QUAKERS in Stratford have welcomed the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which came into force yesterday (Friday).
The treaty, the first legally binding international agreement to ban nuclear weapons with the goal of their ultimate elimination, came into force yesterday (Friday). Adopted in 2017, it has so far been signed by 86 countries and formally agreed in 51 countries. It came into force after Honduras, in Central America, became the 50th country to agree to the treaty in October 2020.
Roger Matthews from Stratford Quakers said: “From their earliest days, Quakers have opposed war and supported peaceful, non-violent approaches to dealing with problems. Nuclear weapons are the ultimate expression of violent force. There are already enough nuclear weapons in the world to destroy it completely. We need action to stop the spread of such weapons and ultimately to get rid of them.”
Britain has not so far signed or ratified the treaty, and the Stratford branch is joining Quakers around the country, as well as many other church and community groups, to call on the Government to sign the treaty and cease to invest in nuclear weapons.
For more information about Stratford Quakers, contact Roger Matthews on 01789 298503.
