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March 10, 2007
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Stephen G. Erickson, Director
Citizens Education Project
444 Northmont Way
Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
(801) 554-9029
erickson.steve1@comcast.net
citizensedproject.org
TRIDENT: AN OPEN LETTER TO PARLIAMENT FROM AMERICA
Honorable Members of Parliament,
We ask that you consider the concerns of the people of Utah and the Western United
States that a decision to replace and up-grade the Trident missile system would
result in a resumption of nuclear weapons testing in Nevada.
The legacy of illness and death downwind from exposure to radiation from past
nuclear tests conducted by the United Kingdom, United States, and other nuclear
weapons States, still weighs heavily upon the survivors. This tragedy is
real and continuing today for untold thousands of people in many parts of the
world.
The hurt and the anger and the distrust of government nuclear weapons policies
is felt acutely in Utah, as reflected by the Resolution
of Salt Lake City Mayor Anderson (PDF). Similar resolutions will be passed
and forwarded to you and the Parliament before March 14. Over 80% of the
people of Utah oppose a resumption of nuclear weapons testing. Assurances
that new weapons can be developed without testing and that new nuclear tests
can be conducted safely are not believed and are not credible.
At least twenty-eight joint US-UK nuclear tests have been conducted in Nevada,
nine of which were probable tests of the Trident system warhead. A new
UK Trident system, with a new warhead jointly developed by the UK and the US,
would almost certainly be tested in Nevada.
There are many reasons to oppose a new Trident system and these have been vigorously
debated, but it does not appear to us that the Parliament has considered adequately
the human and moral implications of renewed nuclear testing and the potential
of creating new generations of fallout victims. We respectfully ask that
you make your fellow Members of Parliament aware of these very real fears before
a vote is taken on Trident and our future.
Respectfully,
Stephen G. Erickson, Director
Citizens Education Project
444 Northmont Way
Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
(801) 554-9029
erickson.steve1@comcast.net
citizensedproject.org
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