REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT S REPORT AFRICA

REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT AFRICA SUBMITTED BY: IME A JOHN, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, AFRICA Our region has witnessed increased in activities wi...
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REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT AFRICA SUBMITTED BY: IME A JOHN, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, AFRICA

Our region has witnessed increased in activities within this past year. The Beijing world congress provided our affiliates with renewed zeal which moved them to success. Multinational injury project set for take off in all Affiliates: Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Congo DR, Zambia. Most have concluded the preliminaries and have secured ethical approvals form the participating hospitals. The hosting of the 6th Regional conference of our region was ceded to Uganda during the last World congress in Beijing. Plans are on the way to conclude the theme and other logistical issues. Renewal meeting: I was able to attend the renewal meeting in London last February with the support of SLMK.We were honored by Fred Bukachi a former VP, African region at the meeting. A summary of the key points of this meeting were discussed with our affiliates in Nairobi, April 2005 during the Control arms conference. Likely scenarios were examined after my briefing. Our affiliates were encouraged to be calm until the options of a renewed IPPNW unfold since it was premature to conclude. Control arms Conference: I attended the Nairobi control arms meeting, organized by IANSA and other NGOs. The conference declared open by the Kenya Foreign Minister recorded the largest attendance of NGOs that campaign against small arms violence. The key point was that the Participants and NGOs work with aim of putting pressure on their Governments to sign and ratify the Arms trade treaty agreement. All our affiliates were represented except Uganda.Onbehalf of all affiliates, I wish to appreciation the enormous support of Maria and Robert our liaised with IANSA to facilitate our attendance. Aiming for Prevention; the one bullet story initially developed in Kenya and later Zambia, has attracted global attention. Other affiliates are encouraged to replicate similar scenario since it is an effective advocacy tool. 8th World Injury Conference; Some members of our region have submitted abstracts and have received preliminary acceptance. We expect huge presence of our affiliates in Durban, RSA next April. For more information, Please see: http://www.safety2006.info/index.aspx. DR Congo A chronicle of the activities of DR Congo affiliate is summarized below. From 17 to 21 November 2004 Congolese Network Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons was launched. Leaders of this affiliate were the founding members. Dr Simon Kawaya was elected, National vice Coordinator of the Network. From 6 to 9 February 2005 IPPNW DRC Affiliate was represented in a workshop held by Africa Peace Forum on the role of Great Lakes Civil Society in implementing the Nairobi Declaration and Protocol. During this meeting, Kisangani workshop report was published. From 15 to 18 April 2005: DRC affiliate was represented at the Nairobi International Conference on control arms held in Nairobi, Kenya.

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25 April 2005: Official launch of Control Arms Campaign in Kisangani by IPPNW DRC Affiliate as NGO Leader. Campaign for Arms Trade Treaty with objective, to collect 5,000 pictures for the million faces petition. IPPNW DRC Affiliate is involved in the Multinational Research on injuries. Data are been collected on armed violence and road traffic injuries from the University teaching Hospital of Kisangani and the referral Hospital of Bunia in Ituri District. July 2005: Active participation at the IANSA Week of Action: Press release, Media coverage messages, Memorandum to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. DRC was invited to attend the BMS, but could not obtain a visa to USA. DRC submitted abstracts to the 8th world conference on injuries and safety promotion. Other projects planned are as follows; • The fight against poverty, one of the root causes of armed conflicts and threat to life in sub-Saharan Africa; • Environment Protection - Sustainable Development, a Dilemma for Native Communities living in Forest Regions (case of Equator and Oriental Provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bonobo Conservation Project Problem in DJOLU and YAHUMA Territories); • Hospital waste management; • HIV/AIDS. Obituary On 18th, February 2005, IPPNW DRC Affiliate lost one of its Founding Members, Dr Beatrice Okoko Dikoma, who was also the spouse of Dr Simon BOKONGO. She passed away after a caesarean section at the University Teaching Hospital of Kisangani.DRC. Dr Kawaya appreciates the enormous compassion shown by colleagues in letters and calls. Ruku Bhileni An active member of the DR Congo affiliate attended the conference on recovery and integration of landmines survivors in Washington last year. He was also interviewed in a VOA program Straight Africa Talk (one hour live on TV, radio, Web cast show) where he appeared along side the Senegalese Minister for Foreign affairs. The topic discussed was "The challenges of development in Africa". Dr. Bhileni spoke of IPPNW’s objectives and activities in Africa and the work in DR Congo affiliate. Kenya

This affiliate is still involved in campaigns against violence form small arms. The affiliate is ready to participate in the multinational injury study. Members have sent abstracts to the 8th World conference on Safety promotion and injury prevention.

Nigeria On return from the Beijing World congress, we moved to consolidate on discussions which led to the formation of NANSA.SNDWM took a prominent role of chairing the inaugural meetings in September 2004 and its eventual inauguration in November. We received ethical approvals and completed collection of the initial data for the multinational project. We sent an Intern to study the working of one a typical affiliate, Germany last December. Abstracts were sent to the Durban 8th World conference on Safety promotion and injury prevention. SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (AFRICA) Page 2 of 4

Dr Alan Fatayi-Williams, our Treasurer and former International councillor lost a son in the London terrorist attack of July 7.Alan has since sent his appreciation to the board and members through Ime John. Nigerian Students: Last meeting was held in August 2005. Workshop on war and health, and the effects of small arms on health is planned during the 1st African Regional medical students meeting in December, 2005 at Jos, Nigeria. Uganda Membership: 6 active members, 30 affiliated members and 2 student members from School of clinical officers in Mbale. President: Dr. Eddie Mworozi, International councillor: Dr. peter Olupot-Olupot, Secretary: Dr. Odong Patrick, and 3 other members in the board. Activities: 1. New members were recruited but those affiliated are yet to become full members. Three of these are going to be part of the multinational injury study! 2. Land mines awareness campaign and demining advocacy work: This is headed by Dr. Eddie and as of last year we published a book on these activities in Uganda. Also reports are sent to the Landmines Monitor regularly. 3. Small arms work: There are three activities going on small arms: One is the aiming for prevention works, second is the integrated multinational injury study, where the training of ED this from Eastern region have been completed. Thirdly some work on children and war particularly in eastern and northern Uganda has been developed. On the latter some collaboration is developing with the German affiliate. 4. Student participation: we have some students who are part of the IPPNW Uganda. 5. Peace through health activities: This affiliate has been very active on peace through health activities. Collaborations have been developed with local and some international partners on this area. Most of the work is still at planning stage but hopefully shall take off in near future. 6. Conferences: This affiliate has been represented in three international conferences notably IPPNW world congress in China, injury conference in Vienna-Austria and Peace through health conference in Canada. Also, they were able to organize one local workshop during the launching of the book on landmines situation in Uganda. Challenges: 1. Lack of funding for on going activities and initiation of new activities remains a big barrier to the progress of the affiliate, 2. Lack of interest among many physicians as the immediate common sense interpretation of the IPPNW name does not apply to their day to day activities, 3. Student works are disturbed by the busy semester system with resultant low student participation. This has a future effect of sustainability of membership. Wayfoward: 1. Participation in the multinational injury study. 2. Recruitment of more members in to the affiliate, 3. Participation on local, national and international advocacy, education and research works, seminars and conferences, 4. Share information generated from researches underway SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (AFRICA) Page 3 of 4

ZAMBIA ZHSR is active in all IPPNW programs. They had full representation at the last world congress in Beijing, with two medical students in attendance in addition to the International councilor. Participation in IANSA events in Nairobi and the last BMS. Robert Mtonga, the current international Councilor for ZHSR and board member leads the Public health network (More reports from Robert). Problems 1. Follow of Affiliates that attended the last Regional conference has not been encouraging. E.g. Ghana that was de-affiliated is yet to make reapplication. Egypt has not communicated with the regional office. 2. Funding for the next regional conference to be hosted by Uganda. 3. Dwindling membership in affiliates Three • • •

(3) topics for discussion by the BOD; IPPNW Renewal and where African affiliates stand. Students’ regional conference Programs including the Helsinki world congress

Appreciation: I wish to thank affiliates for sending in their reports. Also, we are grateful to the central office for giving us the hope to continue. Their consistent mails and phone calls are encouraging. Special thanks to Maria Valenti and the Intern, Rebecca. Their support is the life wire that electrifies our region since small arms is in the core of our activities.

