(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Ingrid Eide (70) is a pensioner, but only on paper. In addition to guiding graduate students and giving lectures and lectures, she has just been elected new leader of No for nuclear weapons.
It may become a more important and time-consuming task than many had thought when the Berlin Wall was demolished and the Cold War officially declared dead and buried.
- We believed in a new development when the wall fell and Gorbachev and Reagen met. But then it has peaked again. Old hawks in the USA, such as Richard Perle, whom we recognized from the Cold War, have emerged from their "thinking tanks" where they have obviously had the US hegemony in mind, says Eide, and welcomes Ny Tid into her living room at Grefsen in Oslo.
- Tragic setback
Eide has been active in No to Nuclear Weapons (NTA) and the peace movement for 30 years. She remembers well the double decision, the nuclear arms race and the fight against the neutron bomb – the innovation that would save material values, but kill people and other living things.
At NTA's national meeting last weekend, Eide presented a ten-point statement, jokingly called the "stone tablet" by the organization's grand old man, Ole Kopreitan.
Basically, the statement states "that the nuclear weapons situation has deteriorated in the years after the turn of the millennium."
- This is a tragic step back after the Supervisory Conference for the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2000 gave its approval to the goal of abolishing all nuclear weapons and prepared 13 steps to be taken to achieve this goal, says Eide.
- Two dangerous factors
The backlash has many causes, she explains.
The established nuclear powers are constantly keeping weapons of mass destruction in high readiness, including weapons that, according to disarmament agreements, should have been destroyed. NATO has not changed its strategy on the first use of nuclear weapons.
Some countries have recently exceeded the "nuclear threshold" and are now new nuclear powers, at the same time as fears are growing that new countries will acquire nuclear weapons again. But the scariest thing is the use of dirty weapons and the development of "mini-nukes".
- In the past, we were afraid of the nuclear weapons that were so and so many times as big as the Hiroshima bomb. We now have small nuclear weapons that are so usable that they are very tempting to use, while war has become a more accepted way of resolving conflicts. These two factors at the same time become very dangerous, Eide believes.
- Nuclear weapon slide
She points to the US and NATO's use of depleted uranium weapons in Kosovo and Iraq, where the local population has not only been exposed to the immediate destruction, but also sustained radiation hazards and pollution.
- We also see it in relation to the disarmament that has actually taken place. One struggles with the long-term effects, because it is not possible to forge nuclear weapons into plowshares.
The fact that the United States has now launched full research on so-called "mini-nukes" – or nuclear weapons with explosive power below 5 kt (the Hiroshima bomb was 13 kt) – does not make the situation better in a world where the superpower with allies since the turn of the millennium has attacked two country.
- NATO still has its strategy for the first use of nuclear weapons. At the same time, NATO has adopted an "out of area" strategy, which has led the military alliance to war in the Balkans and Afghanistan. In my opinion, we are on something reminiscent of a nuclear weapons slide, where it is becoming increasingly easier to use nuclear weapons, says the leader of NTA.
Norway less clear
And on this slide is Norway, too, says Eide.
- Norwegian boys and girls are sent to Afghanistan and Iraq, where dirty weapons have been used. The danger is that we will be directly co-responsible for the use of these weapons. One is about to let some stitches unravel. This could destroy Norway's opportunities for peace efforts and mediation, predicts Eide, who has extensive professional experience from the UN system.
- In the past, I have happily represented Norway in various UN forums. People felt that the Norwegian peace rhetoric was in line with Norway's involvement abroad. And this peace work is the most important political capital we have. But now Norway is less unambiguous, less credible. We are involved in wars, corruption scandals are uncovered; we become more common. OK, that might make us more humble. But only if we learn from it and do not become cynical.
- I hope
Norway's elusive behavior in the UN recently in relation to the abolition of nuclear weapons does not make matters any better.
- New Agenda Coalition, where Sweden's assassinated Foreign Minister Anna Lindh was a driving force, tried in September to get the countries in the UN to adopt a declaration to get rid of all nuclear weapons. But Norway abstained from voting, says Eide.
She thinks the biggest brake pad is the United States.
- It is about creating nuclear-weapon-free zones in the world among countries that do not have nuclear weapons. But it is also important to get the nuclear powers to commit not to use this card. It's just that this is where the United States is so extremely reluctant.
When asked whether Norway's abstained vote in the UN is a result of us being virtually the 51st state of the superpower, Eide answers:
- Everyone has their own way of saying it. I hope that public opinion becomes so strong that it forces the Norwegian government to vote for the New Agenda Coalition's proposal next time.
- Peace culture as a premise
When excavated by previously great civilizations, such as ancient China, one finds art and crafts.
- But when they dig out after our civilization in a few thousand years, they will find remnants of deadly weapons that are still dangerous, Eide believes.
Not a cheerful thought about the future, just that. But 70-year-old Ingrid Eide is anything but a pessimistic person.
- There are almost 200 states in the world, most are not at war. The vast majority of professions in the world have built-in peace culture as a premise. The universe of interactions is overwhelmingly peaceful interactions, Eide smiles.
