Human rights impact of nuclear testing

On Friday 14 September, Reaching Critical Will, in cooperation with ICAN and the American Anthropological Association, organized a side event at the Human Rights Council related to the presentation of the report on the human rights impact of the US nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands by the Special Rapporteur on Toxic Wastes.

The panel was chaired by Beatrice Fihn of Reaching Critical Will and heard presentations by the Special Rapporteur on Toxic Wastes, Mr. Calin Georgescu, Ms. Lemeyo Abon - a nuclear surviver from Marshall Islands (with the help of Holly Barker), Mr. Murat Nurtileouv from the Mission of Kazakhstan, Dr. Barbara Johnston of the Center for Political Ecology, Dr. Tilman Ruff of ICAN and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW).

Mr. Nurtileouv of Kazakhstan highlighted the enormous efforts the government needs to carry out in order to overcome existing socioeconomic, humanitarian, and environmental consequences of the nuclear tests.    

Ms. Abon discussed the failure of the US government to provide adequate education and clean-up of the Atolls where the effects of the testing can still be seen. 

The Special Rapporteur, in his landmark report on the human rights consequences of the nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands, discussed the impact of the rights to health and rights to effective remedy, as well as existing displacement and environmental rehabilitation and monitoring.

Photo: Rowan Farrell