From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #180 Reply-To: abolition-usa-digest Sender: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk abolition-usa-digest Sunday, September 12 1999 Volume 01 : Number 180 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 21:01:24 -0400 (EDT) From: Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space Subject: (abolition-usa) Letter from Caldicott/Kaku/McReynolds September 7, 1999 Dear Friends: We write to you out of a great sense of urgency. Congress and the Clinton= =20 administration are moving rapidly toward an early, dangerous and colossally= =20 expensive deployment of the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system. In Jun= e,=20 2000 Clinton is expected to give permission to the Pentagon to deploy BMD. = =20 Star Wars is back! The Congressional vote just months ago gave the green light to deployment o= f=20 BMD "as soon as technically feasible". Many Democrats joined with=20 Republicans in pushing the legislation through. The prospects for an=20 immediate turn around of this decision look difficult. There remains one thing for us to do. We must rapidly re-ignite the moveme= nt=20 that shut down Reagan=92s Star Wars efforts in the 1980=92s. We are writin= g to=20 ask for your participation and support in such an effort.. What is needed now is a global grassroots mobilization to stop this new rou= nd=20 of creating an arms race in space. The U.S. plans to involve nations like= =20 Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Israel and even NATO in the weaponization of=20 space. For us to effectively block the deployment of space based weapons,= =20 our strategy must be international. In recent months members and staff of the Global Network have been travelin= g=20 across the U.S. and throughout Europe to promote this grassroots effort. We= =20 invite you to join us as endorsers of our call to action. The Global Netwo= rk=20 is now organizing a series of actions in 2000 that are intended to escalate= =20 the level of opposition to this new arms race. The centerpiece of our 2000 plan is a series of international activities in= =20 Washington DC on April 14-17, 2000. Because of Clinton=92s expected June, = 2000=20 deployment decision on BMD, we believe that it is important that we bring o= ur=20 grassroots outrage to the capitol. We hope that you will help us make the= =20 following events a success: =B7 FRIDAY, APRIL 14: We will hold a non-violent rally on the steps of the= =20 Treasury Department to illustrate the enormous waste of our tax-dollars on= =20 Star Wars. To date over $100 billion has been spent on space weapons=20 development while social spending is under relentless attack. Following th= e=20 rally we will move next door to the White House to deliver our "No BMD, No= =20 Star Wars" message to Clinton. =B7 SATURDAY, APRIL 15: "Star Wars Revisited: An International Conference = on=20 Preventing an Arms Race In Space". This day long event will focus on shari= ng=20 information about the latest developments in the U.S. plan to become the=20 "Master of Space". Leaders in the international movement to keep space for= =20 peace will be the featured speakers. =B7 SUNDAY, APRIL 16: In order to bring our message to Congress effectivel= y,=20 we will provide a lobby training in the morning. Following this training w= e=20 will hold a meeting of the Global Network to plan international strategies = to=20 Stop Star Wars. =B7 MONDAY, APRIL 17: This will be our opportunity to deliver to Congress = the=20 message about our growing international movement to prevent a new arms race= =20 in space. We will be joined by representatives of peace groups around the= =20 world and we will hold a day long vigil on the Capitol steps. It is important to acknowledge that we have no illusion that our April 14-1= 7=20 events will themselves solve the problem. We must all be clear that we now= =20 face a serious escalation in the arms race and that we must all act locally= ,=20 as well as internationally, to rebuild a strong peace movement. This will= =20 take time and patience but we must act with a sense of purpose and urgency. Between now and the April, 2000 events in Washington DC, the membership of= =20 the Global Network will be working hard to educate the public and to create= =20 pressure on the Congress and the White House. We know that there are many= =20 important issues to be worked on but we hope that your local organizations= =20 will connect the space issue into your on-going work. Please help us by=20 promoting the April 14-17, 2000 events in your newsletters. And please let us know if your local organization would like to be listed as an endorser o= n our promotional materials. The U.S. Space Command, in their publication called "Vision for 2020", call= s=20 for "domination" of the earth and space in order to protect U.S. interests= =20 and investments. The BMD system, while touted as a "defensive" system, wil= l=20 open the door to the research, development and deployment of space based=20 weapons that will be used to achieve global dominance. We hope that you wi= ll=20 join with us in building the international grassroots movement that will be= =20 necessary to prevent the U.S. from carrying the bad seed of war with us int= o=20 space. Let us hear from you soon. We look forward to being with you in Washington= =20 DC in April, 2000. For Peace in Space, Dr. Helen Caldicott Dr. Michio Kaku David McReynolds Pediatrician Professor Physics War Resisters League* Australia CUNY New York, N.Y. New York, N.Y. =20 * For identification purposes only - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 19:16:29 -0700 From: Jan Harwood Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) sign-on letter/DOE weapons "megastrategy" Dear Marylia: Please sign us on. WILPF Santa Cruz Committee for Abolition 2000. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 09 Sep 1990 20:12:50 -0400 From: hcaldic Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) sign-on letter/DOE weapons "megastrategy" marylia wrote: > > * IMPORTANT SIGN ON LETTER * > Dear peace and enviro allies: Please take a minute to look at this sign on > letter, and get your organization to sign on PLEASE. We are looking for > sign ons from all public interest groups -- large and small -- across the > country and around the globe. We need your name, your title (or an > indication you are empowered to sign on your group's behalf) and your > group's complete address (including state and/or country). The purpose of > this letter is to oppose the DOE's "megastrategy," which is a plan to > EXPAND U.S. nuclear weapons activities at the labs and the test site, > including by building new facilities, enlarging several weapons programs > and moving some of them around to new sites. The three original sponsors of > this letter are Tri-Valley CAREs of Livermore, CA USA, Western States Legal > Foundation of Oakland, CA USA and Physicians for Social Responsibility - > Greater San Francisco Bay Area Chapter in Berkeley, CA. We WELCOME your > sign-on. We are hoping to get many, many groups!!!! Yours can help!!!! > Reply to my address on this message, or to Tri-Valley CAREs' nuclear > program analyst Sally Light at Here is the > letter... > > September 21, 1999 > > US Department of Energy > 1000 Independence Avenue, SW > Washington, D.C. 20585 > > Attn: Gilbert Weigand, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Weapons Research & > Development > > Re: Department of Energy's Plans for Major Changes in Nuclear Weapons Complex > > Dear Mr. Weigand, > > We are writing on behalf of Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a > Radioactive Environment), Western States Legal Foundation and Physicians > for Social Responsibility - Greater San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. All > three organizations have a long-time interest in public health and safety > issues concerning Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and other > facilities within the nuclear weapons complex. > > Tri-Valley CAREs is a 16-year-old environmental group that "watchdogs" > LLNL. Among other things, it holds two US Environmental Protection Agency > Technical Assistance Grants to monitor environmental cleanup at LLNL. > Western States Legal Foundation has been deeply involved in monitoring > nuclear weapons programs and environmental activities at LLNL since 1982. > The San Francisco Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility has kept > watch over LLNL worker and community issues for a number of years. > > Further, this letter represents the interests and concerns of the public > interest organizations who have joined us in sending this letter, listed on > signatory pages that follow. > > We have recently obtained information concerning the Department of Energy's > (DOE) plans to reconfigure, expand, enhance and/or move certain aspects of > the nuclear weapons program carried out by the various facilities within > the nuclear weapons complex. This information is from briefing papers, > obtained from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which we > understand you used to brief high-level Clinton administration officials on > the DOE plan. > > Changes proposed by DOE include the following: > > 1. DOE will "move promptly" the W80 nuclear warhead workload from Los > Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to Lawrence Livermore National > Laboratory. This would involve more plutonium pit work at LLNL. The > briefing papers reveal what appear to be changes in the warhead that go > far, far beyond any maintenance procedures that may be necessary to > preserve the existing weapon's "safety" or "reliability" while it remains > in the arsenal. > > 2. DOE will also "move promptly" the plutonium pit surveillance mission > and workload from LANL to LLNL. DOE expressly says that one goal is to > give Livermore Lab more plutonium workload, which means that pits from > weapons, in addition to those of the W80 program discussed in #1 above, > will come to Livermore. Further, the plan suggests that some or all of the > surveillance work for each of the US weapon types will come to Livermore > Lab, which means nuclear weapons components would be taken apart and > "destructively tested" at Livermore. > > Concerning both # 1 and #2 above, Livermore Lab already has about 880 > pounds of plutonium, and also has a history of accidents, spills, leaks and > plutonium safety violations. In fact, its plutonium facility was recently > shut down on the recommendation of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety > Board, and is only now "restarting." We are worried that the DOE's > proposed changes will result in increased risks to worker and public health > and safety. > > 3. LANL's Appaloosa program would be expanded. Appaloosa is the code-name > for a hydrodynamic test program wherein high explosives and surrogate bomb > cores, called pits, (including with plutonium 242) are detonated in > above-ground tanks. > > 4. DOE will consolidate its hydrodynamic program at LANL, although the > Clinton administration has been informed that LLNL will still keep its > hydrodynamic program, including the new "Contained Firing Facility" now > under construction at Livermore. > > 5. A huge proton accelerator is to be constructed at LANL. > > 6. DOE will conduct additional underground subcritical nuclear tests for > the W80 and W88 programs. The briefing papers also indicate that > additional subcritical tests will involve "weapon relevant shapes." > > 7. DOE will move the ATLAS and Pegasus programs from LANL to Nevada. > (ATLAS is a new fusion facility under construction at LANL, and Pegasus an > older machine.) These two programs would be used to develop the technology > allowing for "explosively driven pulse power for future SNM [special > nuclear material - i.e., plutonium] experiments in U1A." U1A is the > underground complex of tunnels and rooms where subcritical nuclear > experiments are now detonated at the Nevada Test Site. > > 8. DOE will build a new "infrastructure for weapons microsystems > components ... MESA" at Sandia Lab in New Mexico, supporting "future AF&F > (arming, firing and fusing) needs." This aspect of the plan is reported to > cost $300 million. > > Although these are major moves and expansions of nuclear weapons > activities, the DOE has failed to discuss technical or policy > justifications for them. DOE also fails to discuss overall proliferation > impacts, costs or environmental impacts. Nor does DOE indicate any > intended public disclosure or process for public review and comment. > > This plan has gone forward in secret, and the public has been > inappropriately excluded from any knowledge or decision-making role. > Earlier this year, DOE and Livermore Lab held a public meeting at which > officials testified that no major changes were contemplated to Livermore > Lab's operations over the next 5 years. Based on this, DOE and Livermore > Lab decided on March 10, 1999 not to conduct a new site-wide environmental > review. In view the above proposed changes, it is difficult for us not to > think that DOE and LLNL may have acted in bad faith at that public meeting. > > We are outraged by these decisions and demand that a new Environmental > Impact Statement (EIS) for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory with > full public hearings and disclosure be part of the process to decide > whether any funding should be requested/expended. Certainly, this EIS must > be done before any of these changes occur, and before anything is moved. > There should be no repeat of the situation at Paducah and Portsmouth, where > both workers and the public were misled for years, and revelations about > plutonium contamination are just now becoming public. > > Further, the DOE has completed a Stockpile Stewardship & Management > Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (SSM PEIS) which is silent on > this plan. In fact, some of the SSM PEIS' siting elements actually ran > contrary to the latest DOE scheme described above. OMB is on record > stating that DOE must undertake a revision of the SSM PEIS before moving > forward. DOE, however, has already requested initial monies from Congress > to begin, according to a Senate report. It appears to us that a > Supplemental EIS, with public hearings held across the country, is > necessary as well. > > We hope to have your response in the very near future. If you should have > any questions, please do not hesitate in contacting us. > > Sincerely, > > Marylia Kelley > Executive Director, > Tri-Valley CAREs > > Robert Gould, M.D. > President, > Physicians for Social Responsibility, Greater San Francisco Bay Area > > Jacqueline Cabasso > Executive Director, > Western States Legal Foundation > > Marylia Kelley > Tri-Valley CAREs > (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment) > 2582 Old First Street > Livermore, CA USA 94550 > > - is our web site, please visit us there! > > (925) 443-7148 - is our phone > (925) 443-0177 - is our fax > > Working for peace, justice and a healthy environment since 1983, Tri-Valley > CAREs has been a member of the nation-wide Alliance for Nuclear > Accountability in the U.S. since 1989, and is a co-founding member of the > international Abolition 2000 network for the elimination of nuclear > weapons. > > - > To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" > with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. > For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send > "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. Marylia, please add my name and denote me as Founding President of Physicians for Social Responsibility, Helen Caldicott - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 17:08:47 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) EP DEALERTING RESOLUTION NEW DEADLINE 4PM MONDAY STRASBOURG TIME Dear ALL, THE NEW DEADLINE FOR LOBBYING MEPS RE THE DELALERTING RESOLUTION APPEARS TO BE 4PM MONDAY, STRASBOURG TIME. THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS ARE THE MAIN GROUP THAT SHOULD BE LOBBIED AT THIS STAGE. You may know that a resolution on de-alerting nuclear weapons and shutting down nuclear reactors for Y2K is being submitted by the greens, social democrats and green/left coalition. Initially the de-alerting resolution was drafted by myself and Rob