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REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT EUROPE

SUBMITTED BY: BJØRN HILT, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, EUROPE After having served his four years as RVP for IPPNW Europe, Dr. Herman Spanjaard MD from the Netherlands stepped back at the IPPNW congress in Beijing in September 2004. He left the baton to Prof. Bjørn Hilt MD from Norway who had been suggested and was elected at the Beijing congress by representatives of the European IPPNW affiliates for a two year term. As his humble successor I thank Herman cordially for all of his great work for our vital mission. During the last years there has been growth within Europe in Coordination of IPPNW activities. Yet more is needed. The world looks increasingly at Europe, not only as individual member states, and IPPNW also has to reflect that. We therefore try to strengthen the bonds between the currently 19 European IPPNW affiliates as part of the global IPPNW confederation. For IPPNW in Europe we will try to follow up on the contacts for peace and nuclear security and disarmament with politicians in each country, and with the European Union on all levels. IPPNW in Europe is part of the EU contact group Abolition Europe 2000. We also have activities from several affiliates in our Mediterranean Commission supporting the peace process in the Middle East in trying to maintain a Medical Road Map for Peace in the region. Other European affiliates of IPPNW are focusing also on important questions like nuclear energy topics, small arms campaigns, human rights programs, and anti-war activities. The IPPNW programs for Dialogue with decisions makers, the students Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project, and many other peace projects are coordinated by European chapters of IPPNW. Please see the European IPPNW web site www.ippnw-europe.org and the international students web site www.ippnw-students.org. Below you find brief activity and mission reports from most of the European IPPNW affiliates. Trondheim, Norway Bjørn Hilt • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

NORWAY UK FINLAND ITALY SPAIN GREECE HUNGARY BELGIUM, FRENCH SPEAKING NETHERLANDS DENMARK SWITZERLAND GERMANY AUSTRIA SWEDEN

(NLA) (MEDACT) (PSR - FINLAND) (AIMPGN) (GMA) (HPPNW) (AMPGN) (NVMP) (DLMK) (PSR/IPPNW SWITZERLAND) (IPPNW GERMANY) (OMEGA / IPPNW AUSTRIA) (SLMK)

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NORWEGIAN PHYSICIANS AGAINST NUCLEAR WEAPONS (NLA) (Annual report 2004, approved at the annual meeting of NLA in Bergen on March 12, 2005) This is a short version of our annual report. A full annual report in Norwegian can be found in our newsletter "Norske Leger mot Atomvåpen" 2005;Vol 23(No1):and on our web-page www.legermotatomvapen.no. NLA has 924 personal members, among them about 800 physicians and 120 medical students. You find NLA at the following address: Norske Leger mot Atomvåpen, v/ Tordis Sørensen Høifødt, Department of psychiatric research and development, University Hospital of Northern Norway, UNN-Åsgård, 9291 Tromsø, Norway Phone: +47 77627814(office hours), +47 77699873 (home), +47 95934119 (cell), Fax: +47 77627741, e-mail: [email protected] www.legermotatomvapen.no The Board Elected members of the board of the NLA during 2004 have been Tordis Sørensen Høifødt (leader and international councilor, Tromsø), Kjersti Johnsrud (Deputy leader, Oslo), Ingvild Fossgard Sandøy (treasurer, Bergen), Bjørn Hilt (deputy international councilor and from September 2004 Vice President Europe IPPNW, Trondheim), Carl Birger Alm (Voss), Klaus Melf (Tromsø), Anne Alvik, Christin Mørup Ormhaug, Viggo Hansteen, Morten Bremer Mærli, and Per Wium, (all Oslo). Student representatives to the board are Trygve Ottersen (Bergen), Rune Dahl (also international student representative and, Oslo), Runa Halsør (Trondheim), Karoline Skogmo, (Tromsø). There have been eleven board meetings, ten as telephone meetings, one meeting together in Oslo on March 13. There are approved minutes from all board meetings. The council The following are at present members of the advisory council of NLA: Ulrich Abildgaard, Hege Raastad Basmo, Christian Borchgrevink, Odd Steffen Dalgard, Anne Grieg, Kjell Grøttum, Kurt Hanevik, Kristian Hagestad, Hans Asbjørn Holm, Jens Gustav Iversen, Einar Kringlen, Mons Lie, Eiliv Lund, Kirsten Osen, Alexander Pihl, Hans Prydz, Johannes Setekleiv, Hilchen Sommerschild, Per Sundby, Helge Waal, Steinar Westin. Student groups NLA has active student groups in all four Norwegian universities, Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Tromsø. Journal In 2003 there were three issues of our journal "Norske Leger mot Atomvåpen". The journal is distributed to all members, to medical and common libraries, and to some newspapers. The editor was Heidi Grønseth, medical student, Bergen, for the first two issues. Trygve Berge, medical student, Oslo, started as the new editor from number 3/2004. Web-page You find the NLA web-page on www.legermotatomvapen.no. The editor is board member Klaus Melf from Tromsø, and the web-master is Veland, medical student, Oslo. Information campaign A group of board members have during 2003 worked on a campaign to reinforce our activities to inform the public about nuclear weapons issues. The work is to be continued. Annual assembly 2004 The annual assembly 2004 was held in on March 13 in Oslo. Collaboration with other NGOs NLA is a member of the Norwegian Peace Council and of Abolition 2000. We have also joined the coalition of several Norwegian political and other organizations called "The Peace Initiative - No War on Iraq". NLA collaborates with "No Nuclear Weapons" (Nei til SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (EUROPE) Page 2 of 17

