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abolition-usa-digest    Tuesday, September 29 1998    Volume 01 : Number 021




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 08:51:24 -0700
From: Shundahai Network <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) "Antinuclear Questionnaire"

excellent questionaire, Ellen! We look forward to using this with our
campus organizing here in Lost Wages

At 10:18 AM 9/25/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Sue Broidy, et al,
\
***************************************************************
                   SHUNDAHAI NETWORK
          "Peace and Harmony with all Creation"
              *Breaking the Nuclear Chain*

        5007 Elmhurst Ln., Las Vegas, NV 89108-1304
ph(702)647-3095 Fax: [phone]  Email: [e-mail]
                    http://www.shundahai.org

     Shundahai Network is proud to be part of:
Healing Global Wounds Alliance, a multi-cultural alliance to
foster sustainable living and break the nuclear chain; and
Abolition 2000: A Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons
****************************************************************

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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
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------------------------------

Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 05:38:58 +1000
From: hcaldic <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Re: Ideas for Chicago Meeting October 9th

Peace through Reason wrote:
>
> Sue Broidy, et al,
>
> Wish we could be at the Chicago meeting.  Would have liked to tell you
> about our Campus Outreach Project, online at http://prop1.org - click
> "Proposition One" button, then "Campus Organizing" buttons.
>
> Each question on the following "Antinuclear Questionnaire" below, which you
> can access from that page, links to official information.  Students like
> filling out the questionnaire, which is a quick education in itself; they
> can get in-depth information by going on-line.
>
> If you'd like to use this, please do.
>
> Ellen Thomas
> Proposition One Committee
> [e-mail] - http://prop1.org
>
> ANTI-NUCLEAR QUESTIONNAIRE
>
> 1. Q. Did you know the U.S. has spent, since 1945, $5.8 trillion on nuclear
> weapons (roughly the amount of the National Debt)?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 2. Q. Would you support a bill now in Congress (HR-827) promoting global
> nuclear
> disarmament and conversion of the war machines?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 3. Q. How do you feel about $269 billion of your tax dollars going to the
> Pentagon in
> 1998 (more than either Clinton or Pentagon requested)?
>
> a. Strongly oppose
> b. Mildly oppose
> c. Need more information
>
> 4. Q. Are you aware that on July 3, 1997, the U.S. Government did the first
> of a
> series of "subcritical nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site, despite the
> Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 5. Q. How do you feel about your tax dollars being spent to develop the new
> burrowing nuclear bomb (despite the nuclear non-proliferation treaty)?
>
> a. Strongly oppose
> b. Mildly oppose
> c. Need more information
>
> 6. Q. Did you know that Gulf War veterans are suffering from radiation
> poisoning
> from depleted uranium used in U.S. artillery shells?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 7. Q. Do you feel that you and your family would be safer if there were no
> nuclear
> weapons?
>
> a. Safer without
> b. Safer with
> c. Need more information
>
> 8. Q. Do you feel that you and your family would be safer if there were no
> nuclear
> power plants?
>
> a. Safer without
> b. Safer with
> c. Need more information
>
> 9. Q. How do you feel about Department of Energy and Congressional plan to
> ship
> the nuclear waste (now at over 120 nuclear power and research plants in the
> U.S.) to
> Nevada [on Western Shoshone land] for "temporary" storage at Yucca Mountain,
> which had a 4.0-richter earthquake as recently as September 1997?
>
> a. Strongly disapprove
> b. Strongly approve
> c. Need more information
>
> 10. Q. How do you feel about the U.S. plans for eleven more launches of
> plutonium
> into space? (The Cassini launch to Saturn carried 72.3 lbs. in October, 1997.)
>
> a. Strongly disapprove
> b. Strongly approve
> c. Need more information
>
> 11. Q. Did you know the World Court ruled in 1996 that the threat or use of
> nuclear
> weapons is illegal?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 12. Q. Did you know that 62 retired generals and admirals issued a
> statement in
> 1996 that nuclear weapons are "unsafe" and "unnecessary" and should be
> eliminated
> as quickly as possible?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 13. Q. Did you know that 84% of 1,006 Americans polled in '97 wanted
> elimination
> of nuclear weapons?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 14. Q. How do you feel about funding cuts for education, health care, housing,
> food, while the Pentagon receives more money than it asks for?
>
> a. Strongly oppose
> b. Mildly oppose
> c. Agree with funding cuts
>
> 15. Q. Do you as an individual feel that you have the power to change what you
> don't like?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 16. Q. Would you support a United Nations convention devoted to abolishing all
> nuclear weapons worldwide?
>
> a. Yes
> b. No
> c. Need more information
>
> 17. Q. Do you know how to contact your Representative and Senator? Date of
> last
> contact:
>
> 1. This year
> 2. Last year
> 3. Never
>
> 18. Q. Would you be willing to donate some of your time each week to be a
> campus
> organizer for global nuclear disarmament?
>
> a. Yes (How Many? (mark one) :
> / / 2 hours -- / / 4 hours -- / / 8 hours -- / / more)
> b. No
>
> Thank you for your time. This information is for our own survey purposes only.
> Proposition One Committee is a non-profit organization devoted to the
> elimination
> of nuclear weapons.
>
> Please copy and send this answered questionnaire to us by mail, or by
> e-mail (save
> as ".txt" file, type in answers, copy to email, and send, subject
> "Questionnaire").
>
> If you reply -- "need more information" -- be clear what information you
> need: copy
> the question from the questionnaire and write your thoughts on the subject,
> please,
>
> Name: ____________________________________________________
>
> Address: ____________________________________________________
>
> E-mail: _____________________ Website: _______________________
> Phone: _______________________ Fax: _________________________
>
> For students:
> Name of school: ______________________________________
> Campus Activities: ___________________________________
> Fraternity/Sorority: __________________________________
>
>        Proposition One Committee -- [e-mail] -- http://prop1.org
>                 PO Box 27217, Washington DC 20038 USA
>                   202-462-0757 (ph) -- 202-265-5389 (fax)
>
> http://prop1.org/prop1/question.htm
> _______________________________________________________________________
>
> * Peace Through Reason - http://prop1.org - Convert the War Machines! *
> _______________________________________________________________________
>
> -
>  To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
>  with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
>  For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
>  "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

