[www.acdn.net] > Mélenchon for a world without nuclear weapons

ACDN MEDIA RELEASE, 20 April 2017

The French people know that their vote in the Presidential Elections may decide the fate of France and even of Europe. But do they also know that it will decide the future of humanity?

With over 15 000 atom bombs ready to explode, humankind is sitting on a powder-keg, under a sword of Damocles. But we can end this absurd and terrifying situation that we have inherited from the Cold War.

Most French citizens are unaware that the UN has convened in New York, now in 2017, a conference open to all states for the purpose of negotiating a treaty banning nuclear weapons and planning for their total elimination. Recently, on 27-31 March, 132 states took part in the very promising first session of this conference. But not France.

Among the four candidates for the French Presidency who were leading the field in polls before the round one, three want to continue this “empty seat policy” so as to retain, increase and embellish France’s nuclear arsenal (which could already cause a billion deaths), while boosting the budget for it. That amounts to letting the 9 current nuclear countries keep their weapons and inciting other countries to obtain them. It matters little that France is wasting her wealth and contributing to nuclear proliferation while also perpetuating global insecurity.

Only one of the four candidates with a chance to going through to round two has a clear wish for nuclear abolition: Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

He has told us that if elected he will relaunch nuclear disarmament
1°) by sending French diplomats to the second session of the UN conference for banning nuclear weapons (15 June to 7 July 2017), and
2°) by calling on the other nuclear-weapon states to meet to negotiate the steps in their elimination. In addition, to show his wish to disarm (whatever the result of these negotiations) France will suspend her useless projects for modernising her nuclear subs and will symbolically halve the number of aircraft equipped with nuclear warheads (the Rafales N et M). She will withdraw from NATO’s integrated command, as in de Gaulle’s day, and will stop collaborating in the US “anti-missile shield”. She will condemn depleted uranium weapons, and in the UN she will be an agent for peace.

If Jean-Luc Mélenchon is elected, the French people will be given a chance to be consulted by referendum on these policies.
Without commenting on the other aspects of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s programme or those of the other candidates, ACDN emphasizes to the voters that their choices of 23 April and possibly of 7 May will have an impact not only within France and will indeed constitute a choice of civilization.

Do we want to live in a world that is finally rid of nuclear threats – be they military or civil in nature? That is the question. At a time when uncontrollable heads of state hold in their hands the instruments of collective suicide, it is a fundamental question, a determining question.

Published in French on 20 April 2017

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