65th anniversary of Stockholm’s Appeal
Abolish all nuclear weapons!
65 YEARS OF THE “STOCKHOLM APPEAL”
“We believe that any government which first uses atomic weapons against any other country whatsoever will be committing a crime against humanity and should be dealt with as a war criminal.
“We call on all men and women of good will throughout the world to sign this appeal.”
March 1950
In March 1950, the international movement of defenders of Peace, following the end of World War II, founded the World Peace Council and, in view of the threat of a repetition of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki horror, launched an Appeal to ban nuclear weapons under strict international control, denouncing its intimidating and mass murder nature.
But 65 years later, five nuclear powers possess declared nuclear arsenals, and five other countries also possess them, but without signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty reached in 1968.
Today, as then, we fear that any State aggressor can anticipate the launch of a nuclear weapon against some other State, aiming to gain military advantage, which would be a crime committed against humanity, and treated as a war crime. We know, however, that the size of the arsenals and their worldwide impact would make the trial of such a crime impossible. It would be the end of Justice, since it would be the end of Civilisation.
Hence, all of us, organisations and people who sign this document:
* Remember and salute the example of the activists and personalities who acted for the abolition of nuclear weapons and wrote this Stockholm Appeal, as well as the millions of men and women, grandparents and
parents of the present generation, who signed it worldwide, As well as those who, both in the Peace movement and in the international institutions, have since then been fighting tirelessly for its propagation, its
cause and necessary application.
* We appeal to the conscience of all to gather their wills around the action for this cause which remains up to date –to disarm the strategy of tension and deceptive military superiority that would lead to a nuclear genocide.
* We declare the urgent need to end nuclear weapons of mass murder of peoples, of foreign military bases, as well as the need for general and controlled disarmament.
* We demand the compliance with the principles of the United Nations Charter, in accordance with international law and the sovereignty of the States and the equal rights of the peoples.
Conselho Português para a Paz e Cooperação