    This is excellent!!!! Helen Caldicott



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------------------------------

Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 15:35:15 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Mandela's UN speech

Dear Friends,
Below is a press release we issued from GRACE to publicize Mandela's UN
talk on nuclear abolition which got swamped in the media by THE VIDEO of
Clinton and you know what.  Thanks for all the copies I received of letters
our Network wrote to Nelson Mandela.  A journalist recommended that we do
this to see if we can get some news of Mandela's remarks published.  Please
feel free to borrow or adapat, if you think it's a good idea, to use with
your local media.  The material in quotes is the part of Mandela's speech
referring to nuclear abolition.  I have written the full text of his
remarks on nuclear weapons below the press release.


MEDIA ADVISORY                        Contact:  Alice Slater
September 24, 1998                                [phone]


PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA CALLS FOR ELIMINATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
               AT THE U.N.GENERAL ASSEMBLY

New York, NY - The Global Resource Action Center for the Environment
(GRACE) praised
Nelson Mandela's stirring wakeup call for the elimination of nuclear
weapons at the United Nations this week.

Speaking at the opening day of the General Assembly, Mandela noted that
"The very first resolution of the General Assembly, adopted in January
1946, sought to address the challenge of 'the elimination from national
armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adapatable to mass
destruction."    He called on all nations to support the efforts of South
Africa and seven other nations, Brazil, Egypt, Ireland,
Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, and Sweden who are submitting a resolution
to the UN titled "Towards a Nuclear Weapons Free World:  The Need for  New
Agenda".  They are calling on all nuclear weapons states to take immediate
steps for nuclear disarmament and to demonstrate by actions taken now that
the world will not enter the next millenium without a firm commitment to
total nuclear disarmament in place.