Atomvåpen) and The national Pugwash committee in arranging meetings and making contacts with MPs and the government on disarmament issues. Dialogue with decision makers (DWDM) NLA has joined a Nordic group that has taken responsibility for continuation and coordination of the IPPNW program for Seminars and Dialogue with decision makers in the nuclear weapons states and NATO. The persons responsible for this in our board is Bjørn Hilt. In 2004 NLA NOK 195,000 funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign affairs. Bjørn Hilt participated from NLA at a dialogue seminar in London in November 2004. NLA has visited the embassies of the nuclear weapons states in Oslo at the same time as the Dialogue meetings. In 2004 the embassies of France, Britain and Russia. Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project Medical students from NLA are actively contributing to the international student project NWIP in 2004. Rune Dahl took part in dialogue seminar in China in connection with the World Congress in Beijing and workshops at five universities in the USA in November 2004. Continuing Collateral damage NLA took part in the launch of the Medact medical report "Enduring effects of war - Health in Iraq 2004". A press release was sent out and the report was distributed to the prime minister, the minister of health and minister of defense and the Norwegian medical Association. World Congress IPPNW in Beijing, September 16.-19.9.2004 Two students and five persons from the board participated at the congress from NLA. NLA sponsored one "key-note speaker", Sverre Lodgaard, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and arranged two workshops: "Children at war" with Elizabeth Jareg, Save the Children and "Nuclear terrorism" with Steinar Høibråten, Research Institute of Defense, Ira Helfand, leader of intensive unit Cooley Dickinson Hospital, USA/ Physician for Social Responsibility and Li Bin, Director of Disarmament program, University of Beijing. IPPNW campaign NLA has followed up the campaign from IPPNW central office in mobilizing the public before the NPT RevCon in May 2005. We have recruited Mayors for Peace and made lobbying among politicians. We have also advocated the Norwegian government to support the NAC resolution in October 2004, which they did. We have made the concept of Smart Security known for Norwegian government, politicians and public through letters and articles in Norwegian Newspapers Other activities During 2004 representatives from NLA participated on 18 international and national meetings about peace and disarmament, and published about 10 contribution as press releases or articles to newspapers and journals. We are also active writing letters and making other forms of contacts to our government and other politicians, and to foreign embassies about nuclear weapons issues, peace and disarmament. Morten Bremer Mærli made his doctoral dissertation at the Institute of Physics at the University of Oslo with the title:"Crude nukes on the loose? Preventing Nuclear Terrorism by Means of Optimum Nuclear Husbandry, Transparency and Non- Intrusive Material verification". Tromsø February, 2004 Tordis Sørensen Høifødt Leader and IC of NLA.

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MEDACT UNITED KINGDOM, Annual report 2004/05 When to take action? The issue debated at our May 2004 conference - 'When, if ever, is it appropriate to take action against people of another state?' - has dominated the international agenda during the past year as the case for making war on Iraq collapsed, threats to take action against potential possessors of nuclear weapons intensified, and it became clear that the international community had made a grave mistake in not taking action to prevent genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Darfur. Victoria Brittain proposed at the conference that violence should not be addressed as a crisis, but as a long-term structural situation. One reason humanitarian intervention is often problematic is the failure to address the fundamental questions of democracy and redistribution of wealth. This understanding underpins all Medact's work, and has come to prominence during the past year in the issues we have raised for debate and action, as this report shows. Clearly our work is often overtly reactive, as in the response to the move to invade Iraq though we are now seeking to put the lessons we have learned from our assessment of the long-term health impacts of war to a broader advocacy purpose. And our involvement in setting up the WMD Awareness Programme came about because of a wake-up call from Nobel Peace Laureate Joseph Rotblat that nuclear weapons presented a danger greater even than that present during the Cold War. In this we aim to draw attention to a vital issue that has become frighteningly dormant. Sometimes our work is proactive, reflecting a growing understanding of a serious injustice, such as the skills drain of health professionals from developing to the developed countries, which we have investigated and put on the public agenda with international researchers and health professionals from across the world. Similarly, our participation in devising and launching the Global Health Watch - or alternative World Health Report - came about through meetings with health activists from all over the world at the People's Health Assembly in Mumbai, followed by further strategy meetings with partners in London. Whatever the stimulus to take action on these key health issues, the work is multiplied in effect by the support of numerous partners and colleagues in the UK and elsewhere. This includes many Medact members, who are an invaluable source of expertise and help with advocacy. We also could not achieve what we do without the long-term financial assistance of members and of donors in the UK and abroad. Violence, Conflict and Health Third Iraq Health Report The Iraq Health Monitoring Project continued by publicizing an Iraq health update in April 2004 and publishing another full report - Enduring effects of war: health in Iraq 2004 - in November. This time the author, international health consultant Dr Trishan Panch, was able to travel to conduct interviews and collect data in Amman, Jordan. The project was jointly funded by Oxfam, the Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation and the Lionel Penrose Trust, and was carried out in association with International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. Like its predecessors, and thanks to the co-operation of other IPPNW affiliates, the report achieved extensive coverage in the UK and international media. It was presented and debated at a meeting in the House of Commons and at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Count the Casualties campaign The Iraq report also gave rise to the high profile Count the Casualties campaign launched in December with the support of Crisis Action and other groups. This followed up one of the key recommendations in the Medact report which aimed to hold the UK Government to account for the Iraqi citizens killed since the war on Iraq began in March 2003.

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Conferences on conflict and children Responsibility to Protect A distinguished group of speakers at Medact's May 2004 conference examined the pros and cons of intervention into another country as set out by the Canadian Government report commissioned by the UN. The key presentations are published in the current issue of Medicine Conflict and Survival (Vol 21, no.1). Children and Terror In October, Lynn Barnett gave the first Elisabeth James Memorial lecture on Children and Terror in memory of Elisabeth, who was a much valued member of Medact's Working Group on Violence, Conflict and Health. Refugee Health Network 2004/5 has been a year of rapidly increasing activity in the Network resulting from the growing difficulty experienced by asylum seekers in general and failed asylum seekers in particular in accessing health care. Medact has also played an active part in an NGO working group looking into entitlement to health care for refugees and asylum seekers. The group is currently asking the Government to carry out an impact assessment on its withdrawal of secondary health care to failed asylum seekers and the proposed withdrawal of primary care from the same group. We shall continue with this campaign after the election to try to ensure that anyone in the UK who is in need has access to health care. The email network has been increasingly busy and well used by those seeking out practitioners willing to offer their services pro bono to individuals in dire need. Also popular is a bi-monthly meeting of health workers which has begun in the Medact office to offer a safe space to discuss and review particular areas of practice. Working for Nuclear disarmament WMD Awareness Programme The UK WMD Awareness Programme, of which Medact is an active member, having helped to develop a research and appropriate communications strategy, has gone from strength to strength. The Programme was officially launched by former President Mikhail Gorbachev in September 2004, and now has three key elements: applying research results to provide effective communications on the dangers of WMD, and developing events to reach the widest possible audience; piloting a new section for the school citizenship curriculum on peace and security issues; and developing an interactive website on WMD www.comeclean.org.uk. Dialogue with decision-makers In June 2004 Liz Waterston, Chair of Medact's Nuclear Disarmament Group, joined colleagues from other affiliates of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War to visit Nato and discuss non-proliferation and verification issues. In November Dr Waterston organized an IPPNW dialogue team to meet representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Ministry of Defense (MOD) in London. The Director and Deputy Director and members of the Executive Committee have also attended a range of meetings organized by the FCO, MOD, Department for International Development and the newly formed Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit to discuss how NGOs can influence and sometimes support implementation of government policy in security issues and war prevention. Health, Poverty and Development The past year has seen the culmination of a number of initiatives in this area. Lobbying of the World Health Organization has continued, and at the World Health Assembly in May 2004 Medact and Wemos jointly released a report - Pushing the Boundaries - on the effects on health of the new Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) process in seven low-income countries. Pushing the Boundaries showed that despite strong efforts at implementing propoor policies in some countries, health is still marginalized, and the influence of the SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (EUROPE) Page 5 of 17

