Stop The Bombs.

On May 11 and 13, 1998, India tested five nuclear weapons in the Rajasthan desert. By the end of the month, Pakistan had followed suit. With these tests, the governments in Islamabad and New Delhi loudly announced to the world community, and especially to each other, that they had proudly made their place on the list of nuclear armed nations. Nine years have passed since these tests shattered the nuclear-free haven of South Asia.

The bitter rivalry between India and Pakistan which dates to the partition of the sub-continent in 1947 remains the impetus behind the proliferation of nuclear weapons and missiles in the region. The security dynamics of the region are complicated by India’s perception of China as a threat. Furthermore the presence of Al Qaeda and Taliban further increases the instability of the region posing the ever growing threat of nuclear weapons falling in to the wrong hands.

Humans have only been wrangling with the nuclear question for more than 60 years but it is time now that real efforts are made. In order for the nuclear disarmament process to proceed, the nuclear-powers must clearly and immediately abandon their pursuit of developing nuclear weapons.They must refrain from any actions which could undermine the efforts of the international community towards nuclear disarmament.  We call upon them, and all other states that have not yet done so, to adhere to the Non-Proliferation treaty. We likewise call upon them to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty without delay and without conditions.

We must do all we can to turn back the tide of nuclear proliferation and to continue to work towards a world free of nuclear dangers, and ultimately, of nuclear weapons. The world’s nuclear powers have a duty to take the lead on non-proliferation. These weapons threaten the very existence of mankind.  Our children deserve to live in a world safe from the threat of nuclear war and of weapons of mass destruction. None of us should be seeing World War 3 anywhere in future!