Mandela said, "We must ask the question which might sound na=EFve to those
who have elaborated sophisticated arguments to justify their refusal to
eliminate these terrible and terrifying weapons of mass destruction--why
do they need them anyway!"  He added, "In reality, no rational answer can
be advanced to explain in a satisfactory manner what in the end, is the
consequence of Cold War inertia and an attachment to the use of the threat
of brute force, to assert the primacy of some States over others."

GRACE President, Alice Slater, said that, "At a time of growing nuclear
break-out, with India and Pakistan joining the nuclear club and North
Korea rattling its nuclear sabers,  Mandela's words are an inspiration to
our efforts to rid the world of the nuclear scourge."  GRACE is a founder
of Abolition 2000, a burgeoning network of over 1100 organizations on
every continent working for the elimination of nuclear weapons.  Slater
added, "The US Abolition Campaign will be launched in Chicago in October
and we welcome the leadership and moral support of South Africa and the
New Agenda Coalition to help us reverse the nuclear insanity and secure
the future of the planet for our children and grandchildren."=20


MANDELA TEXT: RE NUCLEAR WEAPONS (Excerpt of 9/21/98 remarks to UNGA)

The very first resolution of the General Assembly, adopted in January 1946,
sought to address the challenge of "the elimination from national armaments
of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adapatable to mass
destruction."=20

We must face the fact that after countless initiatives and resolutions, we
still do not have concrete and generally accepted proposals supported by a
clear commitment by the nuclear-weapons States to the speedy, final and
total elimination of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons capabilities.

We take this opportunity to salute our sister Republic of Brazil for its
decision=20
to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and urge all others that
have not done so to follow this excellent example.

In an honest attempt to contribute to the definition of the systematic and
progressive steps required to eliminate these weapons and the threat of
annihilation which they pose, South Africa together with Brazil, Egypt,
Ireland, Mexico, New Zeland, Slovenia and Sweden will be submitting a draft
resolution to the First Committee for consideration by this Assembly.

This is appropriately titled: "Towards a Nuclear Weapon Free World: The
Need for a New Agenda."

I call on all members of the United Nations seriously to consdier this
important resolution and give it their support.

We must ask the question, which might sound naive to those who have
eleaborated sophisicticated arguments to justify their refusal to eliminate
these terrible and terrifying weapons of mass destrcti9on--why do they need
them anyway!

In reality, no rational answer can be advanced to explain in a satisfactory
manner what in the end, is the consequence of Cold War inertia and an
attachment to the use of the threat of brute force, to assert the primacy
of some States over others.
Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment
15 East 26 St.
New York, NY  10010
212-726-9161(tel)
212-726-9160(fax)

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000: A Global Network for the Elimination
of Nuclear Weapons



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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
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 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 17:08:22 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) ACTION ALERT-CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTIONS

Dear Friends,
Here's an updated list on the two Congressional Resolutions we are supporting.
Here's who signed so far:

Markey Resolution H. Con.Res.307(eliminate Stockpile Stewardship funding
for new nuclear weapons research, design and development)
Lee, Tierney, Woolsey, Furse, Maloney, Nadler, Schumer Lowey, Filner,
Pallone, McGovern, Owens (Ask your rep to call Jeff Duncan in Markey's
office to sign on: 202-225-2836)

Woolsey Resolution HR479(calling on Clinton to negotiate a treaty)
Filner, Town, Furse, Kenney, J., Olver, Norton, Sanders, Frank, Miller,G.,
Nadler, Lee, Mink, DeFazio, Waxman, Stark, McGovern, Slaughter, Hinchley,
Faleomavega, Lofgren, Owens, Hooley, Lowey, Hilliard, Kilpatrick, Markey,
Rivers, Rush, Maloney (Ask your rep to call Mark Dooley in Woolsey's office
to sign on: 202-225-5161)

