National Newsletter Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia) Winter 2009 Representatives from MAPW and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) in Canberra 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, Victoria 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.