international financial institutions on government health ministries and their spending is still strong. Despite promises of debt reduction, debt-servicing costs still outweighed health expenditure in some of the countries examined. The report called for a diminution of macroeconomic restrictions on government spending on health, more attention to redistribution and socially-inclusive health policies, and more and better co-ordinated aid from donors. Impact of skills drain WHO estimates that 1 million more health workers will be needed in Africa if the Millennium Development Goals are to be met by 2015. But at the moment, thousands of health workers are leaving countries in Africa and coming to the UK, despite the widely-admired NHS 'Code of Practice' on recruitment of health workers from the poorest countries. Two new papers were commissioned and eventually released in February 2005, focusing on human rights and alternative policy responses the UK Government could undertake. Foremost amongst these was financial restitution for those low-income countries who are effectively subsidizing the NHS through health workers they have trained at their own expense, to be accompanied by greater partnership to build 'incentives to stay' in low-income countries that are short of staff. It was recognized that in today's highly-integrated international health care labor markets, restrictions on movement are likely to be counter-productive and could harm the human rights of health workers. The results of the papers were featured in the Guardian, the Sun, the Financial Times and BMA News Review, as well as in international media outlets. Global Health Watch The manuscript for the first edition of the Global Health Watch 2005-2006 was submitted to the publisher at the end of March 2005. Around 100 people and 75 organizations have been involved in drafting and reviewing the manuscript and about. The final product is a high quality, evidence-based report which can be used as a reference tool for academic schools as well as for activists, non-government and government organizations. The Watch will be launched just before the G8 annual summit at Gleneagles, at the People's Health Assembly in Cuenca, Ecuador as well as in London, Geneva, Paris, Malaysia, Former Republic of Yugoslavia and the US. An advocacy document outlining the recommendations and strategies for action of the GHW will be translated into French, German, Spanish and Arabic. Further information about the project and launches can be found at www.ghwatch.org. Involvement of Students The partnership between Medact and Medsin was strengthened over the past year thanks to the presence of Medsin President Bryony Whipp for half a day a week in the Medact Office. Her role has been to work on practical ways to engage Medsin and Medact members in discussion with each other; this includes plans to link local Medact and Medsin branches. The introduction of a constitution for Medsin has changed the way it organizes itself, with improved transparency and accountability. Medsin members attended the International Federation of Medical Students conference in Macedonia in August which had the theme 'Violence and Health'. Medact staff and members joined in the Medsin National Conference in Glasgow in October titled 'United Kingdom: the Power to improve health' which tackled topics related to health inequalities both internationally and in the UK. Through the closer relationship with Medact, Medsin has developed a Medsin Alumni group to provide a way for Medsin members to stay in touch with each other and the issues after graduation. Curriculum Medact's well-received Global Health Studies curriculum for medical and nursing (and other) undergraduates is now available for free on the web at www.medact.org. Landmine Action Medact is acting as a partner in a project implemented by Landmine Action in Sudan, which has been funded by Comic Relief. The second year of the project has seen thousands of landmines, items of unexploded ordinance and small arms ammunition cleared in the Nuba Mountains with deminers recruited and trained from 11 different Nuba tribes. Their work has SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (EUROPE) Page 6 of 17

been publicly recognized by the presentation of a medal by the Joint Military Commission responsible for monitoring the 2002 ceasefire in the Mountains. Landmine Action and its Sudanese partner, the Sudan Landmine Information and Responsive Initiative have also expanded their work into new geographical areas in the Mountains previously controlled by the Sudanese People's Liberation Army. As a long-standing member of the Landmine Action network, Medact is happy to lend its support to this important work. Communications Website The new Medact website, launched in September 2004, has received a very positive response from members and non-members alike. The new site provides easier navigation and much more information on current activities and events. It also allows members to join or renew subscriptions online using debit or credit cards. This has proved to be popular, with more than 80% of new members joining by this means. The development of the site is an ongoing project and will continue over the next year. Publications Medact's international quarterly journal Medicine Conflict and Survival , now a part of the Taylor & Francis publishing group, continues to publish a wide range of authoritative and important articles on the health and security issues about which Medact (and increasingly the wider world) is concerned. Editors Jack Piachaud and Douglas Holdstock are ably assisted by Mary Holdstock and Sukey Field. Medact's newsletter Communiqué, which comes out every four months, gives current information on the issues which Medact is addressing and suggests action that members can take in support. Staff Medact's staff team during the year (three full-time, three part-time) were Patricia Morton (FT -Co-ordinator, Global Health Watch), Tim Goodwin (PT - Finance Officer), Gill Reeve ((PT - Deputy Director), Mike Rowson (FT - Executive Director), Moyra Rushby (FT - Office Manager) and Claudia Lema (PT- Global Health Watch). Mike Rowson left Medact at the end of February 2005, and a new Director is being recruited. Sukey Field was employed (PT) by Medicine Conflict and Survival as an editorial assistant. The staff were also joined by a number of short-term project consultants.. Volunteers and Officers Given the small number of staff it would be impossible to undertake much of Medact's work without the support of the many volunteers, Executive Committee members, President, Vice- Presidents and members. Though far too many to name all individually, a special thanks must go to volunteers Christine Falvey, Mary Holdstock, Gay Lee, Anne Piachaud and Indu Tarkunde. All the current members of the Executive have given a great many hours in a wide variety of roles. PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - FINLAND Some highlights from resent activities (13.5.05) PSR Finland has from the very beginning accepted a very broad agenda for its activities. Despite of work for peace and security, we have also development co-operation project around the world. During the last few years PSR Finland has grown steadily especially among students and young physicians. Most of the new activists have been interested in development work. Global Health diploma courses (in co-operation with medical faculties and medical students association) have been organized for medical students for three summers. These have been two months courses with 4 weeks theoretical studies and 4 weeks field work. The students have been partly from Finland and partly from developing world. The Finns have done their field work in the third world, and foreigners in Finland.