Key people to contact would be those who signed the Woolsey Resolution and
have not yet signed the Markey Resolution as they address similar issues.
Please make your calls right away.  The Markey resolution to eliminate
stockpile stewardship funding for new nukes NEEDS LOTS OF HELP!!!  Many
thanks.
Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment
15 East 26 St.
New York, NY  10010
212-726-9161(tel)
212-726-9160(fax)

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000: A Global Network for the Elimination
of Nuclear Weapons



- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
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------------------------------

Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 16:42:01 -0600
From: [e-mail] (Joan Russow)
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Re: Ideas for Chicago Meeting October 9th

Dear Helen and Sue


Great letter . Perhaps a few questions could be added

Did you know that the US has developed technical means i.e. laser induced
micro thermal nuclear explosions to test weapons and thus as able to bypass
the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

Did you know that every member state of the United Nations made a
commitment in Stockholm in 1972 to eliminate the production of weapons of
mass destruction

Did you know that the five permanent members of the Security Council are
nuclear armed states

Did you know that the US voted against an INternational Criminal Court and
the banning of Land Mines

Did you know that the US has a first strike/first use nuclear weapons policy

Did you know that the US targetting plan "the integrated data base"
includes the targeting of Canada, Israel and its NATO allies (Other sites
not yet confirmed) 450,000 nuclear targets and since Canada is highly
targetted it is likely that all NATO allies are also targetted

Did you know that in terms social statistics including health, crime,
disease, rape, etc the US has the worst indicators of all highly
industrialized nations

Did you know that much of the nuclear waste has been dumped on the land of
indigenous peoples or of disadvantaged peoples


Did you know that world heritage sites are being sacrificed for the mining
of uranium

Did you know that the US plans to dump nuclear waste at a site in Sierra
Blanco upstream from the Mexican Border

Did you know that the sale of civil nuclear technology has resulted in
acquisition of nuclear weapons (India and Pakistan)

Did you know that the US government has spent ??? on promoting civil
nuclear technology at the expense of alternative socially equitable and
environmentally sound technologies

Did you know that the US is the largest debtor nation in the world

Did you know that the US has the highest arrears in its payment to the
United Nations

