Dear ICAN supporters
Welcome to your monthly e-bulletin from ICAN Australia, updating you on the progress we’re making in our worldwide campaign to abolish nuclear weapons and how you can help.

July/August: Join ICAN and participate in upcoming activities to commemorate the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  ICAN’s Dr. Bill Williams speaks out on 65 years of nuclear weapons – enough is enough – it’s time for a Nuclear Weapons Convention.

ICAN act: things to do today

Take Action: Make a submission to oppose the world’s largest uranium mine
Take action and make a submission to oppose the expansion of BHP Billiton’s, Olympic Dam Uranium Mine (Roxby Downs).  This would be the world’s largest uranium mine - fuelling nuclear risks and unresolved nuclear waste management around the globe. Submissions close 7 August. For more information and to take action visit http://www.acfonline.org.au/BHPsubmission

Unions Launch International Disarmament Campaign – Sign The Petition
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – representing 170 million workers 157 countries - has launched an international campaign for nuclear disarmament.  A focal point of the campaign is a petition addressed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calling for strong and clear conclusions to the 2010 Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. Please sign the petition.  http://www.ituc-csi.org/peace

Melbourne, Hiroshima Day Vigil, Thursday 6 August, 7-9.00am
In 1945, 85,000 people died immediately when a bomb was dropped at 8.15am on 6 August, at Hiroshima. This vigil outside St Paul 's Cathedral (corner of Swanston and Flinders streets) marks this moment. Organised by MAPW, Japanese for Peace, The Quakers, Pax Christi and ICAN.

Melbourne, Hiroshima Day Gig 2009 - Thursday, 6 August, 6.00pm

Performers: Casey Bennetto, Martin Martini & the Bone Palace Orchestra

Bella Union Bar at Trades Hall

Sydney, Avoiding Accidental Nuclear War: Public Meeting,
Thursday 6 August, 6.00pm 
Speakers: Steven Starr, US Nuclear Weapons Expert; John Hallam, Nuclear Flashpoints; Sue Wareham, President, MAPW
Steven has written extensively on accidental nuclear war and nuclear winter. With John Hallam, he successfully lobbied the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a resolution on nuclear weapons operational readiness in 2007 and 2008.
6pm for 6.30pm start, Teachers Federation Auditorium (entrance Reservoir St)

Melbourne, Avoiding Accidental Nuclear War: Public Meeting,
Friday 7 August, 6.00pm
Speaker: Steven Starr, US nuclear weapons expert (details above).
Around the world there are around 4000 nuclear weapons on "hair-trigger alert", ready to be launched at the press of a button. Steven Starr will discuss why the large-scale use of nuclear weapons continues to be a grave threat and how this issue can be addressed.
6.00pm – 7.15 pm, Evatt Room, Trades Hall (cnr Victoria and Lygon St, Carlton - Victoria St Entrance).  
 
Melbourne: Saturday 8 August, 3pm: Hiroshima - Nagasaki Peace Concert
Attend the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Concert, organised annually by Japanese for Peace. Speakers include Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlum and visiting senior scientist and nuclear disarmament expert from Physicians for Social Responsibility Steven Starr.  Performers include Yumi Umiumare (Butoh Dance), Bruce Watson (Acoustic Guitar, Singer/Songwriter), Djiva (Indigenous Female Duo), Ayako Sato and Fuefukuro (Japanese Drum and Bamboo Flutes) and Jordie Lane (Singer/Songwriter).  ICAN will have a stall, so come and visit us!  

3.00pm-5.00pm, Village Roadshow Theatrette, State Library, Swanston St, Melbourne. Entry:$15/conc $10.   Contact infor@jfp.org.au or visit www.jfp.org.au  

ICAN NEWS

ICAN meets half of the Poola challenge grant target!

Thanks to a generous challenge grant from the Poola Foundation, every dollar donated to ICAN up to $200,000 will be doubled.   ICAN has now reached half this target!  Please consider making a donation today to help us meet our challenge goal so we can continue to campaign on this vital issue. Thanks to the many supporters who have already donated!
Donate at www.icanw.org/donate <http://www.icanw.org/donate>

The Unholy Trinity, Dr Bill. Williams
ICAN spokesperson Dr Bill Williams, was featured in Online Opinion calling for the need to negotiate and implement a global treaty that eliminates nukes once and for all.. http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=9224

 

Nukes news
Nuclear headlines over the past month

Iran awaits ruler's nod to build nuclear bomb
Iran has perfected the technology to create and detonate a nuclear warhead and is merely awaiting the word from its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to produce its first bomb, according to Western intelligence sources.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25876957-2703,00.html

Burma building ‘secret nuclear power plant’
BURMA’s isolated military junta is building a secret nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction facilities with North Korean help, with the aim of acquiring its first nuclear bomb in five years, according to evidence from key defectors.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/burma-8216building-secret-nplant8217/2009/07/31/1248977194493.html


 

Uranium export is the first step to war, Helen Caldicott

Australia has a moral duty to curtail the spread of this deadly resource. WHILE it is helpful and hopeful that US President Barack Obama is engaging with the Russians in specific dialogue aimed at reducing nuclear weapons after eight fallow years of the Bush administration, it is obvious that the urgency of the threat of nuclear war is little appreciated by world leaders, writes Helen Caldicott.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/uranium-export-is-the-first-step-to-war-20090717-do5z.html?page=-1

Uranium mine approval harms environment

Environment and anti-nuclear organisations have criticised the Government’s approval of South Australia’s Four Mile uranium mine. Although media reports make the In Situ Leaching method sound innocuous, the Australian Conservation Foundation’s David Noonan says the operators will be “directly dumping increased volumes of liquid radioactive and heavy metal wastes to the groundwater with no requirement for rehabilitation.”
http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=2354