Peace groups lobby Downing Street as US/North Korea tensions rise

A host of peace organisations took part in a protest organised by CND in Whitehall on Thursday evening, calling on the UK Government to use its influence to support a peaceful end to the growing tensions between the US and North Korea. Around 5.30pm, a delegation handed in a letter to Downing Street, signed by thousands of members of the British public, urging Theresa May to do all she can to prevent a nuclear war.

During the protest, Pat Gaffney of Pax Christi shared a message from a South Korean peace group, SPARK, which works for the withdrawal of THADD, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense launchers, and campaigns for an end to the US-ROK joint military exercises and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

She also spoke of the leading role played by the Vatican on nuclear disarmament, most recently their support for the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty and their commitment to peace in the Korean Peninsula, affirmed by Archbishop Paul Gallagher at the UN on 22 September: "The rising tensions over North Korea's growing nuclear program are of special urgency," he said. "The international community must respond by seeking to revive negotiations. The threat or use of military force have no place in countering proliferation, and the threat or use of nuclear weapons in countering nuclear proliferation are deplorable."

Fr Pat Cunningham, a Columban Missionary who works with the group wrote: "I would like to thank you for your solidarity and action today outside Downing Street calling on your government to do all it can to put an end to the unthinkable nightmare of a nuclear catastrophe that would not only destroy the lives of countless numbers of human beings on the peninsula."

Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said: "Our government must do all it can to prevent nuclear war, but instead of that it has chosen to join in with Donald Trump's preparations for war - participating in military drills over the Korean peninsula - and has remained silent about the US President's increasingly belligerent approach to the conflict.

"Trump's threat to completely destroy North Korea has created a climate where the slightest misunderstanding could lead to military action being taken by either side. Both US and North Korea must pull back and de-escalate their rhetoric and actions. A war would involve the use of nuclear weapons with devastating consequences. Negotiation is the only way.

"It's time for Theresa May to condemn the war of words and back fresh negotiations that were called for by the leader of the opposition yesterday."

Among the other speakers were Bruce Kent, vice president of CND, Brian Eno, Lindsey German from Stop The War, Sheila Triggs from the Womens International League for Peace and Rebecca Johnson from the Green Party.

For more information see: www.paxchristi.org.uk

See also: ICN 26 September 2017 - Vatican at UN calls for nuclear-free world www.indcatholicnews.com/news/33481