green, but it looks as if it is being modified to include the reactor- based concerns of Y2K WASH. You would have been getting emails both from me and from Mari takenouchi from Y2K WASH, on this matter. A decision was to have been made as to whether to list it as an urgency motion yesterday (Thursday), but it now looks like it will be made Monday 4pm. It seems as if the majority Christian Democrats are unlikely to support it. However, the liberal democrats, whose chairperson is Mr Pat Cox, may well do so. He needs to be lobbied. I think the best thing to do is to fax him with a request that he support the de-alerting/shutdown resolution, on the following numbers: CORK IRELAND (HE IS LIKELY TO BE THERE NOW) 353-21-278-350 BRUSSELLS 32-2-284-9363 STRASBOURG 33-3-8817-9363. You could also email him on: pcox@europarl.eu.int, pcoxmep@tinet.ie These fax numbers and email adresses have been tested and work. I'm appending a couple of sample letters, one from Rob Green and one from me. NO problem if you want to improve on the message just do it. Dear Pat Cox, I have heard that a resolution on taking nuclear weapons off alert over the Y2K rollover period is being considered for submission as as urgency motion on Thursday. My group considers this motion to be of the very highest importance. Considerable concern has recently been expressed by a number of respected analysts in the Brookings Institute, the British-American Security Information Council, and the Federation of American Scientists, over the possibility of accidental launches of nuclear missiles based on misinformation from malfunctioning computer systems over the Y2K rollover period. If nuclear weapons are taken off hairtrigger alert over the Y2K rollover period, it will ensure positively that accidental nuclear missile launches, whose consequences are at least potentially disastrous for the entire planet, are not possible. In any case, the taking of nuclear forces off alert, or standing down, was strongly reccommended by the Canberra Commission in 1996, and by subsequent resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, as essential steps toward the abolition of nuclear weapons. With or without the Y2K problem, taking nuclear forces off alert is a good idea. In the face of possible Y2K computer glitches, it is sheer commonsense, costs nothing, and makes the world a safer place. The UK has already altered its 'notice to fire' from seconds to days. This is undoubtedly a move in the right direction. A resolution on Y2k and nuclear weapons was passed unanimopusly in the Australian Senate recently, and I understand that one is being prepared for the US Congress. We urge you to support this essential and comonsense resolution being listed as an urgency motion on thursday, and to vote in favour of it. Dear Patrick Cox and Hans-Gert Poettering, Greetings from nuclear-free Aotearoa/New Zealand. We send this message as the leaders of the US, Russia and China plus US allies Japan, Australia and Canada assemble in Auckland for APEC this weekend. We strongly urge you to support the European Parliament resolution calling for all nuclear forces to be taken off hair-trigger alert before the year 2000 (Y2K) computer problem can cause the accidental launch of nuclear weapons. The world's media are gathering here for APEC, which is why we are sending an Open Letter to President Clinton, Prime Minister Putin and President Jiang drawing their attention to the urgent need for de-alerting. It would enormously strengthen the impact if we could announce that the European Parliament has adopted this resolution by an overwhelming majority. With or without the Y2K problem, taking nuclear forces off alert is a good idea. In the face of possible Y2K computer glitches, it is sheer commonsense, costs nothing, and makes the world a safer place. The UK has already relaxed the notice to launch its nuclear weapons from minutes to days. However, there is a desperate need to persuade the US and Russia to take their nuclear forces off "launch on warning", which is still recklessly maintained ten years after the end of the Cold War. A resolution on Y2K and nuclear weapons was passed unanimously in the Australian Senate recently, and one is being prepared for the US Congress. A similar resolution was introduced the day before yesterday in the Canadian Senate, by Senator Douglas Roche. We urge you to support this resolution being listed as an urgency motion, and to vote in favour of it. Best wishes, Kate Dewes and Commander Robert Green RN (Ret'd) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Commander Robert D Green, Royal Navy (Retired) Chair, World Court Project UK Disarmament & Security Centre PO Box 8390 Christchurch Aotearoa/New Zealand Tel/Fax: (+64) 3 348 1353 Email: robwcpuk@chch.planet.org.nz [The DSC is a specialist branch of the NZ Peace Foundation] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 15:24:53 -0400 From: News Subject: (abolition-usa) Today! 