Donate!

Make a donation and
support the network's effort
for a sustainable future!

Your donation will help us educate and
inspire people.

INES Information Service

What's New in INES (wnii)

wnii gives an overview about INES related subjects from all over the world.
Sign up for wnii here

Recent Issue
wnii archive

INES Newsletter:

The INES Newsletter is published two to four times a year. It gives INES members the possibility to publish articles about their work. read on

Recent Issue,
Newsletter archive

Projects > Former Activities > Abolition 2000

Peace and love human Photo: Bailly Elodie, sxc.hu

Abolition 2000

Past, Present and Future

by Carah Ong*
In May 1995, during the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review and Extension Conference at the United Nations in New York, citizen action groups from around the world recognized that the declared nuclear weapons states were unwilling to discuss complete nuclear disarmament as stipulated in the treaty .These organizations drafted an Abolition Statement that would become the founding document of the Abolition 2000 Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons.

In 2001, Abolition 2000 held its annual general meeting in Saffron Walden, UK. The participants of the conference adopted a declaration which can be viewed online at:
http://www.abolition2000.org/resolutions/saffronwalden.html. In October 2001, Janet Bloomfield and Pamela Meidell issued Feed the Wolf. A Rough Guide to Global Security , the 2001 Abolition 2000 Report Card. The report assesses progress (or lack thereto) made on the twelve points of the Abolition 2000 Statement. The report can be downloaded in pdf format at http://www.abolition2000.org.

Prior to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee held at the United Nations in New York from 8-19 April 2002, Abolition 2000 sent a mailing to all Network members. Contents of the mailing can be downloaded online at http://www.gracelinks.org/nuke/docs/ab2000/links.html

The Global Council also issued a statement entitled End the Nuclear Terror: A Call to Action from the Abolition 2000 Global Council in response to the US Nuclear Posture Review, portions of which were leaked to media. The statement can be read online at: http: //uke/docs/calltoaction/

During the 2002 NPT Prep Com, Network members that were present, recognized that the non- proliferation regime, and with it the nuclear disarmament efforts, are quickly unravelled as the nuclear weapons states refuse to fulfil their Article VI obligation towards the complete elimination of their nuclear arsenals. Abolition 2000 urged the states delegates to act on behalf of the World's people to call for the immediate initiation of negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC) as the most practical and comprehensive plan to bring nuclear weapons under strict and effective international control. Taking the opportunity that many Network members would be in New York for the NPT, Abolition 2000 held its 2002 Annual General Meeting on 13th April. The statement from participants of the meeting and the minutes are available online at http://www.gracelinks.org/nuke.

In January 2002, Maryna Harrison became the outreach and development coordinator for the Network. Alice Slater, one of the founding mothers of the Network, has generously provided funds for Maryna's position and she works from the Global Resource Action Centre for the Environment (GRACE), located in New York. Maryna can be contacted by email at mharrison@grncelinks.org. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has been the international contact for the Network since its inception in 1995. Pax Christi USA has generously offered to take over as the fiscal sponsor and international contact for the Network beginning in June 2002.

In the coming year, Abolition 2000 will continue its efforts to influence a grassroots movement. The Network will continue to push the issue of nuclear abolition onto the public agenda in order to increase political will and support not only for the abolition of nuclear weapons, but also for a more secure and liveable world. Participation from people all around the world is vital. Will you choose to transform the discussion of nuclear abolition in to a dynamic of action or will you continue to live with the bomb?

*Carah Ong is former Coordinator for Abolition 2000 and the Research and Publications Coordinator for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. She can be reached by email at research@napf.org.

top