We’re back from a whirlwind week at the United Nations attending the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Despite increased global tensions and rising nuclear risks, half the world is now on board with the Treaty, and they have been busy putting that plan into action this week.

86 countries participated in the meeting as states parties or observers, engaging in a robust and interactive debate during the week, adopting a political declaration and package of decisions. The meeting also counted the active participation of a thousand representatives from 163 civil society organisations, including many affected community voices, and nine International Organisations. Over 70 events took place in the context of the 3MSP, in the UN and across the city during Nuclear Ban Week.

Once again, communities directly impacted by the use and testing of nuclear weapons took to the floor of the conference and participated in many moving side events to share their lived experience and expertise, which informs ongoing work to embed support for affected communities in the TPNW’s implementation.

While a proposed international trust fund to support victim assistance and environmental remediation continues to gain momentum, affected communities made clear that support cannot wait. States must act now to implement practical support for all those affected by the legacy of the bomb and do more to ensure these weapons are never used again.

“Nothing but broken promises”: ICAN Ambassador, Karina Lester calls out Australia’s inaction on the TPNW

On Thursday, Yankunytjatjara-Anangu woman, second-generation nuclear test survivor, and ICAN Ambassador Karina Lester delivered a statement during the segment on Victim Assistance and Environmental Remediation and International Cooperation.

In her powerful statement, Karina outlined the expectations from affected community members worldwide for support under Articles 6 & 7 of the TPNW, which require states parties of the TPNW work collaboratively to provide support to communities impacted by the use and testing of nuclear weapons.

Karina also called out the Australian Government’s lack of action on the TPNW to date, and made clear that it is time for Australia to sign and ratify the TPNW, without delay.

“I am concerned and deeply saddened that my own country has yet to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition on Nuclear Weapons. My country, my traditional lands, has felt the reality of nuclear weapons use. We even launched the movement thatbrought us to this day here in New York – the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

Yet despite promises, despite the expectations of community members and parliamentarians, and despite the clear and urgent need, we are stillwaiting.

Australia is the gap in our region. And this is shameful, nothing but broken promises. Many of our friends in the Pacific Islands and those in South East Asia have joined the Treaty. We call on our government to sign and ratify, to join this community of nations in working together to abolish nuclear weapons.”

In aninterview with NITV, Karina said that the impacts of the British Nuclear tests on her country are still felt today, more than 70 years later:

“We had the fallout fall onto our environment, our trees, animals, our sand dunes, our grasses, our food that we eat as well…. Affected communities in very remote South Australia who carry the scars and carry this burden and this trauma of this lived experience through generations, now our government has failed us.”

States recommit to dismantling the fallacy of nuclear deterrence:

While nuclear weapons states and their supporters continue to hold on to outdated policies of extended nuclear deterrence – which presumes the possession and positioning of nuclear weapons, or that of their nuclear-armed allies, prevents other nations from launching a nuclear attack – this week TPNW member states continued the work of challenging deterrence theory, and championing the message that states can instead look to security based on global solidarity and cooperation.

The week-long meeting featured discussions with affected communities, scientists, academics, medical professionals and legal experts who pointed to not only to the undeniable violence of nuclear weapons and the ongoing threat they pose to humanity, but also to the inherent violence of denial – when nuclear armed states favour reinvesting, modernising and expanding their nuclear arsenals instead of redirecting those resources to address global issues like climate change and other social and economic challenges.

The meeting concluded with a powerful Political Declaration rejecting nuclear weapons and challenging nuclear deterrence in the strongest agreed language in decades. It states:

“Nuclear deterrence is posited on the very existence of nuclear risk, which threatens the survival of all” and that instead of promoting security and stability “nuclear weapons are a threat to the security, and ultimately the existence, of all states, irrespective of whether they possess nuclear weapons, subscribe to nuclear deterrence or firmly oppose it.”

So what next for Australia?

Australia has now attended all three Meetings of States Parties to the TPNW as an observer. This ongoing engagement with the TPNW remains positive. However, as long as Australia continues to endorse nuclear deterrence, deny support to survivors of the bomb, and stall progress on signing and ratifying the TPNW, it remains part of the problem. Australia must stop being part of the problem and kickstart work on the solutions by joining the ban.

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Affected communities lead the way at 3MSP

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