Civil society got its foot in the door with the international campaign to ban landmines. This campaign built on the networks of the global peace movement and in only five years brought the issue from obscurity to a treaty signed by 123 countries banning these inhuman weapons. The campaign to abolish nuclear weapons is the next global campaign. It is supported by more than 900 international organisations and by the strength of international law. Key groups have issued strong statements - generals, world leaders, scientists, the Stimson Center, religious leaders, the Canberra Commission.
Public support is almost unanimous.
A Middle Powers Initiative is beginning, under the leadership of Former Canadian Ambassador, Doug Roche. We have a sympathetic Minister in Lloyd Axworthy. The Nation, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Scientific American have run major articles in the last three months. There have been many cases of citizen teams going into nuclear weapons bases demanding free and unfettered rights to inspect the bases for weapons of mass destruction. When they have been arrested, the activists have used the World Court decision in their defence and have been acquitted in at least 6 cases.