The Marshall Islands, a very small island nation in the Northern Pacific, is suing the nuclear powers of the world. In 1970, a treaty know as the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT, became law. It has since obligated the nine nuclear weapons states to peacefully negotiate international disarmament. Here we are, forty-four years later, and the nuclear powers of the world continue to expand and modernize their arsenals. No negotiations with a real goal of nuclear disarmament have taken place. But now, a small nation, with a population of only around 68, 000 people are aiming to face up the world's superpowers in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The Marshall Islands were the site of many nuclear tests conducted in the twelve years following the Second World War. Some of the islands belonging to the nation are, to this day, uninhabitable due to effects of the tests. The nations foreign affairs minister, Tony de Brum, said that "Our people have suffered the catastrophic and irreparable damage of these weapons, and we vow to fight so that no one else on earth will ever again experience these atrocities." The government of the Marshall Islands has said that it searches no compensation from the US, and that it simply wishes the court to evaluate the treaty's terms and decide whether or not the nuclear wielding nations of the world are in compliance with them. While five of the nine nations involved in the legal proceedings have signed the NPT- namely the UK, US, France, Russia, and China- four are not. Among those are India, North Korea, Pakistan, and Israel, which has never publicly admitted to possessing nuclear weapons.
Of course, many of these nations will protect themselves from the suit with international sovereignty, as the UK, Pakistan and India are the only ones who recognize the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ, and thereby must obey the court.
Personally, I doubt that this case will bring about any true effort for international disarmament. However, this case will, if nothing else, remind people of the international community's obligation work towards that goal. It will, I hope, make us question and truly think about the real consequences of nuclear war, and examine the concept of mutual destruction. We have to ask ourselves weather or not it's reasonable for small countries like Israel and North Korea to develop nuclear weapons to offset the threat against them, or if countries with nuclear technologies should prevent other countries from developing their own. Which countries should be permitted to possess these weapons, if any? Who can be trusted to make these decisions?
This is one of the most major issues in our time. What are your guys' thoughts or concerns? How would you guys answer the comments above. Please share your response in the comments below.
