Month: January 2021

The shockingly under-reported war in Yemen has led to the death of 230,000 people and created the worst humanitarian crisis anywhere in the world according to the UN. They estimate that more than 24 million people in the country, which was already one of the poorest on the planet prior to the war, will need humanitarian assistance in 2021.

The war is led by Saudi Arabia, with the involvement of the UAE, but it is backed by some key Western powers – the US, the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Canada. In particular, the US and the UK have maintained unquestioning support for Saudi Arabia since the war began and are both participants in the war.

This protest was timed to take place just days after the inauguration of Joe Biden, who has promised to end US support for the war. This is our one central aim – to hold him to his word and force fellow governments to follow suit. Over 300 organisations from 28 countries have signed up for a call to action against the war on Yemen so far, making this the biggest international anti-war co-ordination since the campaign against the Iraq war. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic many of the planned physical protests had to be postponed but our global movement will not be silenced.

The World Says No to War on Yemen Global Online Rally brought together a group of prominent voices from across the world to speak out against this utterly brutal war and call for its immediate end: Ahmed Al-Babati (British-Yemeni Soldier), Dr. Apsana Begum MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, John Finucane MP (Sinn Féin), Lindsey German (Stop the War Coalition), Jehan Hakim (Yemeni Alliance Committee), Kate Hudson (CND), Rep. Ro Khanna Esa Mighty, Daniele Obono (French National Assembly Member), Yanis Varoufakis (MeRA25 Secretary-General), Dr. Cornel West

Chairs: Aisha Jumaan & Chris Nineham

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons has entered into force, making the it illegal for signatories to manufacture and possess nuclear weapons.

Shamefully the UK government refused to even participate in the treaty talks and now says it will never sign. But that will not stop us from making progress. From its founding meeting, CND has championed the global abolition of nuclear weapons. This treaty is a victory for grassroots campaigning and our anti-nuclear movement. The 2017 Nobel Peace Prize was even awarded to ICAN – of which CND is a partner – for its tireless work in campaigning for this momentous achievement.

Unfortunately, the terms of the treaty only apply to those countries which have actually signed and ratified it. The nine nations that have nuclear weapons have explicitly stated that they will never sign.

However, adoption of the TPNW by the vast majority of the world’s governments will no doubt create huge momentum towards global nuclear disarmament.

What can I do?

• CND is calling on all our members and supporters to arrange a meeting with their MP
• Use our lobby tool to ask your MP to sign EDM 1072
• Sign our petition calling on the government to get rid of its nuclear weapons and support the treaty.
• Persuade your village, town or city to get involved with nuclear ban communities
• Download this poster and display it in a window
• Join Merseyside CND and National CND