Dear All:

Here follows information on avery important initiative undertaken by threesponsoring anti-nuclear groups and an environmental organization in the US - i.e. the launch of an international "Pledge Campaign " for scientists to 'Renounce Weapons of Mass Destruction' --which the sponsorsnote touches on the confluence where true science, disarmament and democracy meet.

The e-mail contains an Intro from one of the co-sponsors, two media releases and I have also downloaded the pledge form and enclosed it at the end of the e-mail
fyi-

As noted herein Joseph Rotblat, a physicist [and signatory of the famed Russell-Einstein Manifesto and Secretary-General of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs among many other distinctions] who shared the Nobel Prize in 1995 for his nuclear nonproliferation work, has endorsed the pledge campaign.

In a written statement, Rotblat said, "At a time when science plays such a powerful role in the life of society, when the whole destiny of mankind may hinge on the results of scientific research, it is incumbent on all scientists to be fully conscious of that role and conduct themselves accordingly."

Andreas Toupadakis, 46, a former Lawrence Livermore Laboratory chemist who quit his job Jan. 31, 2000, because he said he could no longer justify his weapons-related work, supports the pledge. Toupadakis, who spoke at the Saturday event launching the pledge, said he hopes that graduate students will consider committing to the pledge before they embark on their career paths.

It would appear that scientists prepared to sign this pledge to 'Renounce Weapons of Mass Destruction' might take heart from the growing number of government scientists, university professors and private industry scientists who have already taken a similar stand by becoming "whistleblowers " against unethical practice in regard to a number of issues related to -corporate globalization and militarism including: GMO's, Bovine Growth Hormone, Mad Cow, biological and chemical weapons, Depleted Uranium [DU], the World Bank to site a few examples where vested economic interests have appeared to usurp good governance and the public trust, and where a pragmatic 'profit before people' approach seems to threatens not just humanity but the entire living system of which we are apart.

I assume that Dr. Helen Caldicott, world renowned anti-nuclear activist and physician ,might well be a part of this initiative and if not that she will be one of the first to sign on- Her speech to the US Green Party Convention in Boulder Colorado [which I viewed on video purchased from Ralph Cole's DemocracyU Justice Vision Series] was a dynamite diatribe against globalization a la McDonalds and Rupert Murdoch, and the Pentagon, and the nuclear industry wherein she related how she had attempted to dissuade American nuclear workers from their careers -questioning why they would continue to work in an industry which was threatening the future of the planet, their own lives and those of their children.

all the best, - janet

Dear Peace and Enviro colleagues:

Here is an article I believe will be of great interest. The article, below, describes the lauch of an international "Pledge Campaign" -- which touches the confluence where true science, disarmament and democracy meet.

For a copy of the Scientists' and Engineers'Pledge form and other background materials discussed in the article, check out the web sites of the four sponsoring organizations --

http://www.igc.org/tvc for Tri-Valley CAREs (includes a downloadable pdf pledge form),
http://www.lasg.orgfor the Los Alamos Study Group (includes an electronic pledge form),
http://www.wslfweb.org for Western States Legal Foundation (pdf pledge form) and
http://www.nrdc.org for Natural Resources Defense Council.

Here is the article. Happy reading...

February 20, 2001
By Glenn Roberts Jr.
STAFF WRITER,
Tri-Valley Herald/Alameda Newspapers Group

Three anti-nuclear groups and a national environmental organization have begun an international campaign asking scientists and engineers to pledge not to perform work relevant to weapons of mass destruction.

Launched in San Francisco during this weekend's annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the campaign asks researchers to pledge never to participate in "the design, development, testing, production, maintenance, targeting, or use" of weapons of mass destruction.

Those who take the pledge are asked to renounce "research or engineering that... (will likely) be used by others" to study weapons of mass destruction.

Joseph Rotblat, a physicist who shared the Nobel Prize in 1995 for his nuclear nonproliferation work, has endorsed the pledge campaign.

In a written statement, Rotblat said, "At a time when science plays such a powerful role in the life of society, when the whole destiny of mankind may hinge on the results of scientific research, it is incumbent on all scientists to be fully conscious of that role and conduct themselves accordingly."

Responsibility

He added, "I appeal to my fellow scientists to remember their responsibility to humanity."

The campaign was organized by Livermore-based Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment, Oakland-based Western States Legal Foundation, New Mexico's Los Alamos Study Group, and the national Natural Resources Defense Council.

Andreas Toupadakis, 46, a former Lawrence Livermore Laboratory chemist who quit his job Jan. 31, 2000, because he said he could no longer justify his weapons-related work, supports the pledge.

Toupadakis, who spoke at the Saturday event launching the pledge, said he hopes that graduate students will consider committing to the pledge before they embark on their career paths.

"This pledge is trying to bring awareness to graduate students, to make sure that they don't join places where they will regret it afterward," he said Monday.

By studying what agencies are paying for research, scientists and engineers can try to determine whether the work will likely benefit weapons of mass destruction, Toupadakis said. Scientists must realize that there is an important link between weapons work and the foreign policy of the United States.

Toupadakis said that since he left the lab, "I do what I like now -- I don't do what I don't believe in."

Marylia Kelley, executive director for Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment said the campaign collected about 18 signatures on Saturday, and scientists attending the conference were encouraged to take time to mail in their pledges after the event.

Michio Kaku, a theoretical physics professor at City University in New York; Charles Schwartz, emeritus physics professor at University of California, Berkeley; Pervez Hodbhoy, a visiting physics professor from Pakistan; and Zia Mian, a research scientist at Princeton University, are also among the pledge's supporters.

"This is an international drive," Kelley said. "Our goal is an education campaign -- (to make researchers) aware of the different guises under which nuclear weapons research and development hides."

She added, "If scientists and engineers refuse to do (weapons) work, then no matter how much money governments are willing to put into it, it won't happen."

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<http://www.igc.org/tvc/> - is our web site, please visit us there!

(925) 443-7148 - is our phone
(925) 443-0177 - is our fax

Working for peace, justice and a healthy environment since 1983, Tri-Valley CAREs has been a member of the nation-wide Alliance for Nuclear Accountability in the U.S. since 1989, and is a co-founding member of the Abolition 2000 global network for the elimination of nuclear weapons, the U.S. Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and the Back From the Brink campaign to get nuclear weapons taken off hair-trigger alert.

To subscribe to the Abolition Global Caucus, send an email from the account you wish to be subscribed to:
"abolition-caucus-subscribe@egroups.com"

Scientists' and Engineers' Pledge
To Renounce Weapons of Mass Destruction

I pledge never to participate in -

the design, development, testing, production, maintenance, targeting, or use of nuclear, biological,or chemical weapons or their means of delivery; or in research or engineering that I have reason to believe will be used by others to do so.

Name:
Institutional Affiliation:
Discipline or Occupation:

We will not release or distribute your contact information without your permission.

Address:
City:
State:
Postal Code/Zip Code:
Country:
E-mail address:

Would You Like to Comment?

Print out a copy of the Pledge form

Initial sponsoring organizations:

Los Alamos Study Group, Attn:Greg Mello, 212
E. Marcy Street, #10, Santa Fe, NM USA 87501
Natural Resources Defense Council, Nuclear
Program, Attn:Christopher Paine, 1200 New
York Ave. NW #400, Washington, DC USA 20005
Tri-Valley CAREs, Attn:Marylia Kelley, 2582
Old First Street, Livermore, CA USA 94550
Western States Legal Foundation, Attn:Jackie
Cabasso, 1504 Franklin Street, Suite 202,
Oakland, CA USA 94612