The UN Just Voted To Outlaw Nuclear Weapons Completely In 2017

Amassing heavy duty nuclear weapons and the egoistic chest thumping that comes along with it when weapons are put on display every year at annual parades across countries, is a reflection of the tension and distrust in the Global Community. Global super powers such as the United States, Russia and China cling strongly to their nuclear arsenal so as to secure their citizens and allies against any outside threats to their national security.

For a larger part of the last two decades, the world has witnessed severe paralysis in multipartite nuclear disarmament, as reported by the Centre for Research on Globalisation. In a landmark decision, the United Nations has decided to adopt a major resolution to negotiate a treaty that outlaws nuclear weapons in 2017. The voting in the UN General Assembly marked a historic moment in the nuclear issues timeline, with 123 countries voting in favour of the resolution, 38 against and 16 abstaining. This has set up the foundation for the negations to be held next year, open to all member nations of the General Assembly to discuss the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

India has always abstained from voting on issues concerning nuclear weapons. India refused to sign the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, which helps prevent non-nuclear countries from acquiring the weapons and limits the production of new nuclear weapons. The reason for this decision can be attributed to the increasingly hostile relationship between us and our neighbours, Pakistan and China.

As per an analytic report in The Independent supporters of the ban think that although complete adherence to the treaty might take a while, it could impose immense international pressure on nuclear countries to draw down and destroy their stockpiles. The environmental and humanitarian catastrophes perpetuated by nuclear warfare will never be forgotten. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are testament to the destruction waged by the misuse of nuclear weapons even today. The greatest challenge in the path towards a peaceful world takes shape in the idea that many countries dismiss outlawing nuclear weapons as an ‘idealistic’ notion.  Chinese aggression in the South China Sea, and the uncertainties surrounding the advancing North Korean nuclear program is exemplary of this notion. All this makes it crucial to take significant decisions related to nuclear weapons that affect the near future of the global community.

Accurately summarising why we need this treaty in the present day, Thomas Hajnoczi, Austria’s ambassador to the UN, told Bloomberg “Given the tremendous humanitarian consequences of any nuclear explosion,we have to take action. Nuclear weapons states always say it’s too early for such a treaty but we think the time is right to create legal norms to ban weapons of mass destruction.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Feature Image courtesy: Wallpapercarve