910/99 - Governors' Meetings in Denver CO, Columbia SC, re Nuclear Cleanup Nuclear Clean-Up Meeting Today - Colorado Briefs, Yahoo News, September 10, 1999 http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/local/state/colorado/story.html?s=v/rs/ 19990910/co/index_1.html#5 (DENVER) -- Governor Bill Owens will join several other governors in Denver today to discuss ways to clean-up nuclear weapons sites with U-S Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson. South Carolina Governor James Hodges, Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist and Washington Governor Gary Locke, whose states all contain major cleanup sites, will also be in Denver for the meeting. - ----------- Waste Committee Meets - (COLUMBIA), SRS Site Cleaned Up - (AIKEN) South Carolina Briefs, Yahoo News, September 10, 1999 http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/local/state/south_carolina/story.html?s =v/rs/19990910/sc/index_1.html#6 The governor's Nuclear Waste Task Force is meeting this morning in Columbia. A number of issues are on the agenda including the possibility of rejoining the Southeast Compact Commission. That would keep waste from all over the country from being shipped to the Barnwell low-level nuclear waste dump. South Carolina withdrew from the Compact in 1995 when North Carolina failed to build an alternative dump. SRS Site Cleaned Up - (AIKEN) -- Savannah River Site workers are examining the site of last week's contamination. Seven workers were exposed to plutonium. It's still going to take several weeks to determine if the plutonium entered their bodies. S-R-S officials say none of the radioactive metal made it out of the plant. ----------- ____________________________________________________________ * Peace Through Reason - http://prop1.org -Convert the War Machines! * ____________________________________________________________ - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 13:45:06 -0700 From: "Olson, Inga" Subject: RE: (abolition-usa) Re: East Timor information and action I agree with David on this. > ---------- > From: DavidMcR@aol.com[SMTP:DavidMcR@aol.com] > Reply To: abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com > Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 6:54 PM > To: alynw@ibm.net; warresisters@gn.apc.org; > abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com; abolition-caucus@igc.org; > wrl@igc.apc.org; aslater@gracelinks.org; petweiss@igc.org > Subject: (abolition-usa) Re: East Timor information and action > > This is a discouraging post. I'm glad Alyn noted the sources for > information > and I hope people follow up on it. But this is a replay of what we had > during > the Kosova war. And it is a replay of the Hauge Appeal - "let's discuss > any > war but the one in front of us". > > My take may be desperately off base, but the exclusion of serious > political > discussion from the Abolition list (and the many very minor posts which do > > appear on it) makes it increasingly less useful. I sense my days on this > list > will soon end as too much of the material bears absolutely no relationship > to > the real world most of us live in. > > More later. > > Peace, > David McReynolds > NYC > > << Subj: East Timor information and action > Date: 9/8/99 9:40:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time > From: alynw@ibm.net (Alyn Ware) > Sender: owner-abolition-caucus@igc.org > To: abolition-caucus@igc.org (abolition caucus) > > Dear Abolitionists, > > Many of you are probably shocked about the horrific events in East Timor > and > want to know more information or what you can do about it. > > The Abolition 2000 Coordinating Committee today affirmed that the > abolition > caucus list-serve should be used as intended as a forum for the abolition > of > nuclear weapons, and not as a forum for other issues of peace or violence. > > For those of you who want information on East Timor and what you can do, > contact: > > East Timor Action Network, 110 Maryland Avenue NE #30, Washington DC > 20002. > Phone (1) 202-544-6911, or (1) 914 428 7299 > Email: etandc@igc.apc.org Website:http://www.etan.org > > International Federation for East Timor, Phone: (1) 831-728-4190 Fax: > (1) > 831-761-1401 > Email: altin@atlantic.net. Website: http://www.etan.org/ifet > > Peace Brigades International East Timor Project, 76 Virginia Road, > Wanganui, > Aotearoa-New Zealand. Phone (64) 6 345 0634 > Email: alynw@ibm.net, or michael.wilts@clear.net.nz, Website: > http://www.igc.org/pbi > > > > - > To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to > "majordomo@xmission.com" > with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. > For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send > "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. > - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 14:10:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Subject: (abolition-usa) You Can Help Vieques Now! : Call for Action and Calendar of Events This e-mail includes the following texts: 1. CALL THE WHITE HOUSE ON VIEQUES 2. New York City Calendar of Events 3. LLAMA A LA CASA BLANCA SOBRE VIEQUES 1. CALL THE WHITE HOUSE ON VIEQUES This information comes from the Committe for the Rescue and Development of Vieques, PO Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765, (787) 741-8651, e-mail: bieke@coqui.net. PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL SOON MAKE A DECISION REGARDING WHETHER THE US NAVY STAYS IN OR LEAVES VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO. PLEASE CALL THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY, AND AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, TO TELL PRESIDENT CLINTON TO "ORDER THAT THE US NAVY LEAVE VIEQUES NOW". BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW, YOUR COMMENTS WILL ACTUALLY BE RELAYED TO PRESIDENT CLINTON. THE WHITE HOUSE COMMENT LINE OPERATOR WILL ASK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT AND WHAT STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM. PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO OTHERS. THANK YOU. INSTRUCTIONS: 1) Dial (202) 456-1111 Monday to Friday between 9:00AM and 5:00PM EST. If you are using a touch tone phone, just press "0" as soon as the taped message comes on and you'll be connected to a White House Comment Line Operator (if you are using a rotary phone, just stay on the line after the taped message comes on). 