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Action Alert - US Nuclear Weapons Test
Peace Movement Aotearoa
PO Box 9314, Wellington. Tel (04) 382 8129, fax (04) 382 8173, pma@xtra.co.nz
Issued 12 March 1998
12 March 1998 - News in from the Shundahai network of the preparation for the first
US sub-critical nuclear weapons test for this year - message repeated below, with
contact details for US embassy in Wellington, Prime Minister's office and Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Trade (and Disarmament).
ACTION ALERT: STOP SUBCRITICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS TEST "STAGECOACH"
The Department of Energy (DOE) continues with daily systems tests (dry runs) in preparation for subcritical nuclear weapons test "Stagecoach" conducted by Los Alamos National Laboratories. The DOE has been conducting up to two dry runs a day. The DOE has said it plans to conduct this test in March and current local speculation is focused on the last two weeks of March with the 24-25 and 31 being the most likely days.
Generally, the DOE sends out a press release about 2 days before the test, and we non-governmental organisations will find out the date at that same time -- so don't forget to call in to the one of the groups listed in this
message and/or check your email to keep current. We will not have a lot of advance notice.
The Las Vegas Review Journal reports that the DOE is delighted with the success of the last two subcritical tests and that they have yielded more information than full scale testing. The current plan is for four tests a
year for the next 10 years.
The other "subcritical" tests the DOE plans to detonate this fiscal year are, in order: Bagpipe (a Livermore Lab test), Cimmaron (a Los Alamos Lab test) and Accordion (Livermore, again). There is some doubt, however, that DOE will get all four done by October 1, the beginning of the next fiscal year. The first two of four slated for next year are Network and Clarinet.
ON THE DAY OF THE TEST: A prayer circle will be held at the entrance to the Nevada Test Site during the time of the test. The test countdown will be broadcast over scanner frequencies. Possible non-violent direct action could take place to stop the test.
****** WHAT YOU CAN DO *******
People to protest to in Aotearoa / New Zealand :
a) Contact the US ambassador - Josiah Beeman, US Embassy, 29 Fitzherbert Tce, Thorndon, Wellington; tel (04) 472 2068; fax (04) 471 2380.
b) Contact Jenny Shipley and Don McKinnon and ask them to protest to the US ambassador - Prime Minister's office tel (04) 471 9998; fax (04) 473 7045; Don McKinnon's office tel 471 9999; fax 471 1444 or write to them at
Parliament Buildings, Wellington (no stamp needed).
c) Contact your local MP and ask them to contact Jenny Shipley, Don McKinnon and the US ambassador.
d) Contact President Clinton, The White House, Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC; fax + 1 202 456 2461 or email <president@whitehouse.gov>
You could start protesting about this planned nuclear weapons test now, contacting any or all of the above and demanding that this planned test (and indeed the planned series) be cancelled.
Please note - because of the very short notice we receive once the test date is actually confirmed, we are sometimes notified on a day there is no-one in our office and thus cannot give you advance warning of the detonation. But we will if we can !
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