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PSR has had two ongoing development co-operation projects in Nigeria (an HIV education project and a maternity health project), and several new projects have begun on 2005. Most of the financing to these comes from our Development Aid office FINNIDA. We have begun the planning of IPPNW 17th world congress in Helsinki September 2006 in good time. Many of the speakers and workshops have already been confirmed. We have also supported the translation of our book War or Health into Russian. Students of PSR-F have been active in a Peace test -campaign, where students have visited schools and asked questions about violence and conflicts. Afterwards they always have a discussion about the findings and mechanisms of violence. These questionnaires have been repeated for many years and the results have gained much publicity in Finland. On autumn 2004 we also participated in a campaign against landmines (as you Finland still has them!) by writing a thorough letter-to-the-editor in our main newspaper. PSR students in Finland have been very active, and they have local groups in nearly all Finnish medical faculties. They have attended the IPPNW students meetings and organized several lectures at their own faculties (e.g. on family violence and on HIV and women). Students have also participated in campaigns against HIV and against hunger. In many of the PSR projects there are always a few students participating in these activities. Kati Juva Chairperson PSR Finland ITALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF NUCLEAR WAR IPPNW - Italia 2003/2004 report 1) On February 2004 the AIMPGN facilitated contacts between Mayors for Peace and the Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni. 2) On March, 1st, 2004 the AIMPGN participated at and contributed to the foundation of the International Peace Bureau in Italy (IPB-Italia). 3) On March, 17-18, 2004, the President of AIMPGN, Michele Di Paolantonio, participated at the NATO Seminar on Weapons of Mass Destruction hold in Rome, at the NATO Defense College. 4) In September 2004 the AIMPGN participated at the International Seminar on UN Reform arranged in Florence by IPB-Italia in the Aula of the Council of the Municipality of Florence. 5) In October 2004 the AIMPGN participated at the V Summit of Peace Prized Nobel Laureates (Rome, Capitol Hill). 6) The AIMPGN is supporting and contributing by e-mail to the project of the European Seminar of IPPNW Students to be arranged in Naples in 2006. Silvi Marina May 2005 Michele Di Paolantonio President and International Councillor of AIMPGN IPPNW SPAIN For the time being IPPNW Spain does not function very well and can not be consider as a real affiliate of IPPNW, but should in fact at present more be considered as an individual person trying to do her best for our vital cause. In this sense, there is not too much to report. In 2004 I have kept on teaching medical students at the University of Bilbao in Medicine and Peace (30 hours course inspired by and built on the Medical Curriculum prepared by Victor Sidel) in two courses with 30 (academic year 2003-4) and 60 students (academic year 2004-5) respectively. Among other activities in 2004 I have started to try to encourage Spanish mayors to support the Mayors for Peace Appeal. A few mayors joined since then perhaps also as a result of my interventions, and they will continue. SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (EUROPE) Page 8 of 17

An initiative and inquiries has also been made in relation to the Spanish Government and Spanish parliamentarians to try to influence the position of our government before NPT review conference in 2005. For the continuation and improvement of IPPNW activities in Spain, I think it is crucial to encourage Spanish medical students to join the international IPPNW student's movement, and to use that as a basis for the reinforcement of the Spanish affiliate. Bilbao May 2005 Aurora Bilbao GREEK MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND AGAINST NUCLEAR UND BIOCHEMICAL THREAT During 2004 there was Athens 2004 Olympics. As we decided in London we managed to create contact of Mayors for Peace and the Mayors of Athens and Olympia and gathered the signatures of acceptance from 18 Mayors which we send to the Mayors for Peace. I represented Mayor of Hiroshima in the ceremony of Peace garden in Athens on May. We were among the welcome committee for the Peace Boat in August and organized 3 ceremonies. There was a big publicity to the MEDACT's review on Iraq (I e-mailed the page of the newspaper). Unfortunately our students are not so active. Maria Arvaniti Sotiropoulou, M.D. Kokkata 5 185 33 Piraeus Greece IPPNW HUNGARY 2004 1. A student exchange program has been organized since last November. Our country was asked to do it in London during the board meeting in 2003. It was supposed to be a part of Medical Road Map (Peace bridges?) IPPNW program. It was meant that our country provide one month elective in pediatrics for 2 Palestinian and 2 Israeli students in our medical faculty. In spite of the lots of efforts (lot of work and anxiety) and letter writing the program has failed. It became obvious at the beginning of June 2004. · Our Medical faculty has changed its positive approach to our plan in the middle of the process after a serious conflict between two foreign (ended with death one of them) students in our capital · it did not happened program planning at the beginning (financial need, time schedule of steps) · after the unfortunate event the university administration started to build a wall of bureaucracy which was nearly impossible to fulfill, · the students had no financial support from their own country, · the students could not get support from other IPPNW organizations, · the fundraising for this special task was not well organized, · the students selection process was not properly set up at the beginning, it seemed to be questionable later on as well 2. Organization of the "Mapping out a vision for IPPNW's future" workshop in Beijing, · consultation with different advisers, like with the head of civil organizations, managing directors, top executives of multinational company institutions, junior doctor, not long ago medical student, trained by the Norwegian IPPNW, · library work, · preparing questionnaires, · preparing the workshop, (consultations with psychologist, advisers in org. development about the interactivity of the workshop) Zita Makó,i Hungary

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AMPGN, French speaking IPPNW Belgian branch Our periodical, served to more than 750 people in Belgium, medics and some others, is listing our activities, meetings on Hiroshima day and other occasional lectures to small groups (medical or others), It has also original contributions from the group and others, experts on medical and political aspects of war, nuclear and other armaments. We also give French translations, not easily obtainable otherwise, of important papers on nuclear disarmament, from IPPNW leaders and others (this past year, from Roy Mc Coy and M. el Baradei, for instance). We also had two substantial papers published in daily newssheets, on pages devoted to "opinions", one on Hiroshima day (by P. Piérart) and another, on the stakes of the NPT revision conference just before it started, by myself and two colleagues (P.d'Huytvetter and A. Ghys) from other Peace movements. Indeed there were very few other press comments on this important meeting that did not seem to interest a large number of readers! We published in the fall a 16 pages pamphlet on "Errors and illusions about nuclear weapons", listing 15 of them (technical or strategic) and giving each time objective answers and rebukes. For instance, people die essentially by blast and fire, much more than from late cancers; it was not deterrence that assured peace in Europe since 1945, etc. This is widely distributed to our members, and to official and influential Belgium. An English abridged version of this can be found on the Belgian Pugwash site on the web. This year we have also been very active in the mobilization of burgomasters with the Mayors of Hiroshima movement. More than a third of Belgian local authorities have given positive answers. It seems to be a world record. AMPGN was not alone in this, but we have been one the most active groups. Hundreds of letters, e-mail messages and phone calls, and visits to larger cities have been fruitful. This has been mainly the work of Pierre Pierart, in spite of slowly recovering from a bad attack of Lyme disease, and myself. Four of us have given several lectures to medical and lay audiences, and we are starting a campaign in hospitals (by posters, ads, etc) to renew a largely aging membership. Our web site has been renewed and is now kept updated. It is much more frequently visited. We have also had several official meetings with authorities (Ministries of Defense, and Foreign Affairs, Senate and House of representatives, and also at the European Parliament). Several subjects have been discussed, of general (uranium coated shells, etc) or local import. (American bombs on the soil of non nuclear countries). On the American N- bombs in Belgium, there has been a resolution in the Senate on nuclear disarmament that has made some noise, expressing the opinion of a very large majority of Belgians. Government opinion has veered towards reason and admits now they are there and a delicate issue. The high official (with the rank of ambassador) in charge of this question at the Ministry told us, practically in so many words, that it is our job to mobilize the young generations to force the government to act. They are reluctant to raise it with the US government. As we refused to join the Iraq war, they do not want to make matters worse by other controversial problems so soon afterwards. I add here a comment I made in answering Peter Wilk's questionnaire yesterday. I think most people (including doctors) less than 50 years old are convinced nuclear weapons, though frightful, are an obsolete problem. Most of them are not aware of the damage (other than long term cancers) it can do and believe that anyway it does not concern Europe for the foreseeable future. We have no potential enemies left and terrorists seem to be only a police problem. My main concern is how we can mobilize younger doctors again. People tell us: You are right, but is this still an issue? As often as I can, I answer that a weapon on which a hundred billion dollars, if not more, are spent each year is certainly not obsolete in the minds of those who spend such money, anyway. But do people listen? H. Firket President AMPGN, French speaking IPPNW Belgian branch

