International Coalition Launches Campaign to Ban Depleted Uranium Weapons
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Press Release
Brussels, 13 October 2003 -- Experts in several disciplines and from eight countries met this weekend to discuss the creation of a strategy for an international ban on the use depleted uranium and other radioactive materials in military weapons. Participants traveled from Belgium, Germany, Japan, Malta, The Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States to attend a three-day conference held in Berlaar, Belgium on October 10-11-12.
We believe there is mounting evidence of the effects of depleted uranium on human health and the environment. Therefore, we call for an immediate ban on depleted uranium and the use of other radioactive materials in conventional arms, the cleanup of all contaminated sites, compensation and care for all affected populations, a halt to the production, testing, sale, and export of DU weapons and a decommissioning of all existing stockpiles.
In pursuit of this goal, we have established The International Coalition For a Ban on Depleted Uranium Weapons. We call on Governments, Non-Governmental Organizations and other interested parties to join us in this urgent effort. These radioactive and chemically toxic weapons were first used on a large scale in the Gulf War in 1991, subsequently in other countries (Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan) and again in the current conflict in Iraq. We feel that the occupying powers as well as the countries involved in the stabilization force in Iraq will be putting their soldiers in harms way. Therefore, we call on governments to demand full disclosure on the amount and the locations of DU contaminated sites, access for the United Nat! ions Environmental Programme (UNEP) to conduct an environmental assessment and for an independent investigation into the human health consequences in Iraq.
Coalition Partners
International Depleted Uranium Study Team (USA)
Military Toxics Project (USA)
No DU Hiroshima Project (Japan)
Campaign Against Depleted Uranium (UK)
Center for Peace and Justice (USA)
Grassroots Action for Peace (USA)
For Mother Earth (Belgium)
Laka Foundation (NL)
AMOK (NL)
Our Common Future (UK)
Maarten H.J. van den Berg (RISQ) (NL)
See the brand-new Coalition Website. Suggested further readings: the RISQ Report "Peacekeepers not Informed about Depleted Uranium in Iraq" - Press Updates - and the links to online resources in the DU Dossier.
Published on 13 October 2003 by RISQ
© RISQ | www.risq.org
All rights reserved.
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