2) Tell the White House Comment Line Operator that you are calling on behalf of millions of people in Puerto Rico, and millions more in the United States and elsewhere, to demand that President Clinton order that the US Navy leave Vieques now. The Operator will write down your comment and then ill ask you what state you are calling from. It' that simple. The time to call is now! Thank you. 2. New York City Calendar of Events FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1999 12:00 noon - Press Conference Steps of City Hall 10:00PM-4:00AM - Concert King Changó Por Vieques at Club Monaco 323 W. 44th Street b/w 8th & 9th Ave. $10 donation to support the Comité Pro Rescate y Desarrollo de Vieques SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1999 12:30-4:00PM Fact Finding Hearing Council Chambers, City Hall * Come here the people of Vieques as they testify to federal, state and local elected officials 5:30-7:00PM Victory March in El Barrio Meeting in front of Julia de Burgos, 106th St & Lexington Ave. Come celebrate the history-making release of some of the Puerto Rican Freedom Fighters! RAIN OR SHINE. Bring your flags, musical instruments & spirit!! 6:00-9:00PM Taller Boricua Gallery presents Dead Time = Tiempo Muerto work by Antonio Martorell, Elizam Escobar & Dread Scott. We will continue the celebration of the Victory March here and all over El Barrio. 6:00-8:00PM - Concert for Vieques Eugenio María de Hostos Community College 500 Grand Concourse, Main Theater, Room C140 Guests: Johnny Pacheco, Yomo Toro & Canario SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1999 4PM - Mass Ecumenical Prayer Service for Peace & Justice in Vieques at St. Cecilia's Church, 106th Street (bt. Park & Lexington Avenue) The Archbishop of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Roberto González Nieves, presiding. Reflections by Rev. Jesse Jackson. Hymns by Danny Rivera. All are welcomed to this historic event MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1999 10:00AM City Council Hearings Council Chambers, City Hall All above dates, times and events (except the Victory March) are subject to change so please call 212-631-4620 for confirmation. 3. LLAMA A LA CASA BLANCA SOBRE VIEQUES Esta información proviene del Comité Pro Rescate y Desarrollo de Vieques, Apartado 1424, Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765, (787) 741-8651, e-mail: bieke@coqui.net. EL PRESIDENT CLINTON TOMARÁ UNA DECISIÓN EN LOS PRÓXIMOS DÍAS EN TORNO A SI LA MARINA DE GUERRA DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS SE QUEDA O SE RETIRA DE LA ISLA DE VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO. FAVOR DE LLAMAR A LA CASA BLANCA HOY, Y CUANTAS VECES PUEDAS DURANTE LOS PRÓXIMOS DÍAS, Y DÍLE AL PRESIDENTE CLINTON QUE ORDENE QUE LA MARINA SE VAYA DE VIEQUES YA ("ORDER THAT THE US NAVY LEAVE VIEQUES NOW"). SIGUIENDO LAS SIGUIENTES INSTRUCCIONES, SUS COMENTARIOS LE SERÁN COMUNICADOS AL PRESIDENTE CLINTON. LA OPERADORA DE LA LÍNEA DE COMENTARIOS DE LA CASA BLANCA ("WHITE HOUSE COMMENT LINE OPERATOR"), TE PREGUNTARÁ CUÁL ES TU COMENTARIO, Y DE QUÉ ESTADO LLAMAS. FAVOR DE PASARLE ESTE MENSAJE A OTROS. GRACIAS. INSTRUCCIONES: 1) Marca (202) 456-1111 de lunes a viernes, de 9:00AM a 5:00PM EST. Si tienes un teléfono teleteclas, aprieta el "0" tan pronto oigas el mensaje grabado, y te conectarán directamente a la Operadora de la Línea de Comentarios de la Casa Blanca (si no tienes un teléfono teleteclas, manténte en línea después que oigas el mensaje grabado). 2) Díle a la Operadora de la Línea de Comentarios de la Casa Blanca que estás llamando a nombre de millones de personas en Puerto Rico y millones más en los Estados Unidos y el mundo entero, para exigir del Presidente Clinton que ordene que la Marina ("Navy") se vaya de Vieques ya. La Operadora copiará tu mensaje y te preguntará de qué estado llamas. Así de fácil es. ¡Llama ahora! Gracias. Carah Lynn Ong Coordinator, Abolition 2000 Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 1187 Coast Village Road PMB 121, Suite 1 Santa Barbara CA 93108 Phone (805) 965 3443 FAX(805) 568 0466 Email: A2000@silcom.com Website http://www.abolition2000.org Join the Abolition-USA or Abolition-Global Caucus list serve to regularly receive updates about the Abolition movement. Both caucus' also provide a forum for conversation on nuclear-related issues as well as they are used to post important articles and information pertaining to nuclear abolition. To subscribe to the Abolition-USA listerve, send a message (with no subject) to: abolition-usa-request@lists.xmission.com In the body of the message, write: "subscribe abolition-usa" (do not include quotation marks) To post a message to the Abolition-USA list, mail your message to: abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com To subscribe to the International Abolition-caucus, send a message (with no subject) to: majordomo@igc.org In the body of the message, write: "subscribe abolition-caucus" (do not include quotation marks) To post a