Walks for a Nuclear-Free Future 2010

Starting on May 3rd the United Nations will be reviewing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. To bring the issue to the attention of the American People there are three walks that plan to arrive in NYC on May 1 and are having a rally on the 2nd. One of the walks started in Oakridge, TN weeks ago. There is one coming down from Vermont and one from Western NY. Here is the info from the 700 mile WNY walk. The map and stops along the way are on their website. People are encouraged to walk part of the way if you can't make the whole trip.

Northern Route Initiated by Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order

Western New York to the United Nations in New York City (March 7 – May 2, 2010, a total of 700 miles)
Each Step Will Be A Prayer Toward A Nuclear-Free Future
▪ ABOLITION OF ALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS ▪ AN END TO NUCLEAR POWER ▪ We wish to call attention to the 2010 NPT Review Conference at UN in May 2010. With increased support of public opinion, our new US President will be encouraged to abolish the use of nuclear weapons.
►Western New York to NYC: West Valley Nuclear Waste Site, Six Nations Native American territories, Syracuse (National Guard base, soon to be a home to MQ-9, the first hunter-killer unmanned aerial vehicles), Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. (See reverse side for the complete itinerary and a list of supporting organizations.)
■ Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
This treaty’s objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. A total of 190 parties have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States (US, UK, Russia, France, China). The Treaty has been reviewed at the UN every five years and the next review conference is scheduled to begin May 3, 2010.
■ Think Outside the Bomb
The nuclear fuel cycle is an inherently dangerous process that is destructive to the health, environment and economies of all peoples irrespective of political boundaries. Many of toxic and radioactive wastes, both from nuclear weapons and energy production, will remain radioactive for tens of thousands of years, if not for millions of years. Despite no place or technology to isolate the waste as long as it is radioactively hazardous, the nuclear industry creates more and more.
■ Suffering of Indigenous People
The Walk will visit Six Nations of Native American territories in New York State. Historically and currently, the native communities—from uranium miners to tribal communities targeted with nuclear waste dumps—bear a disproportionate burden of risk from the nuclear fuel cycle.
■ West Valley
West Valley is a complex radioactive waste site located 30 miles south of Buffalo. The site has high-level, so-called “low- level,” transuranic and mixed (radioactive and hazardous) wastes buried, stored and leaking. Geologically the site is in a bedrock valley that is expected to erode into the Great Lakes in centuries to come, but the nuclear waste buried at the site will remain dangerously radioactive much longer than the projected erosion rate.
Please join us by walking for an hour, a day, or for the entirety. You can support us by organizing a community potluck, a sharing circle, a visit to your mayor, a place for our walkers to sleep, or a coverage by the local media. Also please keep this walk in your thought and prayer.
Nipponzan Myohoji
PEACE WALK ROUTE (Northern Route)
Route Map
No Drugs, No Alcohol, No Weapons.
We will typically walk 12-18 miles per day.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Jun Yasuda Nipponzan Myohoji Grafton Peace Pagoda Phone: 518-658-9301
Jules Orkin Phone: 201-566-8403 Email: julesorkin@yahoo.com
This is a part of collaborated interfaith peace walks toward NPT conference in NYC. There are two other routes: from Oak Ridge, TN (Southern Route) and from Burlington, VT (Eastern Route).
Walk for a Nuclear-Free Future 2010 Northern Route (3/7/10-5/2/10)

Supported by:
Catholic Workers; Center for Health, Environment & Justice; Citizens Campaign for the Environment; Citizens' Environmental Coalition; CODEPINK; Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR); FootPrints for Peace; Global Network Against Weapon and Nuclear Power in Space; Grandmothers for Peace; Indigenous Women’s Initiatives; Mayors for Peace; New York Regional AFSC; Nuclear Information & Resource Service (NIRS); Pax Christi; Peace Action; Sierra Club; Syracuse Peace Counsel; Veterans for Peace; Western New York Peace Center.