With the decision on Trident fast approaching, Yorkshire CND is supporting a new initiative the Public Interest Case Against Trident (PICAT) developed by Trident Ploughshares and Action AWE. The aim of PICAT is to further pursue the legal angle in our campaign to scrap Trident.
As the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have classified the threat of use of Nuclear Weapons as a War Crime, PICAT argues that any MP voting for a new nuclear weapons program is therefore conspiring to commit a war crime.
The aim of PICAT is for groups of citizens from around the country to send a letter to the Secretary of Defence requesting an assurance that British nuclear weapons will never be used. The first Yorkshire group to take up the challenge is from the Bradford area led by local campaigners Eivind Havnerås and Silvia Boyes. The group is currently looking for further co-signatories to the initial letter (15 have signed to date), to make the statement as strong as possible – view letter to the Secretary of State for Defence.
Eivind says “We believe that this road is worth taking to prove to the decision makers that there is a large opposition against Trident and that they are on very shaky legal grounds if deciding to renew Trident. These efforts do not come on the expense of existing campaigns but as an addition to them. While we expect to receive an unsatisfactory response from the Secretary of Defence, we will then pursue this issue further in court and with a letter for the Attorney General. If you share our concerns as to the legality of these weapons of mass destruction then please join us a a co-signatory and let’s force the Government to answer our concerns.”
The letter is currently held in the Yorkshire CND office so do drop in if you’d like to become a signatory or contact us and let us know.
Leeds CND is also planning to start proceeding in the new year, contact them if you’d like to help (leedscnd@riseup.net).
If you’re interested in getting a group together in your local area follow the brilliant step by step instructions (which included sample letters). We at the YCND office can help with getting a group together and getting in touch with your local press.
