PREACHING PEACE
AT ALL COST AS WE MARK 2017
INT’L DAY AGAINST NUCLEAR
TESTS
By Fred Doc Nwaozor
The last time I checked, August 29 annually
remained the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. This implies that today
being Tuesday, Nigeria joins the global community in commemorating the 2017
edition of the said day.
The International Day Against Nuclear Tests is aimed towards capturing
global attention and underscore the need for a unified attempt in preventing
further nuclear weapons’ testing through educational events and messages.
On 2nd December 2009, the 64th session of the
United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared August 29 of every year as the
International Day Against Nuclear Tests. The resolution calls for increasing
awareness and education on the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions, among
other related explosions, and the need for their cessation as one of the means
of achieving the goal of witnessing a nuclear-weapon-free world.
The resolution was initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan, coupled with
a large number of sponsors and co-sponsors with a view to commemorating the
closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site, which had caused an enormous
and indelible problem to mankind.
This remarkable and laudable day
is meant to sensitize the UN Member States alongside inter-governmental and
non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, youth networks and the
media on the need to inform, educate as well as advocate the necessity of
banning nuclear weapon tests as a valuable step towards achieving a safer
global society.
The inaugural commemoration of the day was marked in the year 2010, thus
this year’s commemoration represents the 8th edition of the
worthwhile crusade. Ab initio, each year, the day has been observed by
coordinating various activities throughout the world, such as conferences,
exhibitions, competitions, workshops, seminars, publication of periodicals cum
journals, media broadcasts, and what have you.
Several bilateral and multilateral governmental level developments
coupled with broad movements of various civil societies and personal efforts of
the UN Secretary-General have helped tremendously to facilitate the ongoing
cause regarding banning of nuclear tests worldwide. We are equally required to
put in our respective efforts toward sensitizing the people within us,
particularly the youth, on the dangers inherent in making use of any form of
nuclear weapon for any purpose whatsoever.
In May 2010, all the parties
involved in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons committed
themselves towards achieving the peace and security of a world without nuclear
weapons and other related instruments. In his candid speech, the immediate past
UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon stated with great clarity that, ‘A world free
of nuclear weapons would be a global public good of the highest order.’
This event as well as other related events or actions has fostered a
global society with more optimistic prospects towards a world free of nuclear
weapons. The event has enabled mankind to witness various visible signs of
progress in respect to ending this global menace, though challenges remain
inevitable in various fields of human endeavour.
Hence, we must all,
individually or collectively, contribute our various quotas in tackling the
challenges by ensuring that people around us are duly educated on the demerit
of bad influence and uncalled environments since it has been proven beyond
doubts that ‘Environment determines the action of the mind’ as was asserted by
the late philosopher, Karl Marx.
It’s the hope of the UN that one day all nuclear weapons would be
totally eliminated from the entire world. In view of this anticipation, there’s
a compelling need for Nigeria at large to observe this day with all manner of
sincerity as we work towards promoting peace and security all over the world.
It’s needless to reiterate that humanity in its entirety prays vehemently for a
trouble-free society or atmosphere; suffice it to say that every sane person
strongly detests imagining the emergence of war or any war-related activity.
So, as the world commemorates the International Day Against Nuclear
Tests, there’s need for every rational and peace-loving individual to support
the remarkable movement that’s aimed toward initiating a holistic trouble-free
atmosphere, thereby discouraging the occurrence of war or crisis of any kind.
And, this support is mostly needed from countries such as Nigeria, Syria,
Pakistan, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Iran, and Ukraine, just to mention but a
few, that are presently savaged by colossal security challenges.
To this end, I call on the legislators to pass a strict and grievous law
that would ensure that anyone caught as well as found guilty of this inhuman
act is thoroughly penalized. On its part, the executive arm is equally expected
to safeguard the proposed law by setting up a formidable corrupt-free
monitoring agency that would serve as an eye of the government toward its
sustenance.
It’s worthy of note that a decisive and candid approach by the Nigerian
government regarding the promotion of this annual global occasion would go a
long way to eradicate the lingering barbaric actions of the Boko Haram sect,
Niger Delta Avengers, and other terrorist cum insurgent groups that are
presently on the rampage across the country.
The religious bodies, various schools and the mass media, among other
relevant civil-society groups, can equally assist in promoting the ongoing
cause by organizing seminars, workshops, street awareness, conventions,
conferences, and so on that would sensitize the general public on the dangers
of any form of crisis or the use of any war explosive.
Thus, we are all bound to preach peach at all cost with a view to
embracing that society which we all yearn for. ‘A stitch in time saves nine’;
needless to say that the time to act is now. Think about it!
Comrade Nwaozor, a public affairs analyst & civil
rights activist, is Executive Director, Docfred
Resource Hub (DRH) Owerri.
Edited by: Rostrum
Hotline:- +2348028608056
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