IPPNW and IDPD appeal to GoI to take initiative in convincing all nuclear armed countries to abolish nuclear weapon

Ludhiana, July 6, 2018: On the first anniversary of passage of Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) by the UN General Assembly on 7th July 2017, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) and Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) appeal to the Government of India to join the treaty and take initiative in convincing all the nuclear armed countries to abolish nuclear weapon. July the 7th will always be remembered as a historical day. On this day in 2017 the world community decided to vote for complete nuclear disarmament and save the world from catastrophe that could threaten the very existence of humankind. It wasn’t an easy task. The UN general assembly passed a Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) with 122 countries voting in favor of the resolution. Only one country, the Netherlands voted against and Singapore abstained. It is an irony that none of the nuclear armed countries, the USA, Russia, China, England, France, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea participated in the deliberations.
Dr Arun Mitra, Co President, IPPNW warned that at present we have more than 17000 nuclear weapons on the earth. The use of these weapons would be the end of modern civilization. Even a limited nuclear exchange using one hundred Hiroshima sized nuclear weapons would put two billion people at risk of starvation and death. Medical profession has no remedy to offer in such eventuality. Only remedy is their abolition. The TPNW offers us a new hope as it is a comprehensive non discriminatory treaty.
Dr S S Soodan, President, IDPD and Dr Shakeel Ur Rahman, General Secretary, IDPD said that India has been harbinger of peace. We should take initiative to mobilize other nuclear weapon countries to join the treaty and to save the world from catastrophe.