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GEZONDHEIDSZORG en Vredesvraagstukken, Artsen voor Vrede (NVMP) NVMP is the Dutch affiliate of IPPNW The war against Iraq and current situation. The year 2004 brought no Peace to Iraq, but even more victims than during the war. NVMP raised attention for the Medact-report 'Enduring effects of war. Health in Iraq 2004. This caused some media-attention. NVMP wrote letters to Government and Parliament because of the humanitarian catastrophe the war continues to bring to Iraq. Global Health education The Global Health Education Project for tomorrow's doctors. The world has become smaller over the past decades . The present medical curriculum as a whole neglects the international character of health care. NVMP tries to get modules accepted in the medical curriculum by providing educational materials on global health and human rights education, stressing conflict prevention and mediation. Deacons and Professors from medical faculties and affiliated hospitals are asked for their cooperation. The project has experienced some slight setbacks but has got an important impulse again in 2004. A CD-rom has been produced containing lecture materials ready to be used (in Dutch). Mayors for Peace: Also a project of major attention was the Mayors for Peace initiative. Cooperating closely with Karel Koster from the Project on European Nuclear Non-Proliferation (PENN) we started to approach all Dutch Mayors trying to make them sign the statement from Mayor Akiba (Hiroshima) which raises attention to article 6, on worldwide nuclear disarmament, from the NPT and working towards the 2020 vision campaign, a timepath to nuclear abolition. This has certainly produced some good results. The number of Mayors for Peace raised and thanks to a decent Hiroshima-exhibition the issue got the attention of the Dutch population. Internal Discussion: As in many affiliates we have evaluated the reasons why it is so hard to make clear to politicians, physicians, students and the public in general that nuclear weapons are a danger to the world, now more than ever. We took part in the general discussion within IPPNW and will continue to do this, so that the Board in 2005 may decide on some changes to get our message across more vividly. Students: In 2004 the students who are part of IFMSA have been very active primarily on Refugees and Peace issues. After several years of very active IPPNW participation it was hard to find new students who would be active in IPPNW's programs. We have made new contacts and made students attentive to the very well kept student website. Herman Spanjaard, Chair NVMP (Dutch affiliate). NVMP is the Dutch affiliate of IPPNW mail to: [email protected] http://www.nvmp.org tel.+31 (0)30 272 2940 fax.+31 (0)30 272 3173 Bosschastraat 17 3514 HN Utrecht, The Netherlands

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Danish section of IPPNW (DLMK) for the year 2004 January 21: participation in Pugwash arrangement i Copenhagen. The arrangement concerned the overlooked danger from the nuclear weapons. Our deputy councillor Klaus Arnung spoke on the effect of nuclear weapons on humans and showed selected pictures from IPPNWs dias on nuclear weapons. Report on the arrangement in the March nr. of the Info magazine of the Swedish - Danish affiliates. March: Councillor Anton Aggernaes participated in a journey arranged by the newspaper Politiken. It was called The Three Chinas and was headed by the head editor of Politiken Herbert Pundik. An detailled report of the journey is found in the October nr. of the Info magazine . September: Participation in the 16 congress of the IPPNW in Beijing by Chairman Povl Revsbech, deputy councillor Jac.Obbekjaer and student representative Caecilie Buhmann. Report on the congress in the oct. nr. of the Info-magazine. Caecilie Buhmann will sent her own report on her activities. ref.: Jac. Obbekjaer. PSR/IPPNW SWITZERLAND Here is a short summary of some of the activities of the Board of PSR/IPPNW Switzerland. A more detailed report in German may be found on the following internet site: http://www.ippnw.ch/ippnw_php_files/Jahresbericht_einz.php?recordID=9. Lobbying against the agreement from 1959 between the WHO and the IAEA was actively made by several members of the Board at the WHA in Geneva in May 2004. This led to a meeting between members of the Board with the General Secretary of the WHO, Dr. Lee Jong-wook. The focus of the discussion was on the final report on the Chernobyl accident which is due in 2005. PSR/IPPNW Switzerland fear that data which strongly underestimates the consequences of the accident will be used. The Board of PSR/IPPNW approached members of the parliament in order to create a central register for monitoring cancers in the human population of Switzerland. The idea was studied by the Federal Council (executive body of the government) and turned down. PSR/IPPNW together with NGO "Children of Belarus" is actively supporting a research and clinical program in Belarus in order to alleviate the effects of Cs-137 on the health of children. The financial help goes through the Institute Belrad in Minsk and supports the use of pectin to reduce the load of radio nuclides in the human body. Proposal for the final disposal of nuclear waste is a major preoccupation of the Board. A site had been chosen north of the city of Zurich and a few kilometers away from the German border. A rally was organized on the 12th of September 2004 with the participation of numerous prominent politicians and concerned groups. The impact of the rally was a freeze of all activities in relation with the choice of a definitive site for a period of ten years. The Board is organizing a scientific meeting at the University of Bern on the 11th and 12th of November 2005. The title of the meeting is "The fate of the liquidators: Long term follow up of the true victims of the Chernobyl accident". Speakers will be mainly prominent researchers from Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. The intention is to publish the reports presented at this meeting in peer-reviewed journals.

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GERMAN AFFILIATE, 2005 Programme activities in Germany are grouped into 5 different groups for better program management: Phase-Out of Nuclear Energy; Peace; Social Responsibility, Public Relations and Organisational Development. "Phase-Out" Goals and objectives: Abandon the use of nuclear energy International Poster Campaign - Facts on Nuclear Energy: The international poster campaign of IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War), EUROSOLAR (European Association for Renewable Energy) and WISE International (World Information Service on Nuclear Energy) shows how untenable the industry's prophecies are. The eight posters have been translated into 29 languages. Legal Action against Biblis Nuclear Power Plant: An ongoing project is preparing the grounds for a legal action to stop one of the German nuclear power reactors Elbmarsch Research project A group of German scientists, some of them members of IPPNW, continue to study the impact of low-level radiation close to a nuclear power reactor and nuclear research reactor in Northern Germany where there is a cluster of leukemia in children Chernobyl Conference Fundraising, planning and preparation for a conference on health effects of the use of nuclear energy in 2006, 20 years after the accident at the Chernobyl power plant in the Ukraine. "Peace" Abolition Now! IPPNW Germany participated nationally and internationally in the campaign to draw attention to the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York in May 2005, which demanded the complete abolition of nuclear weapons by the year 2020. This campaign supported the Mayors for Peace Campaign 2020 Vision. The President of Mayors for Peace, Hiroshima’s Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba visited Berlin in January 2005 and spoke with decision makers. The German campaign "atomwaffenfrei bis 2020" managed to double the number of members for Mayors for Peace in Germany to 250 and collected the signatures of more than 160 mayors for the Declaration of German Mayors calling for abolition by 2020 and the removal of US nuclear weapons from Germany. We developed a poster campaign with seven arguments for a nuclear weapon-free world that Mayors gave their name and face to. This poster campaign was presented to the international delegation of Mayors in New York and can be seen at: http://www.atomwaffenfrei.de/inhalt/posters.ppt. German IPPNW participation in New York was high and included students and youth. The students ran the project "Target X" on Times Square, speaking to passers-by about the medical consequences of a nuclear attack on New York. The students also ran a "Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project" Workshop. Continual dialogue with German decision makers resulted in the Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer deciding to go himself to New York, where he announced that there should be movement on the question of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. This was quickly followed by statements by the Defense Minister, Peter Struck, who told the press that he would be bringing up the question of US nuclear weapons in Europe at NATO. Several German Parliamentarians then publicly gave their support to the idea of a removal of these weapons. Nuclear Awareness Campaign Inga Blum took over the coordination of the international IPPNW student project "Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project" (see: http://www.ippnw-students.org/NWIP) that visited several nuclear weapons states and continued dialogue with students and decision makers. SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (EUROPE) Page 13 of 17

