Supporters of the UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons gathered this month in New York to call for wider ratificationGrowing up in the Pacific nation of Kiribati, Oemwa Johnson heard her grandfather’s stories about nuclear explosions he witnessed in the 1950s. The blasts gave off ferocious heat and blinding light. He told her people were not consulted or given protective gear against bombs detonated by the US and UK at Kiritimati Island, now part of Kiribati, decades ago.People in Kiribati suffered grave health consequences as a result of exposure to radiation from the tests in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a legacy they say continues to this day. Johnson says there’s a lack of accountability and awareness of how nuclear testing by foreign countries has harmed her people and homeland. Continue reading...
Pacific countries are remembering the legacy of nuclear testing, which caused ongoing health and environmental issues, as supporters of the UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons met to advocate for wider ratification. Between 1946 and 1996, the US, the UK and France conducted over 300 nuclear tests in the Pacific. The treaty banning nuclear weapons development, testing, and use entered into force in 2021 and has been backed by 11 Pacific countries, but opposed by nuclear-armed nations and some allies who prioritize the non-proliferation treaty.
