Noor UL Shahbaz
We are passing one more year 2023, and it elapsed with various experiences in our lives. The joy, fun and light was a close part of some lives but we witnessed collectively the horror, sadness and darkness as well because we are of the same race and some of our our brothers and sisters irrespective of the cast, creed, colour, sex and religion had to suffer from the bad experiences and war is one of them. The biggest threat and challenge to humankind is war, and the inability to suppress the means which sparks it is much worse threat. It is not a battle of any alien or other foreign agency against we humans but unfortunately a war of a human being against fellow human beings. The irony in this advanced age, man is the killer, the murderer; the accomplice of crime, genocide against his brothers, sisters, children, age old men and women, and all this is done by a human being. Manufacturing of arms and ammunition and the nuclear weapons by materialistic, greedy and enemies of humanity must be dealt strongly. The other people who are manufacturing the new faiths of nationalism, religionism, racism, and regionalism are the culprits who divide people of the same blood.
Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous weapons on earth. One can destroy a whole city-state, potentially killing millions, and jeopardizing the natural environment and lives of future generations through its long-term catastrophic effects. The dangers from such weapons arise from their very existence. The global nuclear stockpile is close to 13,000 in our world today and there have been over 2,000 nuclear tests conducted to date. Disarmament is the best protection against such dangers, but achieving this goal has been a tremendously difficult challenge. Nuclear weapons are the most terrifying weapon ever invented: no weapon is more destructive; no weapon causes such unspeakable human suffering; and there is no way to control how far the radioactive fallout will spread or how long the effects will last. The very existence of nuclear weapons is a threat to future generations, and indeed to the survival of humanity. What’s more, given the current regional and international tensions, the risk of nuclear weapons being used is the highest it’s been since the Cold War. Nuclear-armed States are modernizing their arsenals, and their command and control systems are becoming more vulnerable to cyber attacks. There is plenty of cause for alarm about the danger we all face. Russia has the most confirmed nuclear weapons, with approximately 5, 500 nuclear warheads. The United States follows behind with approximately 5,428 nuclear weapons. Total nuclear warheads owned by these 2 countries alone counts for 90% of nuclear weapons in the world.
What makes nuclear weapons the worst?
- They cause a lot of destruction and death.
A single nuclear weapon can destroy a city and kill most of its people. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are prime examples of the fatality caused by an atomic bomb. Several nuclear explosions over modern cities would kill tens of millions of people. Casualties from a major nuclear war between the US and Russia would reach hundreds of millions. - Civilians are the main victims.
The extreme destruction caused by nuclear weapons cannot be limited to military targets or to combatants. Civilians are more often the majority of casualties from a nuclear attack; those within range are either killed or suffer long-term health implications from a nuclear blast and resulting radiation. Even those in neighbouring cities or countries would suffer from the impact of a nuclear detonation. Due to the inability of nuclear weapons to distinguish between civilians and militants, and the lack of control we have over nuclear blasts makes them a prime example of inhumane weaponry that needs to be outlawed. - They lead to high levels of radiation.
Nuclear weapons produce ionizing radiation, which kills or sickens those exposed, contaminates the environment, and has long-term health consequences, including cancer and genetic damage. The legacy of nuclear testing means that up to 2.4 million people worldwide will die from illnesses linked to nuclear testing in the twentieth century. Even the production of nuclear weapons has an effect on the environment. Producing the explosive materials used in nuclear weapons leads to long-lasting radioactive pollution. - They could lead to climate disruption and worldwide famine.
Use of less than one percent of the nuclear weapons in the world could disrupt the global climate and threaten as many as two billion people with starvation in a nuclear famine. The thousands of nuclear weapons possessed by the US and Russia could bring about a nuclear winter, destroying the essential ecosystems on which all life depends. - Humanitarian aid wouldn’t be provided to victims.
There would be no humanitarian response. Physicians and first responders would be unable to work in devastated, radioactively contaminated areas. Even a single nuclear detonation in a modern city would strain existing disaster relief resources to the breaking point; a nuclear war would overwhelm any relief system we could build in advance. Displaced populations from a nuclear war will produce a refugee crisis that is orders of magnitude larger than any we have ever experienced. - Widespread implications to health and the environment.
Whether or not they are detonated, nuclear weapons cause widespread harm to health and to the environment. Those that have nuclear weapons are unable to fully control them, making them a constant liability. - Misuse of public funds.
Spending on nuclear weapons detracts limited resources away from vital social services. Currently states that are armed with nuclear weapons spend close to US $225 million a day on nuclear forces.
A number of multilateral treaties have since been established with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation and testing, while promoting progress in nuclear disarmament. These include the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests In The Atmosphere, In Outer Space And Under Water, also known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which was signed in 1996 but has yet to enter into force, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). But still butchering of humans is going on without any strong checks rather we can say complete ban by law ans other sovereign institutions.
Conclusion, what can we do?
We are all responsible for making sure that decision makers understand that nuclear weapons have no place in the world we want for ourselves or for future generations. Putting the issue of nuclear weapons on the agendas of civic, religious, social and other organizations you are part of become a global advocate for your family, your children and your grandchildren. Their future depends on a nuclear-free world. It’s time to act for humanity. I am member of an Organisation (GALTER -Global Academy of Law-Tech Education and Research) whose founder Director is one of the reputed, well known and acclaimed academician and author in India Prof. (Dr.) M. K Bhandari to whom and his team I request through the medium of this article that our organisation must take a strong step for the sake of humanity and law (where ever it is violated) try to save the human race from the scourge of war, the threat of widespread manufacturing, stockpiling of arms and ammunition. On 29th December during an annual general meet of GALTER the last words from your good self were “hope to see a better year – 2024 because our world, our people are suffering badly by these wars and other members acknowledged your words” so we must determine to search for the ways and means for the long lasting peace around our globe and dictate to the enemies of humanity from our platform (GALTER) that there is no ethico-legal justifiability of your actions. We must prepare the draft proposals, memorandums, and recommendations and submit to different governments with regard to the eminent dangers from these arms and ammunition. We must play our part as GALTER family so that future generations will not curse us. Sir, reiterate your words, hope to see a better future of ours and our fellow beings.
Noor UL Shahbaz (M. A, LL.M GOLD MEDALIST),Lecturer and former acting Principal at Sopore Law College, can be reached at im1415151819@gmail.com