In Germany, the first conceptual ideas were discussed for a nuclear awareness campaign, together with Greenpeace and Pugwash. A meeting in Hamburg with students and youth resulted in the initial ideas for educational materials for schools, to be posted on a web portal. In North Rhein Westphalia, IPPNW and the teacher's trade union are running a competition for schools with the title "No more Hiroshima’s! No more Nagasaki’s! For a nuclear weapon-free world." The internet presentation "Nuclear Weapons A-Z" (http://www.atomwaffenA-Z.info) has been developed further and now contains a glossary with definitions of technical terms about nuclear weapons and warfare. Humanitarian assistance for Iraq So far 38 children with war injuries and various diseases or deformities with need for special surgery were brought to Germany to receive their treatment and surgery. Some clinics offered treatment, care and service for free; private donations were raised to a large extent by Prof. Ulrich Gottstein and two fundraising activities in cooperation with media provided financial resources. Part of the donations were spent on medication, medical equipment and instruments and other assistance was sent to hospitals in Baghdad (Al-Mansour Children Hospital and Central Teaching Hospital) and to Basrah (Mother-Child Hospital). English teaching materials (donation from Australia) were sent on to the medical faculty in Baghdad. The main logistical and organizational work has been carried out by Prof. Ulrich Gottstein and Dr. Jabbar Said-Falyh. As a result of this solidarity and humanitarian work, feelings of anger, disappointment and bitterness among Iraqi families have been reduced and reconciliation and peace-building among the different religious and ethnic groups could begin. "Summer school" On consequences of using depleted uranium (DU) ammunition. German scientists and Iraqi specialists came together in Amman for a week in February to learn how to best conduct epidemiological studies in their hospitals. Dr. Wolfgang Hoffmann from the Institute for Community Medicine in Greifswald worked with IPPNW Germany to set this summer school up. It is hoped that this course can be repeated in the future. Peace-Film Award IPPNW Germany is patron of the annual Peace Film Award which gives a prize to a film from the International "Berlinale" Film Festival for its content in promoting peace. This year the 20th anniversary of this award was celebrated. This year's winner was the film "Turtles can fly" by the Kurdish-Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi. The story is set in a village in IraqiKurdistan, on the border between Iran and Turkey. The villagers are desperately seeking a satellite dish to keep themselves updated on the impending attack of the Americans in Iraq. A young boy nicknamed "Satellite" is in charge of assigning the camp's children to defuse land mines. Arriving from another village comes a mutilated boy, Henkov, with his younger sister and her child. Henkov brings a prophesy: the war is getting closer and closer. "Turtles can fly" gives the story of children living in a land filled with mines, their sorrows, happiness and adventure in a time of war. "Social responsibility" Have a little respect IPPNW Germany started a campaign called "Respect not Disrespect" (achten statt verachten). We demand that illegal refugees without official papers can get access to the medical care that they require. Therefore we are collecting signatures for a petition. Practice and Engage We were happy to welcome two students from IPPNW Central India (Nagpur) and one student from IPPNW Japan (Hiroshima) to Germany this year. We are looking forward to a guest from IPPNW Kenya. 12 German students are presently preparing for their p+e stays in 11 countries all over the world. They will do their clinical electives in those countries for one month and will spend another month taking part in social projects. SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (EUROPE) Page 14 of 17

"Public Relations" Hiroshima-Nagasaki Exhibition For the 60 th anniversary of the nuclear bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we have created a new exhibition with pictures from our 2002 brochure and brief texts. The exhibition has 15 posters including 3 on the present nuclear situation and one about IPPNW. The exhibition can be borrowed or bought from the office in Berlin. New revamped home page IPPNW Germany has a new look on the internet! See http://www.ippnw.de. In order to make our web site more user friendly, we have changed the structure of the web site. At the same time we have made it easier for us to update by using an editing programme. This meant that, for instance, we were able to put things up on the home page while in New York at the NPT conference and offer our web site as a resource for journalists looking for the latest information. "Organisational development" Annual Meeting A declining IPPNW membership in Germany and low participation in our annual general meeting led to a reorganisation of our annual general meeting. For the first time we combined "business" with a topical seminar, this year's theme being "60 Years later: From Hiroshima and Nagasaki to a New Nuclear Age". Main speakers were Kate Hudson (Chair of CND, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), Horst-Eberhard Richter, Psychoanalyst, and John Pastore (PSR/USA). On the Sunday, members of our scientific board of advisors gave lectures on the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Student work See http://www.ippnw-students.org/Chapters/Germany/overview.html IPPNW AUSTRIA - Activity Report 2004 Vienna, August 2004 Summary:

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7)

Introduction Cluster Munition Ambitions Hiroshima Memorial Day Majors4Peace Conference on war related injuries CTBT Conference in Vienna 2003 Students Activities

1) Introduction Austria’s IPPNW affiliate has a small but active steering committee meeting every month for the coordination of their activities and projects. Once every three months, our journal "OMEGA News" is published, informing IPPNW members, friends and other NGOs about our work. 2) Following the example of the landmines campaign, where Austrian NGOs played a significant role, leading to the Ottawa treaty, the Austrian affiliate of the IPPNW is working on convincing the local parliament of the importance of banning cluster munitions as well. Several members of the parliament have shown their interest in this project, which encouraged us to invite other NGOs to provide their support. In fact, this project has become a collaboration of several NGOs striving for the same goal. 3) As every year, members of the IPPNW Austria participated in the Hiroshima Memorial Event directly in front of the St. Stephen's Church in Vienna. Irmela Steinert held an interesting speech on the importance of nuclear disarmament and on what the IPPNW is working on to achieve this goal. SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (EUROPE) Page 15 of 17