message to the International Abolition list, mail your message to: abolition-caucus@igc.apc.org - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 14:58:00 -0700 (PDT) From: Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Subject: (abolition-usa) US Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Dear Friends and Activists, If you plan on attending the meeting for US Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons in Ann Arbor, please note that the Detroit Metro Airport is the closest arrival destination and is aproximately one half hour outside of Ann Arbor. From Detroit Metro there are options to take a shuttle or taxi to Ann Arbor. If you are unable to schedule a flight into Detroit Metro, a second option would be the Lanzing, Michigan Airport, aproximately one hour from Ann Arbor. Please make flight arrangements as soon as possible to ensure the best rate. Best wishes! In Peace, Carah Carah Lynn Ong Coordinator, Abolition 2000 Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 1187 Coast Village Road PMB 121, Suite 1 Santa Barbara CA 93108 Phone (805) 965 3443 FAX(805) 568 0466 Email: A2000@silcom.com Website http://www.abolition2000.org Join the Abolition-USA or Abolition-Global Caucus list serve to regularly receive updates about the Abolition movement. Both caucus' also provide a forum for conversation on nuclear-related issues as well as they are used to post important articles and information pertaining to nuclear abolition. To subscribe to the Abolition-USA listerve, send a message (with no subject) to: abolition-usa-request@lists.xmission.com In the body of the message, write: "subscribe abolition-usa" (do not include quotation marks) To post a message to the Abolition-USA list, mail your message to: abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com To subscribe to the International Abolition-caucus, send a message (with no subject) to: majordomo@igc.org In the body of the message, write: "subscribe abolition-caucus" (do not include quotation marks) To post a message to the International Abolition list, mail your message to: abolition-caucus@igc.apc.org - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 20:26:07 EDT From: JTLOWE@aol.com Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) US Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Hi, Re name and logo. Abolition 2000 has been around for while now and a great deal of good work has gone into it. Why do you think there are not millions in the streets demanding as end to deterrence and the nuclear weapons that back it up? could it be the name and the logo both of which need explaining? Why not choose the universally recognized circle with a bar across, the bar over a picture of a mushroom cloud? We are not about winning design prizes, we are about appealing to the widest area of the public as possible. With the review of the NPT coming up next spring we need to be fully mobilized and have an easily understood message. in peace, Colby Lowe - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 01:17:03 -0700 (PDT) From: Timothy Bruening Subject: (abolition-usa) Last Sunlight Of 1999, 1st Sunlight Of 2000 Which place on Earth will receive the last sunlight of 1999, and which place on Earth will receive the first sunlight of 2000? - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 19:21:01 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) HAVE YOU FAXED YELTSIN AND CLINTON YET? HAVE YOU FAXED YELTSIN AND CLINTON TO TAKE NUKE WEAPONS OFF ALERT YET? APPEAL: THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE WORLD BETWEEN NOW AND DECEMBER31 FAX YELTSIN, CLINTON TO TAKE N-WEAPONS OFF ALERT OVER Y2K NOW. SIGN THE NUKE WEAPONS DE-ALERTING LETTER TO YELTSIN/CLINTON (TEXT at http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html to sign email nonukes@foesyd.org.au) PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN, +7-095-205-4330, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, +1-202-456-2461, Dear All, Sorry for sending this so many times but it really is important. If you or your organisation hasn't made this important fax yet, please try to do it in the next few days. You will be getting many messages of this kind because this is possibly the most important single issue that can ever come your way between now and the next year. Following this appeal there are two sample letters, one from FOE Australia and one from Bob Tiller of PSR USA. I urge you to act on them. The fax campaign started Sept 1. IFyou or your organisation has not yet faxed Yeltsin and or Clinton, do it in the next few days. I am writing to urge you to fax Presidents Yeltsin and Clinton from now onwards to take strategic nuclear weapons off alert before December, and to ask that the de- alerting of strategic nuclear weapons be discussed at the coming September 21 meeting of the G8. Also if you are an organisation or a 'prominent' person, please sign the big sign - on letter to Yeltsin and Clinton. It's already been faxed a few times, and will be faxed again and again as it grows before December. The text is on the website at http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html To sign email THIS ADRESS. (nonukes@foesyd.org.au) This is of absolutely vital importance. Getting 5000 nuclear missiles off alert status before the Y2k bug plays havoc with their command and control systems is just about the most important thing anyone can possibly do. Arguably there is simply no other issue this