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WHAT'S NEW IN INES? |
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No.37/2001 |
Dateline: September 18, 2001 |
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This is the weekly electronic information service of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility
Editor: Tobias Damjanov, e-mail:
WNII is archived at: http://inesglobal.org/archive.htm
INES homepages: http://inesglobal.org http://www.inesglobal.com/
INES International Office
INES Chair: Prof. Armin Tenner [Please note that the first "1" in q18 is the number one, while the last "l" is an "L"]
CONTENTS of WNII No. 37/2001
MEMBERSHIP AND PROJECTS' NEWS
More on the terror attacks in the USA (see also WNII Special Issue)
Dear WNII readers,
As expected, articles, petitions, statements, etc. are flooding in with regard to the aftermath of the most horrible attacks at New York and Washington. Each day, I am receiving up to 150 email messages dealing in different ways with these deadly attacks. I am trying to sort out the information which might be of interest to you; however, I am missing time and money (I have to pay the phone costs myself when going to the Internet) to surf other web pages sufficiently. This is why you are getting here only a very limited on what the INES member organisations are doing/stating about the 11 September, but I can provide to you the entire list of all INES member organisation websites.
In addition, I can offer to those of you who are reading German, a special German-only list of articles, statements etc. which I update every day. From this list, you then can choose the items you would like to receive from me.
I very much hope that those who are responsible for this terror get caught and be brought to court without violating or even killing any other innocent people.
Tobias Damjanov Editor
INES and 11 September
Go to: http://www.inesglobal.com/
At the main page , you'll find further up-to-date references.
The WNII Special Issue on this subject can be found at: http://www.ipb.org/US-terror/Statements.htm/INES.htm
International Peace Bureau (IPB)
The IPB has set up a very useful web site where it has selected statements from non-governmental organisations and individuals following the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001. The purpose is to give inspiration and analysis based on peace movement reactions to this catastrophe - and also to encourage URGENT ACTION to prevent a new spiral of violence and war. You will also find links to other useful websites, articles and petitions to the US government: http://www.ipb.org/selected_statements_from_NGOs.htm
The IPB Statement on terror attacks in New York is available at: http://www.ipb.org/USA_terror.html
UN proposal by the German Scientists' Initiative Responsibility for Peace and Sustainability
On 11 September, the German INES member organisation Scientists' Initiative Responsibility for Peace and Sustainability has issued the following proposal:
"We would like to propose to the United Nations: The United Nations shall invite all head of states and governments of the world, all parliaments and NGOs immediately to gather for a world-peace-conference, in order to work on courageous steps (in the spirit of the frequently cited New Thinking) to solve wars and conflicts, and to work against such senseless outbreaks of violence."
For more information, contact Reiner Braun, Executive Director: or go to (mainly German language): http://natwiss.de
A Global Appeal for 'No more violence!' (submitted by INES Council member Alice Slater, New York)
In an effort to help mobilize global support for nonviolence, to try to stop the cycle of violence and to avert war, a global appeal for peace is now being circulated to thousands of organizations and activists all over the world. Please join the list of endorsers of this appeal now!
A Global Appeal for 'No more violence!'
Deeply saddened by the suffering and deaths of thousands in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, we, people of many different backgrounds from around the world, join with millions of others to denounce these latest acts of terror against innocent civilians. We believe that military retaliation in response to this mass murder will only accelerate the cycle of fear, anger and violence.
We urge our political and religious leaders to heed our appeal for nonviolence. We will not be swayed by calls to support further violence. We will respond to cries for revenge with caring, calm and reason. Violent retaliation and war will only lead to greater losses of life. This, in turn, will only serve to breed more anger, hatred and terror.
Instead, we support the rule of international law. The perpetrators of these crimes, and all other crimes against humanity, crimes against peace and war crimes, should be brought to justice. No individual, group or government should have immunity from international law.
As we mourn for those whose lives were lost on September 11, 2001, we also mourn for all those around the world dying from the violence inflicted by terrorism, war or the lack of food, medicine, water and housing.
