"The production and use of weaponry containing the radioactive waste Depleted Uranium is illegal under international laws governing the customs of war.
Here in New Mexico we produce and test these weapons of mass destruction and
indiscriminate use. Today, the International Depleted Uranium Study Team, IDUST,
demands that Governor Richardson and the State Legislature cease and desist
the production and testing of weaponry containing Depleted Uranium (DU) here
in New Mexico, in particular these facilities:
The following acts are prohibited under International Law: use of weapons and tactics which cause unnecessary or aggravated devastation or suffering; use of weapons which cause indiscriminate harm, such as to non-combatants, use of weapons or tactics which violate the mutual jurisdiction of non-participating states, the use of poison, the use of weapons or tactics which would cause wide spread long term and severe damage to the environment. These principles are accepted by the United States in the U.S. Army Manual; The Laws of Land Warfare.
What proof is there that Depleted Uranium is a weapon of mass destruction and
indiscriminate use? The following information comes from the United Nations
Resolution 1996/16 adopted August 29, 1996. In it's 49th session, the sub-commission
on prevention of discrimination and protection of minorities in its Resolution
1996/16 of 29 August 1996 concerned that the alleged use of weapons of mass
destruction or indiscriminate destruction both against members of the armed
forces and against civilian populations resulted in death, misery, disability,
and concern also at repeated reports of the long term consequences of the use
of such weapons upon human life and health and upon the environment urged all
states to be guided in their national policies by the need to curb the production
and the spread of weapons of mass destruction or with indiscriminate effects.
In particular; nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, fuel air bombs, napalm, cluster
bombs, biological weaponry, and weaponry containing depleted uranium.
To learn more about this important global issue and its impact on New Mexico, Iraq, Afghanistan ecologies, civilians and our own military, see PeaceAware's Enriched Uranium pages and videos.