Opinions

Here we publish a summary of the measures repealed by great majority during the Italian referendum.

Nuclear:

The repeal of the rules on nuclear power has prevented the installation of new plants in Italy, preventing a return to a kind of energy that had already been rejected in the referendum of 1987, shortly after the Chernobyl accident.

Steven Starr from Physicians for Social Responsibility writes about the dangers of creating so much radioactive waste in the world’s 440 nuclear reactors, the ongoing situation in Fukushima and the legacy of the radioactive exclusion zone around Chernobyl. “It is time to admit that nuclear power is neither a “safe” nor “clean” method to produce energy.”

We present a short amazing video of a conference recently held by Julia Bacha regarding the stories that can change the so called “confirmation bias” (or previous believes) that we all have, and help us open our minds and have a new cognitive resonance or comprehension of a fact that usually we tend to look with some prejudice. Such is the case of non-violence in Palestine.

Almost three months after the earthquake and tsunami that triggered a nuclear disaster in Japan, new radiation “hot spots” may require the evacuation of more areas further from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency recently admitted for the first time that full nuclear meltdowns occurred at 3 of the plant’s reactors

Trafalgar Square was the venue of a multitudinous Assembly, mainly of young people, inspired by the Spanish and Greek mobilisations demanding real democracy. At the same time UK Uncut carried out actions in defence of the health service inside and outside banks, to raise awareness about their role in the economic crisis used to justify the impending destruction of the NHS.

Palestinian and Israeli Nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation

The author Maxime Kaufman-Lacusta visited Montreal on May 16th to launch her new book “Refusing to be Enemies”. Kaufman-Lacusta is optimistic regarding the future of Palestinian nonviolence movement. The book is about diverse strategies used by different organizations to struggle against the occupation.

Tens of thousands of Spanish protesters are demonstrating across the country calling for better economic opportunities, a more representative electoral system, an end to political corruption. The pro-democracy protests started on May 15 in Madrid when people gathered in the central plaza to advocate for change, calling the budding movement “Toma la Plaza,” or “Take the Square”

Thousands of people in 20 cities have started the Greek Ethical Revolution. The Greeks took the message sent by the Spanish “Indignados” heard in the motto “Be quiet or you’ll wake Greece up …” Greece has awakened for good…

Regarding democracy demonstrations in Spain (M-15), World without Wars and Violence would like to express its warm support to the people of Spain who are mobilised and organising themselves in search of a better future.

By Randy Rydell*

The world is filled with many serious problems that must be addressed — poverty; racism; illiteracy; contagious diseases; terrorism; injustice; to name only a few.

So why should we bother to focus on nuclear weapons? And why specifically should anybody approach this subject in a Middle East context?