition. report in June. welcomed the report.

6 MAPW NATIONWIDE National Newsletter Winter 2009 Anzac Day Story By Dr Ofra Fried Yesterday, I saw a gentleman in the 25 APRIL 2009. Emergency Department. He and his wife had moved to Townsville to be I live in the “Garrison Town” of closer to their children, who are in the Townsville in Queensland. Around services and stationed here. He has 4.8% of the local population of about advanced cancer and really needed 160,000 are military personnel, hospital admission for symptom stationed at either the army control, but declined because he (Lavarack) barracks or the RAAF wanted to attend the Dawn Service headquarters. The services participate today. It will be his last Anzac Day in American/Australian military Dawn Service. Anzac Day is pretty exercises such as Operation Talisman sacred here – the Parade is big, all the Sabre, and train and send service men schools participate, and elsewhere it’s and women for overseas postings. very quiet all day and every store is Townsville has been a military town shut. for a long time. During WW2 It would be nice to have an MAPW the town hosted about 50,000 contribution to the Parade here, but Australian and American troops I don’t know how it would go. Not and was the major staging post for Here’s a picture of a soldier inspecting everyone understands, or agrees, battles in the SW Pacific region. The 1,000 bombs in Townsville during that Peace Work is an appropriate town is riddled with the remains WW2. What a job! Apparently way to honour those who died in of underground bunkers and air not only aircraft, but also munitions war. Anyway, there isn’t (yet) an raid bunkers, but the only attacks it including gas-containing weapons, MAPW branch in Townsville, and suffered were a series of three Japanese were tested locally. there doesn’t even seem to be much air raids in 1942, which caused no of a Peace Movement presence. significant damage and no casualties. That’s despite the presence of a large university (James Cook University), with 4-5 % of the population  Consider writing about peace employed in education, and a similar work in your town, for our next proportion in health. issue. Members stories are always welcome. Perhaps you could interview one of your fellow- members about their work inside and outside MAPW.  MAPW is fortunate to have RMIT final year journalism student Viktoria Wolff regularly updating our website www.mapw. org.au during a work placement The picture above shows some local in April and May. We would love health facilities during the war. Note to have volunteer assistance to the mosquito nets! Townsville sent Here’s a picture of a group of continue this valuable work. medical retrieval crews abroad by Women’s Medical A computer, writing skills, both air and sea. Services personnel returning to common sense and interest Townsville from PNG in the 1940s. in pubic affairs are the main Currently, Townsville has large Can you see our iconic Castle Hill qualifications. numbers of military families and of nicely framed in the background? Defence Veterans. That affects health Wonder whether they engaged in  Send your email address to services provision. For example, if Peace Work after being demobbed? receive MAPW’s Peace e-Script, you hold a DVA card, you can access our fortnightly (only) email full Happy Anzac Day, and cheers from lots of services. And if you are a Vet, of interesting news and events. Townsville, Ofra Fried. Write to [email protected] you are more likely to suffer certain Ofra Fried is an active member who to physical and psychological ailments. Townsville in late 2007 7 DIARY DATES National Newsletter Winter 2009 2009 Diary Consider making a  Monday 1 June, 1pm, Hobart lasting gift for peace, tasmanian BRANCH LUNCH Special guest Assoc Prof Tilman Ruff, through a bequest who will also speak at an evening meeting on the abolition of nuclear weapons. to MAPW. For a  Tuesday 16 June, Melbourne brochure, call 03 ART aUCTION Annual Friends of the Earth Art Auction includes works 8344 1637 or see donated for ICAN: see details on page 7.

www.mapw.org.au.  3-4 July, Brisbane GLOBAL HEALTH CONFERENCE: MAPW supports and joins in this major Pictures (from top): Australian medical students’ conference. Dr Ruth Mitchell speaking at Melbourne’s Palm Sunday peace  2-26 July, near Rockhampton rally. You can find links to her talisman sabre military speech at www.mapw.org.au exercises: Environmentally destructive war games played by Youth supporter of ICAN – the thousands of US and Australian military International Campaign to Abolish forces. 10-12 July Peace Convergence. Nuclear Weapons – paints a banner at Youth Action Conference  6 & 9 August, around Australia nagasaki and hiroshima Western Australian members enjoy commemorations: the MAPW evening with Janet Check for events with your local branch. Holmes à Court (see story page 4)  Weekend of 29-30 August MAPW National Secretary Carole MAPW National COUNCIL: Wigg and Victorian Treasurer Our annual meeting, in Melbourne. Margaret Rowell at Palm Sunday Elected Council members make formal in Melbourne – holding a banner decisions. All members are welcome. painted by Western Australian supporter Judy Blyth  Monday September 21 international day of peace National President Sue Wareham addresses the Palm Sunday Sydney mapw.org.au rally, in Parramatta Full details www.