Pledge of Nonviolence
Standing firmly together, we will embrace nonviolence to stop the cycle of violence from spiraling even further out of control. We join in solidarity with others around the world to build our common security through disarmament, dialogue and social justice -- not through violent attacks and military might.
We pledge ourselves to support nonviolence as the way towards a peace with justice.
To sign this appeal, go to http://www.flora.org/coat/appeal/
Available from the WNII editor upon request:
Website references to articles
Hartwig Spitzer: Faces of INES
Dear colleagues and friends on the INES Council,
Today I would like to ask you for a contribution towards making INES more visible and responsive: A short statement about you and a picture, for posting on the INES web page. The impetus for this project came from Ase Richard and other young Council members at the recent meeting in Berlin. We wish to build up a sub-page to the INES web site under the heading
FACES OF INES
RESPONSIBLE SCIENTISTS NEAR YOU
The idea is to make Council members more visible and accessible for young INES members, who are looking for advise and expertise of people who are concerned about science, engineering and society. Therefore I ask you to provide me with the following information by SEPTEMBER 15, 2001:
1. A nice PORTRAIT FOTO of you (by mail, or digital form in jpeg format).
2. Your name, full mail ADDRESS, email address and web-site (if applicable) (give professional address if you want to protect your privacy).
3. 5 lines about your PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND WORK.
4. 5 lines about your CONCERNS and ACTIVITIES on science, engineering and society (including membership in other relevant organizations).
5. Which ORGANIZATION are you representing on the Council? (if applicable). What are the main objectives of this organization (3 lines), how many members belong to the organization?
6. Do you agree to post this information on the INES web page?
I am looking forward to your response.
With my best wishes
Hartwig Spitzer, Universität Hamburg
Abolition 2000 homepage: http://www.abolition2000.org
Grassroots News: http://www.napf.org/abolition2000/news/
Psychological Implications of Nuclear Policy
This is an highly interesting draft proposal of the US-based Psychologists for Social Responsibility. It is related to the Congressional Bill to Ban Space-based Weapons to be introduced by Sen. Kucinich on October 2, 2001. The author is Diane Perlman, PhD, among other things a licensed clinical psychologist, and Co-chair, Committee on Globalization, Structural Violence and Disarmament of Division 48 (Peace Psychology) of the American Psychological Association and Psychologists for Social responsibility.
The document is available from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment.
BASIC Paper No. 38 on Upcoming Cuts in the US Nuclear Arsenal
"One Step Forward or Two Steps Back? Upcoming Cuts in the US Nuclear Arsenal" is the title of a new BASIC (British American Security Information Council) Paper, completed prior to the tragic events of September 11, examines the anticipated deep unilateral cuts in the US nuclear arsenal, which are likely to be announced by the Bush administration late this year. The paper looks at the wider context in which the cuts are likely to be pursued, and asks whether the package that the Bush administration is putting together will increase or decrease international security. In particular, it examines the unilateral manner in which the cuts will be made and some of the parallel developments that the US is pursuing, including missile defence and the possible deployment of low-yield "mini-nukes".
The paper can be found at: http://www.basicint.org/BP38.htm
If you have any questions about this paper, or any other aspect of BASIC's work, please contact Mark Bromley in London:
Southern NGO Summit: Regional Electronic Consultations
The Earth Council and the NGO CSD Steering Committee have joined forces to facilitate Regional Electronic Consultations in preparation for the Southern NGO Summit to be held in Algeria, 8-10 October 2001.
These consultations will be held in three phases beginning on 7-27 September 2001.
