MANY TO MANY 64 CALL FOR A SAFER WORLD

CALL FOR A SAFER WORLD

CALL FOR A SAFER WORLD

The purpose of the Call for a Safer World is to demonstrate world-wide support for a more just, democratic and sustainable international system for the 21st century. It will be presented to national governments and to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The Call for a Safer World outlines an agenda for change. It does not list all the things that need to be done to reform the United Nations and other international bodies: it calls for seven key changes, each one of which would represent a breakthrough towards a safer future for humanity.

All these proposals have been discussed at the United Nations, but the political and bureaucratic resistance to them is strong. Implementing these proposals will require the combined and sustained effort by political leaders as well as the persistent pressure from legislators and citizens.

The seven proposals are as follows:

1. United Nations Preventive Diplomacy – preventing armed conflict before it starts;

2. A UN Rapid Deployment Brigade – a permanent force of volunteers,
recruited as individuals, ready to go immediately to areas of conflict. The dispatch of such a force could be in the hands of the Secretary-General, the General Assembly or the Security Council, but should not be subject to veto by the great powers on the Security Council or by the parties to a conflict;

3. An International Criminal Court – to make those responsible for genocide and other crimes against humanity accountable for their actions;

4. Demilitarization – steadily reducing the levels of armaments. If nations are to have the confidence to demilitarize, they must be sure that their neighbours and adversaries are doing likewise. For any disarmament agreement, the United Nations should verify and ensure compliance;

5. An Environmental Council – a globally representative UN Council with comparable powers (but without the veto for powerful countries that so often undermines the Security Council).

6. A Directly-elected People's Assembly Within The United Nations – a People's Assembly which could, together with the existing General Assembly, play a major role in decision-making on the global environment, sustainable development, peace and human rights. It would introduce representatives at the UN whose primary responsibility would be the protection of the whole planet, whereas most national representatives are employed by governments to represent national interests;

7. Global Money for Global Needs – through fees being levied for uses of the "global commons" (the atmosphere, the oceans and outer space). Fees on global pollution e.g. a global "carbon tax" on the carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to global warming. Another revenue source proposed by some governments would be a small levy on international currency transfers; a levy of just 0.05 of one percent on international currency transfers could generate approximately US$150 billion a year.

We need a more effective and democratic United Nations to protect the long-term interests of humanity as a whole.

EarthAction, a network of more than 1,800 citizen groups in 144 countries, is committed to help build the political will to create a safer world. EarthAction has no connection with any political party or religious creed. It is simply a network of people working together for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.
If you wish to have a further look at this material with a view to possibly signing the Call for a Safer World, please contact the website: http://www.oneworld.org/earthaction/ and click on the Call for a Safer World link to sign it online and add your voice to the chorus of all those supporting this action.

Anthony Brooke and Gita Brooke, co-founders
Te Rangi, 4 Allison Street, Wanganui 5001, New Zealand
phone/fax: +64-6-345-5714 ~ e-mail: Many to Many
under the aegis of
Operation Peace Through Unity
is a communicating link between
'we, the peoples' of all nations, races, creeds and ideologies offering in the spirit of the preamble of the United Nations Charter an instrument for the furthering of better relationships based on deepening mutual understanding and the aspiration to promote unity and cooperation beyond all differences.