Suggested by
Joan Russow and Fred Knelman


>Peace through Reason wrote:
>>
>> Sue Broidy, et al,
>>
>> Wish we could be at the Chicago meeting.  Would have liked to tell you
>> about our Campus Outreach Project, online at http://prop1.org - click
>> "Proposition One" button, then "Campus Organizing" buttons.
>>
>> Each question on the following "Antinuclear Questionnaire" below, which you
>> can access from that page, links to official information.  Students like
>> filling out the questionnaire, which is a quick education in itself; they
>> can get in-depth information by going on-line.
>>
>> If you'd like to use this, please do.
>>
>> Ellen Thomas
>> Proposition One Committee
>> [e-mail] - http://prop1.org
>>
>> ANTI-NUCLEAR QUESTIONNAIRE
>>
>> 1. Q. Did you know the U.S. has spent, since 1945, $5.8 trillion on nuclear
>> weapons (roughly the amount of the National Debt)?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 2. Q. Would you support a bill now in Congress (HR-827) promoting global
>> nuclear
>> disarmament and conversion of the war machines?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 3. Q. How do you feel about $269 billion of your tax dollars going to the
>> Pentagon in
>> 1998 (more than either Clinton or Pentagon requested)?
>>
>> a. Strongly oppose
>> b. Mildly oppose
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 4. Q. Are you aware that on July 3, 1997, the U.S. Government did the first
>> of a
>> series of "subcritical nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site, despite the
>> Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 5. Q. How do you feel about your tax dollars being spent to develop the new
>> burrowing nuclear bomb (despite the nuclear non-proliferation treaty)?
>>
>> a. Strongly oppose
>> b. Mildly oppose
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 6. Q. Did you know that Gulf War veterans are suffering from radiation
>> poisoning
>> from depleted uranium used in U.S. artillery shells?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 7. Q. Do you feel that you and your family would be safer if there were no
>> nuclear
>> weapons?
>>
>> a. Safer without
>> b. Safer with
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 8. Q. Do you feel that you and your family would be safer if there were no
>> nuclear
>> power plants?
>>
>> a. Safer without
>> b. Safer with
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 9. Q. How do you feel about Department of Energy and Congressional plan to
>> ship
>> the nuclear waste (now at over 120 nuclear power and research plants in the
>> U.S.) to
>> Nevada [on Western Shoshone land] for "temporary" storage at Yucca Mountain,
>> which had a 4.0-richter earthquake as recently as September 1997?
>>
>> a. Strongly disapprove
>> b. Strongly approve
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 10. Q. How do you feel about the U.S. plans for eleven more launches of
>> plutonium
>> into space? (The Cassini launch to Saturn carried 72.3 lbs. in October,
>>1997.)
>>
>> a. Strongly disapprove
>> b. Strongly approve
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 11. Q. Did you know the World Court ruled in 1996 that the threat or use of
>> nuclear
>> weapons is illegal?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 12. Q. Did you know that 62 retired generals and admirals issued a
>> statement in
>> 1996 that nuclear weapons are "unsafe" and "unnecessary" and should be
>> eliminated
>> as quickly as possible?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 13. Q. Did you know that 84% of 1,006 Americans polled in '97 wanted
>> elimination
>> of nuclear weapons?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 14. Q. How do you feel about funding cuts for education, health care,
>>housing,
>> food, while the Pentagon receives more money than it asks for?
>>
>> a. Strongly oppose
>> b. Mildly oppose
>> c. Agree with funding cuts
>>
>> 15. Q. Do you as an individual feel that you have the power to change
>>what you
>> don't like?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 16. Q. Would you support a United Nations convention devoted to
>>abolishing all
>> nuclear weapons worldwide?
>>
>> a. Yes
>> b. No
>> c. Need more information
>>
>> 17. Q. Do you know how to contact your Representative and Senator? Date of
>> last
>> contact:
>>
>> 1. This year
>> 2. Last year
>> 3. Never
>>
>> 18. Q. Would you be willing to donate some of your time each week to be a
>> campus
>> organizer for global nuclear disarmament?
>>
>> a. Yes (How Many? (mark one) :
>> / / 2 hours -- / / 4 hours -- / / 8 hours -- / / more)
>> b. No
>>
>> Thank you for your time. This information is for our own survey purposes
>>only.
>> Proposition One Committee is a non-profit organization devoted to the
>> elimination
>> of nuclear weapons.
>>
>> Please copy and send this answered questionnaire to us by mail, or by
>> e-mail (save
>> as ".txt" file, type in answers, copy to email, and send, subject
>> "Questionnaire").
>>
>> If you reply -- "need more information" -- be clear what information you
>> need: copy
>> the question from the questionnaire and write your thoughts on the subject,
>> please,
>>
>> Name: ____________________________________________________
>>
>> Address: ____________________________________________________
>>
>> E-mail: _____________________ Website: _______________________
>> Phone: _______________________ Fax: _________________________
>>
>> For students:
>> Name of school: ______________________________________
>> Campus Activities: ___________________________________
>> Fraternity/Sorority: __________________________________
>>
>>        Proposition One Committee -- [e-mail] -- http://prop1.org
>>                 PO Box 27217, Washington DC 20038 USA
>>                   202-462-0757 (ph) -- 202-265-5389 (fax)
>>
>> http://prop1.org/prop1/question.htm
>> _______________________________________________________________________
>>
>> * Peace Through Reason - http://prop1.org - Convert the War Machines! *
>> _______________________________________________________________________
>>
>> -
>>  To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
>>  with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
>>  For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
>>  "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.
>
>        This is excellent!!!! Helen Caldicott
>
>
>
>-
> To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
> with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
> For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
> "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.



- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 05:55:57 -0700
From: Shundahai Network <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) BAGPIPE Exploded 9/26 3:07pm pst

Dear Friends,

We are sad to announce that "Bagpipe", the second U.S.subcritical nuclear
weapons test of 1998 was exploded at 3:07 pm Pacific Standard Time on
Saturday, September 26.

This test had been plagued with technical and safety problems since the
beginning of it's preparation. Even on the "shot" day, it was postponed
over an hour while corrections were made.

Members of the Western Shoshone Nation, Shundahai Network, Alliance of
Atomic Veterans, Nevada Desert Experience, Citizens for Alternatives to
Nuclear Dumping (CARD), CHAOS, and PARANOIDS camped out at the Nevada Test
Site the night before and nonviolent direct actions to oppose the test took
place.

Four staff members of Shundahai Network and a CARD representative were
arrested inside the Nevada Test Site at approximately 10:30am in an attempt
to blockade the main road leading to the "Control Point" (where the button
is pushed).

Following the test, a vigil was held at the Foley Federal Building to
protest this "Hypocritical" test. There was strong public support from
people passing by.

We will continue to organize and educate the American Public about these
tests.

DOE says that they are prepared to conduct at least one more subcritical
test before the end of the year. We will keep you posted.

Thank you to all of the activists around the world that sent in letters to
the U.S. government demanding that these tests be canceled. As well we
thank our friends in San Francisco, Idaho, and New York City that held
demonstrations and vigils.

In Peace, Reinard


***************************************************************
                   SHUNDAHAI NETWORK
          "Peace and Harmony with all Creation"
              *Breaking the Nuclear Chain*

        5007 Elmhurst Ln., Las Vegas, NV 89108-1304
ph(702)647-3095 Fax: [phone]  Email: [e-mail]
                    http://www.shundahai.org

     Shundahai Network is proud to be part of:
Healing Global Wounds Alliance, a multi-cultural alliance to
foster sustainable living and break the nuclear chain; and
Abolition 2000: A Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons
****************************************************************

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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 20:33:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Timothy Bruening <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Draft of Bagpipe letter

Below is a draft of a letter on the Bagpipe test.  What do you think of this
letter?  How can I improve it?

U.S. Violates Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty For The Fourth Time!

On Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998 at 3:07 PM (A day that will live in infamy), the
US Department of Energy conducted the subcritical nuclear test code-named
Bagpipe. A subcritical test involves an amount of plutonium too small to
produce a nuclear explosion, but will still provide information about
nuclear weapons explosions.

I believe that subcritical nuclear tests clearly violate the spirit of the
historic Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) signed in September 1996 by
President Clinton.  The CTBT commits the U.S. "not to carry out any nuclear
weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion..." The DOE claims
these experiments are permissible because the CTBT does not define "nuclear
weapon" test. These tests make global adoption of the CTBT less likely by
encouraging other nations to copy the U.S. decision to continue testing and
update their nuclear arsenals.  In fact, Russia plans to conduct a
subcritical test soon.

These tests especially contradict the condemnation expressed  by the U.S.
government against India and Pakistan for conducting their own series of
nuclear weapons tests earlier this year.  Thus, I believe that its
hypocritical for the U.S. to conduct subcritical tests while condemning
nuclear tests conducted by India and Pakistan.

The subcritical tests are part of a massive "Stockpile Stewardship and
Management" program, intended to maintain and expand U.S. nuclear weapons
capabilities well into the next century.  During the next decade, taxpayers
will spend more than $40 billion for the program, an annual rate higher
than the Cold War average. Thus, it is fair to say these tests are intended
to signal to the rest of the world an unflagging U.S. commitment to nuclear
weapons as the ultimate "big stick."