important between now and December/January. It might be literally a matter of survival. Please use the fax numbers I have provided. The numbers here work. I've just checked them. If they (especially Yeltsins one) seem not to work be patient. Keep trying. If they take these numbers out of operation I will supply others but not until I am sure. Try and get everyone you know to do it. If you are a large organisation please try and get all your members to do it. Include it in your newsletters. Many thanks and may the fax gremlins smile on you! John Hallam. DRAFT MODEL LETTER TO YELTSIN AND CLINTON FOR GLOBAL FAX CAMPAIGN STARTING SEPTEMBER 1 PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN, +7-095-205-4330, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, +1-202-456-2461, Dear Presidents Yeltsin, and Clinton, I am writing to you to convey my extreme concern over the possibility that Y2K -related problems in the computerised command, control, and monitoring systems of nuclear forces and weapon systems, may give rise to an unacceptable risk of accidental nuclear war, as a result of incorrect data and miscalculation. I therefore urge you to solve the problem by taking your nuclear forces off alert, or by standing them down. I ask that standing down nuclear forces in view of the problems posed by the 'Millennium Bug', be a matter for urgent priority discussions at the G8 Summit in Berlin on Sept 21. As well asY2K considerations, taking nuclear weapons off alert will increase strategic stability and confidence, and eliminate the possibility of accidental nuclear war. I would remind you that your two countries have some 5000 strategic nuclear weapons that are able to be fired within a time span of 15-30 minutes. This must never happen. Should it do so, not only would your two countries cease to exist, but it is entirely possible that human life and maybe all life life on the planet, could be terminated. Any risk of this happening at any time, Y2K or otherwise, no matter how small, is unacceptable. However, the Y2K problem adds another layer of uncertainty to the risk that already exists. Taking nuclear forces off alert was strongly recommended by the Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons in 1996, and a number of resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly have urged that it be done. Taking nuclear weapons off alert and placing them in a state in which hours to days rather than minutes or seconds would be required to make them launch ready, would effectively eliminate the risk of accidental nuclear war due to the Y2K computer problem. It would also make impossible the many non-Y2K related problems that have many times brought us to within minutes of a possible nuclear exchange. De-Alerting will cost you nothing, and can be done by a simple executive order to stand down nuclear forces. The UK has already altered its 'notice to fire' from minutes to days. We/I urge you to do likewise. The stakes involved far outweigh any considerations of national pride, national interest, or even national security. Indeed, the immediate stakes are so high, and the potential for global catastrophe so clear that mutually verified de- alerting must now take precedence over all other considerations. Signed... etc >------------------------------------------- >Dear Presidents Yeltsin and Clinton: > >The Cold War ended years ago, but the nuclear danger endures, menacing >us all. Thousands of nuclear weapons remain on high-alert in the United >States and Russia. Although both countries have announced their >"de-targeting" of the other, that step is virtually meaningless when >both countries keep their weapons on alert and maintain a >launch-on-warning posture. > >Keeping nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert does not add to the >security of either nation; indeed it makes all of us less secure. You >are well aware of the various occasions when Russia and the U.S. came >close to launching nuclear weapons because of misunderstanding or poor >data. Removing the weapons from hair-trigger alert would eliminate the >risk of hasty reaction. > >Therefore I urge you to lessen the nuclear danger by removing all >nuclear weapons from high-alert. This can be accomplished in a matter >of weeks without treaty negotiation or ratification. > >This approach has worked before. In 1991 President George Bush took the >bold step of removing hundreds of U.S. nuclear weapons from high-alert >status, and in response Mikhail Gorbachev did the same with hundreds of >Soviet weapons. Now we need similar courageous leadership to finish the >process that they started. > >De-alerting takes on added urgency this year. When January 1, 2000 >arrives, no one will know if all of the Y2K computer problems have been >fixed. Why court disaster by having nuclear warheads on hair-trigger >alert when we do not know how the computers in the nuclear system will >function? > >Last year the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a >resolution which calls on the nuclear weapons states to de-alert their >weapons. It is wise counsel. For the sake of our children and >grandchildren, please de-alert all nuclear weapons now. > >Sincerely, John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, Fax(61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 nonukes@foesyd.org.au http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #180 *********************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.