Global Health Alert Pearson College February 7, 2006 Presented by Dr. Jay Aiken Hamish Millar Dan Ming International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War

Why a Global Health Alert Now?  Threat  Opportunity

 Threat Mininukes and nuclear bunker buster bombs proposed for use against underground bunkers, supposed to be “safe for civilians”.

Radioactive fallout from a 1.2 Mt bomb on Isfahan, Iran

Why are nuclear weapons bad for your health? August 6, 1945 The US detonated a 15 kiloton bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. Deaths - 118,661. Injuries - 78,000.

August 9, 1945 US detonated a 21 kiloton bomb over Nagasaki, Japan. Deaths - 73,884. Injuries - 74, million square metres leveled.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki Ground temperatures reached about 7,000 degrees C. “Black rain” containing radioactive fallout poured down for hours after the explosions.

Victims

Indirect Effects of Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear weapons today 30,000 nuclear warheads with the equivalent explosive force of: –Over 200,000 Hiroshima-sized bombs. –11 billion tons of TNT, 2 tons for every human on the planet. 4,000 on hair-trigger alert, ready to be launched on a few minutes notice.

Nuclear Weapons States USA~10,600 Russia~18,000 China~400 France348 Great Britain200 Total29,548

Other nuclear weapons states India declared ~ Pakistan declared ~24-48 Israel undeclared ~ North Korea Declared but not confirmed ?

In case of a nuclear war - don’t call your doctor.

Now the Good News!  Opportunity

Human Security Report, 2005:

Progress in the past 30 years: 60 dictators have been toppled Armed conflicts are down 40% since 1992 Wars (more than 1000 battle deaths) down 80% since 1992 International crises down more than 70% ( )

Why are we turning away from war? The United Nations International Law Civil Society

Civil society took nuclear weapons to court Activists deposited boxes of millions of declarations of conscience at the International Court of Justice. The Court gave its opinion in 1996.

Public Opinion Large majorities of citizens polled in nuclear weapons states as well as other countries want the abolition of nuclear weapons

December 1996 fifty generals signed a petition stating that: Nuclear weapons can never be used to build security Nuclear weapons are, from the military point of view, useless. Nuclear weapons are a threat to human survival and must be abolished

We are winning!

What we can do now Inform ourselves and others Speak out against nuclear weapons –To governments –To media –To the public - especially young people –Join the Global Health Alerts Project and become a presenter!

Think creatively In 1987 four Montreal students took a year out of high school to travel across Canada and speak to schools about the nuclear threat. The film Mile Zero documents their journey. They spoke to over 125,000 students in one year.

Think Creatively 1986 a grade 11 student taking flying lessons took an aerial photo of her classmates. The Victoria Times Colonist featured the photo just before the annual Peace Walk.

Target Project

Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project, Beijing

My dear friends and fellow peacekeepers. Don’t despair. Don’t be discouraged. And above all, don’t give up. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the Hague Appeal for Peace, 1999.