Please call the Department of Energy and the White House and your
Congressional representatives to protest the latest subcritical test and
demand that the U.S. cancel all future subcritical tests, stop all new and
modified nuclear weapons development, close down the Nevada Test Site and
all nuclear weapons development facilities except for disarmament programs,
and begin immediate clean up and containment of the nuclear nightmare caused
by the U.S. Nuclear Weapons program. Below are phone numbers and addresses
to call and write:

President Bill Clinton, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC 20500, (202)
456-1111.

Secretary of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave, Washington DC, 20585
To leave a message for Bill Richardson, new Secretary of DOE call the 202
586 6210 and the press office at 202 586 5806.

Members of Congress [phone].  Senators Boxer and Feinstein (U.S.
Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510).  Representatives (U.S. House, Washington,
D.C., 20515).

Sincerely,

Timothy Bruening
1439 Brown Drive
Davis, CA 95616
530-753-2102


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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 10:34:13 -0400
From: Tara Thornton <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) New Study finds depleted uranium in veterans urine!

For Immediate Release:                    Contact:
September 25, 1998                        Tara Thornton, Military Toxics                                     Project
 [phone]
Chris Kornkven, President, National Gulf War Resource Center  (920)
699-2376
Dr. Hari Sharma, University of Waterloo  [phone] ext. 2609

INDEPENDENT PILOT MEDICAL STUDY ON PERSIAN GULF VETERANS
CONFIRMS EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM

Lewiston, Maine- Today the Military Toxics Project released preliminary
test results of Persian Gulf Veterans, confirming depleted uranium in
veteran's urine. They also confirm these veterans ingested or inhaled
depleted uranium during their service in the Gulf.  By calculating from
rate of excretion formulas based on what is showing in the urine now,
almost 8 years after exposure, it was determined that veterans were exposed
to anywhere from 1-10 grams of depleted uranium in the Gulf.  The U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission notes that an intake of .01 gram in one week
can cause health problems, and that a known or suspected inhalation of this
amount of depleted uranium requires automatic medical testing.

The Pentagon admitted in January 1998 that thousands of soldiers might have
been exposed in the Gulf. The Veterans Administration admitted in November
1997 and again on September 18, 1998 they are finding neurocognitive
disorders and depleted uranium in the semen of Gulf War Veterans.  MTP
along with Swords to Plowshares and the National Gulf War Resource Center
released the Depleted Uranium Case Narrative in March saying that that
number could be as high as 400,000 veterans exposed to depleted uranium.
 Yet, even though the NRC states that exposure to an intake of .01 grams
requires automatic medical testing, the DoD has only tested a few dozen
veterans for depleted uranium.

The Military Toxics Project held an International Forum on Depleted Uranium
in November 1997.  Strategy and next steps were discussed at that time
including the loud call for an independent medical study.  Veterans were
tired of tests not being done, test results that were mysteriously lost,
and tests that came back negative because they didn't exceed the threshold
limits for all isotopes of uranium.  "We knew depleted uranium was used, we
knew there were health risks, we knew no training was done and no
protection was given to the vets. We needed to know and the veterans
deserve to know if they were exposed and if DU is present in their bodies.
 Therefore, we conducted the tests independent of the Pentagon and the
Veterans Administration", said Tara Thornton, organizer for the Military
Toxics Project.

One veteran that tested positive for DU, Michael Stacy said, " I'm really
angry, I begged and pleaded with the VA and the DoD for help and was
denied, they told me I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, if I hadn't of
met the folks at MTP, I wouldn't have been included in this pilot study and
I still wouldn't know about my exposure to depleted uranium. Its pretty sad
that instead of the VA and DoD testing us vets, we had to go to an
independent organization for the truth." Many sick Gulf War Veterans are
angry at how they've been treated.  Stacy summed up their sentiments best
when he said, "80% of the people

who join the military, do it to better their lives and their families
lives.  This has ruined our lives, I'm sick and my wife is sick.  If I
lived in Iraq or elsewhere I might expect to be treated this way by my
government but I never would have thought the United States Government
would have left the vets to hang out to dry like this."

