Room: 117
28.08.2010, Sat 10.30 - 12.00
Organizer: IPPNW Germany
Speakers: Katsumi Furitsu, IPPNW Japan; Doug Weir, ICBUW, Angelika Claussen, IPPNW Germany
Uranium weapons have been used in several wars starting with the Gulf war in 1991: Iraq, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Afghanistan. Depleted uranium as a nuclear waste is a chemically toxic and radioactive compound. Uranium weapons are owned by at least 20 countries. We think that the solution of the problem lies in a a global ban on the use of uranium in all conventional weapon systems which is the goal of the Internationel coalition to Ban Uranium weapons. There is a growing consensus among civil society groups, scientists and some military organisations that the health risks from DU have been seriously underestimated. Establishment scientific bodies have been slow to react to the wealth of new research into DU and policy makers have been content to ignore the claims of researchers and activists. - Our goal is to encourage the International IPPNW to join the ICBUW and to work towards a Global Treaty Ban of Depleted Uranium Weapons.