To register please send to Beatriz Schultess at
the following information:
Name of organisation -- Name of Participant -- Country -- Email address
For more information also contact Beatriz Schultess
2002 WSSD: International Eminent Persons Meeting on Inter-linkages (Summary Report)
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) International Eminent Persons Meeting on Inter-linkages: Strategies for Bridging Problems and Solutions to Work Towards Sustainable Development took place from 3-4 September 2001 at the United Nations University Centre in Tokyo, Japan. The meeting, organized by the United Nations University (UNU), the Japanese Ministries of the Environment and Foreign Affairs, and the Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) International, was attended by over 70 invited participants, including representatives of governments, the academic and scientific communities, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).
The purpose of this meeting was to: review the state of the environment based on linkages between issues; examine the problems and challenges arising from such linkages and their policy responses; and assess how such issues could best be addressed within preparatory processes leading to the WSSD to be held in Johannesburg in 2002. Participants met in three working groups focusing on inter-linkages in Agenda 21, inter-linkages among MEAs, and strategies for sustainable development. The meeting builds on earlier international and regional conferences on synergies and coordination between MEAs held in Tokyo (July 1999) and Kuala Lumpur (February 2001).
A comprehensive Summary Report of this conference has been published in the "Earth Negotiations Bulletin" (Volume 57, Number 01), which is available from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment.
Coverage of the conference can also be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/sd/interlinkages/interlink3/
BRIEFINGS
Disarmament Diplomacy No. 59, July/August 2001
The new edition of Disarmament Diplomacy is now available at: http://www.acronym.org.uk/dd/dd59
Four senior former diplomats - Ambassador Thomas Graham, Jack Mendelsohn, John Rhinelander and Alexander Yereskovsky - set out a possible way of preserving the ABM Treaty while allowing a period of limited testing and development of missile defence systems. Underlining the vital importance of the CTBT, both in itself and as a bulwark of wider nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament efforts, Rebecca Johnson and the new Executive Director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, Daryl Kimball, explore the best means of keeping the goal of entry-into-force within reach in the face of threats to repudiate the accord and signs that the United States and others may be planning to resume nuclear testing.
The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) is also facing an uncertain future, following the US rejection of efforts to elaborate a verification and compliance mechanism for the treaty. Jenni Rissanen reports from Geneva on the impact and repercussions of Washington's stance. Rissanen also provides her latest update on the Conference on Disarmament (CD), nearing the end of another inconclusive session.
The remainder of the issue seeks to document eight hectic weeks of meetings and discussions on a range of arms control issues. The UN Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons, held in July and resulting in the adoption of a hard fought but watered down Programme of Action, features prominently in Documents & Sources, alongside extensive and diverse US, Russian and British comment on missile defence and nuclear reductions. News Review includes coverage of the 56th anniversary of the atomic destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, comments on weapons in space by a senior US military official, resurgent tension in US-North Korea relations, faltering discussions between India and Pakistan, and a depressingly familiar combination of diplomatic stalemate and military action as the UN struggles to reconstruct policy towards Iraq.
CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, SEMINARS
Conference on Equity for a Small Planet http://www.iied.org/wssd/meetings.html
The conference will focus on the dynamics and tensions between globalization and local livelihoods, and provide a platform for Southern experiences to inform the agenda for the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. The meeting also marks the 30th anniversary of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
For more details, mailto:
2001 Asia-Pacific Earth Charter Conference
The purpose of the conference is to promote awareness, acceptance, and adoption of the Earth Charter for the Asia-Pacific Region. The meeting will also contribute to the region's preparation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
For more details, contact: Clem Campbell, Conference Coordinator: http://www.gu.edu.au/centre/kceljag/eljag/04_events/nov2001earthcharter/earth_charter.htm
"Global Environmental Change and the Nation State". 2001 Berlin Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change
The conference will examine the inter-linkages between global and national environmental politics, and look at new forms of global environmental governance that link global institutions with a significant degree of national decision making.
For more information visit: http://www.environmental-policy.de
All INES e-mail addresses and homepages are available upon request from:
New website: International Network of Engineers and Scientists to Protect and Encourage Ethical Engagement (INESPE)
The INES international project group INESPE has now a website of its own so far, however, in German only: http://www.ethikschutz.de
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