Tara Thornton states these test results are preliminary and were conducted
for the pilot study.  The pilot study was a biased study in which a limited
number of veterans known to have been exposed to DU were tested in order to
develop the protocol for a much broader test in the future. The pilot study
was done using the proper 24-hour urine bottles sterilized with a nitric
acid wash.  Veterans were instructed on proper collection and shipping
requirements and shipped the samples directly to Dr. Hari Sharma of the
University of Waterloo in Canada who conducted the urine analysis.

Dr. Sharma describes the methodology used to determine if DU is present in
the urine,
"Uranium 235 is determined by the delayed- neutron counting method.
 Uranium-238 was determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis
(INAA). If the ratio between U-238 and U-235 is higher than 137.8, which is
what you would find for naturally occurring uranium, then DU is present".
 Dr. Sharma confirms what MTP has suspected all along, that veterans might
have been exposed to depleted uranium in the Gulf.  Sharma said, "if it had
been simply exposure to natural uranium as the DoD continues to claim, the
levels of U238 content found in urine would have resulted in higher levels
U234 and U235.  In depleted uranium the levels of U234 and U235 are much
lower.  Uranium in the urine must have come from inhalation or ingestion
during the Gulf War, you can't get depleted uranium from any natural
sources in the environment".

Chris Kornkven, a Persian Gulf Veteran involved in the pilot study and
President of the National Gulf War Resource Center participated on an MTP
teleconference call this morning with Dr. Sharma and other veterans tested.
 He said this confirms previous testing done by the VA in 1995.  He has
mixed emotions about the results considering the fact that he was refused
for testing, treatment and follow-up care.  He said, "my test results in
1995 were higher than some veterans currently being monitored by the VA.
  These test results show the need for a much faster and more thorough
independent investigation into inhalation and ingestion of depleted
uranium".  Veterans have many questions regarding the health impact of
inhaled or ingested DU and whether or not the depleted uranium will ever be
gone from their bodies.  Dr. Sharma stated, "there is so much we don't know
about exposure to depleted uranium, the need for much more in-depth studies
has never been clearer".

- -30-




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------------------------------

Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 09:52:20 -0400
From: Peace through Reason <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews: President's statement about CTBT 9/24/98 White House Press Briefing

http://library.whitehouse.gov/ThisWeek.cgi?type=p&date=5&briefing=11

                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
September 24, 1998

                        STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
                        CTBT and LTBT Anniversaries

     Two years ago today, I was proud to be the first world leader to sign
the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty -- first proposed by President Eisenhower
over forty years ago.  Since then, 150 states have signed this historic
treaty, including all of our NATO allies, Russia, China, Israel, Japan and
South Korea.  Twenty states already have ratified the CTBT, including
Britain, France, Germany, Australia and Brazil.  It is my strong hope that
India and Pakistan will join the list, and thereby reduce nuclear tensions
in South Asia.  I discussed this with Prime Minister Sharif on Monday and I
welcome his commitment yesterday to adhere to the treaty by next fall.  I
look forward to further discussion with the leaders of Pakistan and India
as we emphasize our common obligation to build peace and stability.

     Today also marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Senate bipartisan
vote, 80-19, to approve the Limited Test Ban Treaty, which President
Kennedy considered his greatest accomplishment as President.  In 1963,
Senate approval of the LTBT took place less than two months after it was
signed and within seven weeks of its submission to the Senate.  Contrast
that with the CTBT.  A year after it was submitted, the Senate has yet to
take any action toward ratification.

     The CTBT will ban all nuclear weapons explosions.  As a result, it
will constrain the development of more sophisticated and powerful nuclear
weapons and give us a powerful new tool in the fight against the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.  The American people
understand that Senate approval of the CTBT is the right thing to do.  I
strongly urge the Senate to give its advice and consent as early as
possible next year.



_______________________________________________________________________

* Peace Through Reason - http://prop1.org - Convert the War Machines! *
_______________________________________________________________________

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------------------------------

End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #21
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