Fiji has been praised for its stand on anti-nuclear by a university student in Aus­tralia.

Dimity Hawkins, a PhD student at Swinburne University in Australia, said Fiji was an exemplary island nation for saying no to nuclear testing

Her research and involvement in the opposition to nuclear weapon testing in the Pacific have made her a co-founding member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons (ICAN). This, in turn, won them a Nobel Peace Prize in 2017.

“I was just updating people about the current issues, about the new treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons,” she said.

Ms Hawkin described the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nu­clear Weapon (TPNW) and how it impacts the Pacific.

“The treaty is new that will enter into force once 50 states sign and ratify it. Basically, the treaty prohibits nuclear weapons. It outlaws them from being used anywhere in the world.”

She described the treaty as ‘exciting.’ The TPNW has sev­eral provisions which will look at the disproportionate im­pact of nuclear weapon testing and usage on women and girls.

Another group which can suffer a disproportionate im­pact are the marginalised and indigenous communities.

The treaty also addresses provisions such as victims’ as­sistance and environmental remediation in areas which are specifically impacted by nuclear testing.

“We need to join all the small states, all the medium-sized states, and some large states and come together. It’s not just in the hands of the states that have nuclear weapons. So it’s important that we stand up and say no to nuclear weapons and stigmatise the idea of these weapons.”

She encouraged countries to sign the treaty and ratify it, especially, Fiji.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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