[E-rundbrief] Info 1432 - World Uranium Symposium 2015, Declaration

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 1432 - Declaration of the World Uranium Symposium 
2015, Quebec City, Canada, April 16 2015.

Bad Ischl, 9.5.2015

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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Declaration of the World Uranium Symposium 2015

Quebec City, Canada

April 16 2015

Original: http://uranium2015.com/en/news/quebec-declaration-uranium

We, the signatories of this Declaration, including the participants of 
the World Uranium Symposium 2015, coming from 20 countries on five 
continents, having gathered in Quebec City, Canada, in April 2015:

Acknowledging that in 1943 Quebec City was the site where the United 
States, the United Kingdom, and Canada entered into a formal 
cooperation agreement to develop the first atomic bombs, resulting in 
the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945;

Respecting the moratorium imposed by the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee 
in Northern Quebec on all uranium-related activities on their lands; 
supporting the demand for a moratorium by the Assembly of First 
Nations of Quebec and Labrador, as well as the large consensus against 
uranium mining as expressed by the Inuit of Nunavik and over 300 
municipalities and organizations across the province of Quebec;

Recognizing the growing awareness that nuclear power is not a 
cost-effective, timely, practical or safe response to climate change, 
and applauding the enormous expansion of the use of renewable energy 
and the significant strides made in recent years to phase out nuclear 
power;

Acknowledging the need for sustainable development and responsible 
environmental stewardship;

Recognizing the unique health, environmental and social dangers 
present at all stages of the nuclear chain, from the exploration, 
mining and milling of uranium, to nuclear power generation, the 
development of nuclear weapons and the storage of radioactive waste;

Recognizing that the risk of contamination resulting from the 
extraction, use and storage of radioactive substances presents a 
unique and grave threat to all living creatures, their environments 
and watersheds, transcending all political and geographic boundaries 
and enduring for eons to come;

Recognizing that there are stores of radioactive waste throughout the 
world that have not been effectively isolated;

Recognizing that there is compelling scientific evidence that there is 
no safe dose of exposure to radioactive emissions, and that even small 
doses can present health risks to miners and local populations, 
animals and plant life;

Recognizing that more must be done to understand, recognize and 
acknowledge the full scope and extent of all social, health and 
environmental short and long term impacts of uranium and nuclear- 
related activities on human life, wildlife and plant life;

Recognizing both that the technological development of nuclear energy 
opens the door to the development of nuclear weapons against which 
there is no effective protection, and that nuclear power generation 
facilities present a serious threat in and of themselves;

Insisting that nuclear regulating bodies be independent and work 
solely in the best interests of people, animals and plant life;

Recalling the tragedies at Three-Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima 
Daiichi and many other places around the world;

Convinced that all non-military end-uses of uranium, including energy 
and medical uses, can be readily satisfied in an alternative manner;

Insisting that nuclear weapons and weapons using depleted uranium be 
criminalized and that all signatories be held accountable to the 
obligations set out in the Non-Proliferation Treaty;

Appalled by the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, alarmed 
by the maintenance and proliferation of nuclear arsenals, and 
convinced that the devastating consequences of nuclear detonations can 
be avoided only when all nuclear weapons and the systems that 
manufacture them have been eliminated;

Affirming that it is in the interest of the survival of humanity and 
of life on this planet that nuclear weapons are never used again, 
under any circumstances;

Recognizing that those most immediately affected by uranium and 
nuclear related activities often lack proper capacity and resources 
and that, as a result, such activities infringe their fundamental 
human rights to life and security of the person;

Affirming our commitment to the principles of sustainable and 
equitable development, and respect for the fundamental human rights of 
all individuals and peoples for all time;

Acknowledging that unique and irreplaceable cultures and landscapes 
have been and continue to be endangered by uranium and nuclear related 
activities;

Acknowledging that the world’s Indigenous Peoples have 
disproportionately borne the harmful burdens of the global uranium 
industry, nuclear activities (including nuclear weapons testing) and 
the dumping of radioactive waste;

Recalling that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of 
Indigenous Peoples affirms the rights of the world’s Indigenous 
Peoples to self-determination, and to territorial, social and 
environmental integrity which includes free, prior and informed 
consent achieved through an independent, fair, transparent and 
impartial process, and recognizing that the survival and well-being of 
Indigenous Peoples depends on full respect for these fundamental and 
inalienable rights;

Determined to reduce the burden on future generations resulting from 
the extraction and use of radioactive substances;

Dedicating ourselves to a nuclear-free future;

WE SOLEMNLY DECLARE THAT:

1. We reaffirm the Declaration of the World Uranium Hearing in 
Salzburg, Austria in 1992, of the Indigenous World Uranium Summit in 
Window Rock, Navajo Nation, USA in 2006, and of the IPPNW-World 
Conference in Basel, Switzerland in 2010:

Uranium and its associated radioactive substances must remain in their 
natural location.

2. We demand a worldwide ban on uranium exploration, mining, milling 
and processing, as well as the reprocessing of nuclear waste, and the 
irresponsible management of radioactive waste;

3. We call on all states, authorities and Peoples to recognize and 
respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples including the right to 
self-determination and to free prior and informed consent achieved 
through an independent, fair, transparent and impartial process, and 
to cease the pursuit of uranium- and nuclear-related activities on 
Indigenous Peoples’ lands in violation of these rights;

4. We urge all states, authorities and Peoples to provide full, fair 
and equitable redress to all those harmed by uranium- and nuclear 
related activities and to ensure that those responsible are held 
accountable for their actions and failures;

5. We demand that all states, authorities and Peoples phase out and 
eliminate nuclear power generation and use, and dedicate themselves to 
the development and use of intelligent energy services based on 
sustainable, safe and renewable energy resources;

6. We call on all states, authorities and Peoples to strengthen their 
commitments to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, to eliminate 
all existing nuclear weaponry, to cease any and all development of 
nuclear weapon technologies, and to support and advance a legal treaty 
to ban all nuclear weapons;

7. We call on all states, authorities and Peoples to ensure that all 
existing radioactive products, material and structures from all phases 
of the nuclear weapons and power systems are secured and managed in 
accordance with the best and safest available technology for the 
people, animals and plant life.

SIGNATORIES:
www.uranium2015.com/en

Weitere Infos auf: www.plage.cc

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Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
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fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
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