At a nuclear disarmament seminar held in the Caritas Sri Lanka auditorium yesterday, the Christian Alliance for Social Action (CASA) urged the government to do more on the international stage  to help achieve nuclear disarmament.

“If one country used a nuclear weapon, it could damage half the world,” said Jayantha Dhanapala, a former United Nations undersecretary general for disarmament affairs and a former Sri Lankan ambassador to the United States.

He said possessing nuclear weapons is a “crime against humanity” and is a constant stimulus to other states to try to acquire them.

“There are more than 20,000 nuclear warheads. We cannot imagine the danger of using such weapons,” Dhanapala continued.

Of particular concern to participants were the nuclear arsenals of India and Pakistan, who have fought three wars since independence from Britain.

“Pakistan and India keep nuclear weapons in their possession for their own safety,” said Ainsley Joseph, convener of CASA.

“But if they use them, Sri Lanka will also be badly affected,” he said.

Joseph said that he intends to establish a forum to raise awareness about nuclear weapons and send a petition to the government, who in turn should send it to all countries in possession of nuclear arsenals.

“We plan to conduct awareness programs on this subject and encourage our people to sign the international petition against nuclear weapons organized by Global Zero,” he said.

Global Zero is an international initiative launched in December 2008 to promote the elimination of nuclear weapons.