LETTER | Strengthen efforts in abolishing nuclear weapons

LETTER | The news that Russian President Vladimir Putin has put Russia’s nuclear forces on “high alert” is alarming. This is an extremely dangerous move, one that reeks of brinkmanship, that could plunge the entire world into an unending nuclear winter.

A nuclear weapons attack on its own is already catastrophic, but one that is inflicted on a world already struggling with the impact caused by Covid-19 and the climate crisis could push our planet over the cliff edge.

No matter what arguments are laid over who is the aggressor, we must not forget that people in both Ukraine and Russia, and perhaps other countries, are mourning the death of loved ones who were sacrificed in this war.

Many people in Russia and Ukraine have roots in both countries and love them equally. There is no “us” or “them” in such a situation.

This conflict once again demonstrates how dangerous it is for nuclear weapons to exist in our midst. The “high alert” declaration may result in further escalation of this conflict and push the whole of humanity closer and closer to the nuclear abyss.

Nuclear war

In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in November 2019, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev stated that nuclear weapons must be destroyed in order to save our planet. He further said: "As far as weapons of mass destruction exist, primarily nuclear weapons, the danger is colossal."

On Jan 3 this year, five nuclear-weapon states (US, France, China, UK and Russia) issued a joint statement, part of which states: “We affirm that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”

I hope that the signatories will keep this stark truth in mind as global leaders seek a peaceful end to this conflict.

Many leaders from various fields around the world have called for the complete and total abolition of nuclear weapons over many years, including former leaders of nuclear weapons states such as Gorbachev and former US defence secretary William Perry. Both have commented that a nuclear war has become more likely than ever.

I am hopeful that the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and other countries will do whatever is necessary to pull away from the brink of nuclear war and bring a peaceful end to this conflict based on our shared humanity.

In view of the dangers of possible nuclear war that this conflict intimates, it becomes more important for us to call out even louder for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

In January 2021, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) - which Malaysia ratified in September 2020 – came into force in the midst of the pandemic, and the treaty’s first Meeting of State Parties (MSP) is scheduled to be held in March.

This is a significant treaty that, when given full support, will ensure the dismantling of the global nuclear weapons arsenal.

In his latest peace proposal, noted Buddhist philosopher and Soka Gakkai International (SGI) leader Daisaku Ikeda wrote: “The significance of the TPNW goes beyond the framework of a conventional disarmament treaty in that it has at its core the commitment to the norms of humanitarianism – preventing catastrophic destruction - and of human rights - safeguarding the right of the world’s people to live.

“…the TPNW is indispensable to protecting the peace of humankind as a whole and the preservation of the global ecosystem, the basis of life for present and future generations.”

Abolish nuclear weapons

A single nuclear attack or war will not just cause a major humanitarian catastrophe, but also cause environmental and ecological destruction on a massive scale.

In his proposal, Ikeda also quotes the words of acclaimed US economist John Kenneth Galbraith: “If we fail in the control of the nuclear arms race, all of the other matters we debate in these days will be without meaning.

“There will be no question of civil rights, for there will be no one to enjoy them. There will be no problem of urban decay, for our cities will be gone. So let us disagree, I trust with good humour, on the other issues.

“But let us agree that we will tell all of our countrymen, all of our allies, all human beings, that we will work to have an end to this nuclear horror that now hovers like a cloud over all humankind.”

Nuclear weapons will truly put an end to all our arguments, for it will put an end to all of us first.

I call upon our government to strengthen its efforts for the abolition of nuclear weapons and to aid efforts in ensuring the quick resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

I also hope the government will also do more to educate the public on the dangers of nuclear weapons and the importance of the TPNW in order to gain wider support from Malaysians in creating a world free from nuclear weapons.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.