4) IPPNW Member Martin Donner stays in close contact with the office of Vienna's major, Dr. Michael Häupl to make Dr. Häupl participate in or at least express his support for the Majors4Peace initiative. 5) IPPNW Austria at the second world conference on "The Role of Public Health in the Prevention of War-Related Injuries". June 2004 IPPNW was a partner in planning and conducting the conference, along with the US Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and Physicians for Human Rights. Presentations included the following that were all very well received by an audience of nearly 100 people from 35 countries, including representatives from NGOs, government ministries of health, universities, hospitals and other medical institutions. Austrian IPPNW members participated in a variety of ways, including helping with conference logistics, and conducting walking tours for other attendees. Klaus Renoldner moderated the panel on the Iraq war and welcomed all the IPPNW affiliates to Austria at a luncheon meeting; and Hagen Ernstbrunner participated as a delegate. 6) Klaus Renoldner speaking on behalf of 97 NGOs at the CTBT conference on 5th of September 2003, Vienna, Austria. Dr. Renoldner talked about the direct and indirect effects of nuclear testing on human health, once again demanding that the CTBT entered into force. He pointed out, that many NGOs are very concerned about the US administrations announcements to establish a legal basis for research and development of new types of nuclear weapons, including so called "Mini Nukes". He noted that 12 key States had not yet signed and/or ratified the CTBT. The present US administration had declared it was not even seeking Senate approval for ratification. The Conference should send a strong message to the remaining 12 CTBT States and urge their prompt signature and ratification without conditions or reservations. States parties should also endorse the continuation of the current global nuclear test explosion moratorium until such time as the CTBT enters into force. Through a strengthened network of NGOs, governments, international bodies and the media, one could promote further initiatives, intensify public discussion and exert broad pressure on the States. 7) Students Activities IPPNW Austria has a growing students base, represented by an increasing number of active student members. Their activities include active participation at international meetings (European IPPNW Students Meetings, NWIP Preparation Meetings...), preparation of workshops on a variety of topics from the impact of nuclear explosions to palliative care to the benefits of free and open source software for NGOs or the third world. SLMK , Annual Report 2004 Shortened and translated version. Full text version (in Swedish) is available in our newsletter. SLMK is the Swedish affiliate of IPPNW. The aim of the association is to spread knowledge about medical effects of nuclear weapons and contribute to this knowledge through scientific research. Membership is possible for physicians, medical students and teachers at medical schools. SLMK has 3500 members. Activities Annual meeting 2003, two researchers from Swedish defence research agency lectured. Several board meetings, specially invited lectures has been; Ime John from IPPNW Nigeria, Professor Peter Wallensteen, peace researcher from Uppsala University. We have also had education on themes as “how to communicate with mass media” and about dialogues with decision makers. Exhibitions at medical conferences

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International work • • • • • • • • • • • •

Supporting IPPNW financially Participated in preparations for the world conference in Beijing Lectured at a peace conference in Amman Participated in dialogues with decision makers in UK, France, India, Pakistan and Russia, combined with embassy visits in Stockholm. SLMK students have taken active part in Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project. SLMK students participated in IPPNW students meeting in Dublin Cooperating with the Russian affiliate Cooperating with the Nepalese affiliate Published the booklet “Human factor and the risk of Nuclear War”, printed in English and Russian Participated in meetings in Athens, Bradford, Berlin, Kyoto and Washington Participated in NPT prepcom

Within Sweden • • • • • • • •

Arranged (together with the Finnish affiliate) a weekend education about nuclear weapons, about 50 participants! Cooperated with IFMSA at many medical schools. Participated in a meeting with president Musharraf from Pakistan Published several articles in newspapers Website www.slmk.org Published educative materials “learn about nuclear weapons” available at our website in English and Swedish Published our newsletter, “läkare mot kärnvapen”, 6000 copies, 4 issues a year. (in cooperation with the Danish affiliate) Manifestations on the Hiroshima day.

Local work Several local groups have taken part in the educational work and other activities.

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REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT LATIN AMERICA TO BE SUBMITTED BY: CARLOS PAZOS, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, LATIN AMERICA

This report has not yet been submitted.

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REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT MIDDLE EAST TO BE SUBMITTED BY: HIKMAT AJJURI, CO-REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, MIDDLE EAST ERNESTO KAHAN, CO-REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, MIDDLE EAST

This report has not yet been submitted.

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REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT NORTH AMERICA SUBMITTED BY: NEIL ARYA, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, NORTH AMERICA

1.) Region’s member affiliates Physicians for Social Responsibility & USA Physicians for Global Survival Canada 2.) Organizational issues PSR’s membership has grown by 10% to 32,000, over the last year. With e-activists 32 active chapters and 62 active student chapters. The national organization’s budget is about $3,500,000 for the current fiscal year. PGS has grown similarly. 3.) Main activities over the past year Beijing meeting. NUCLEAR AND SECURITY - PSR • Opposing the nomination of John F. Bolton behind the scenes and writing Op Ed • introducing a Congressional resolution for a SMART Security and support from caucuses • Radio ads aired in Utah about the health effects of radiation, make renewed testing practically impossible in Nevada,. Rep. Matheson has reintroduced his legislation in the 109th Congress. • Funding for nuclear bunker busters and other Bush nuke preparations was struck from the appropriations bill by conservative Rep. David Hobson (R-Ohio), • PSR was commended in a New York Times editorial for “taking a broader view” in supporting the Kyl-Schumer amendment to keep restrictions on Highly Enriched Uranium for the purpose of producing medical isotopes. • PSR organized and participated in two workshops at the 2005 NPT Review Conference in May 2005. • including Health issues related to nuclear testing to congressional debate returned to Congress as an issue in 2004 and have gained more attention in 2005 as a result of PSR’s leadership. • PSR chapters in ten cities around the country held events calling for reductions in wasteful military spending programs on April 15, 2005 – “Tax Day”. • PSR physician leader Dr Peter Wilk and other PSR staff and leaders produced “Projected Casualties Among U.S. Military Personnel and Civilian Populations from the Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Hard and Deeply Buried Targets.” • PSR Security program staff produced an educational packet around our Rx for Security: Preventing Nuclear Terrorism campaign, provided to PSR chapters, activists and others, and also available on our website. NUCLEAR AND SECURITY - PGS • NPT prep com 2004, NPT Review Conference 2005 • continually raising NATO-NPT contradiction with government and MPs • NWIP – Canadian students involved and government funding has been obtained • No Launch on Warning ongoing face to face dialogue with government officials • Providing information and tools for letter writing by PGS supporters. • student teachers at faculty of education, and in the classroom • radio public service announcements (PSA) aired across Canada in July and August 2004 and 2005 • public forum and commemorative events for August 6 and 9 • development and distribution of materials through PGS membership SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (NORTH AMERICA) Page 1 of 3

• • • •

Mayors for Peace – acting as coordinator in Canada Missile Defence – leadership in Canadian Coalition to Oppose missile Defence August 6th ‘Shadow Project’ and Target X Acting as Canadian contact for Parliamentarians for Nuclear Disarmament, helping to successfully triple Canadian MP and Senator membership

NON NUCLEAR ISSUES - PSR • involved in a long struggle around new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules for mercury release into the environment • opposing purchase of assault weapons a major player in protecting the District of Columbia Handgun Ban. • Education on energy priorities environmental health advocacy with Members of Parliament in the European Union. On February 6-7, 2005, PSR’s Environment and Health Program hosted our first every multi-organizational student conference in Washington, D.C. NON NUCLEAR ISSUES - PGS • Small arms – brokering government funding for IPPNW “Aiming for Prevention” • Socially responsible investing and Canadian Medical Association investment arm MD Management • ‘Peaceful Childhoods’ information kit • Globalization and health – tour of Canadian cities by Carlos Pazos • ‘Make Room for Peace’ – urging new Canadian War Museum to include displays on war prevention, conflict resolution, peace initiatives. Working with community Committee. 4.) Main Problems The main challenges of both PGS and PSR are financial—trying to raise enough funds to support the level of activity we need to generate in order to have an impact on governmental policy. Enhancing outreach for new MD involvement and financial support. Creating public concern about and support for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Focus of organization though individually PGS's members are very committed to a lot of peace making projects. How to get regional representation, how to support the growth of local chapters. 5.) Ideas for the future PSR and PGS continue to prospect for new members and have begun an aggressive “doc to doc” recruitment campaign to bring in more physicians to the organization PSR plans a major upgrade of website and internet activity. PGS planning a Retreat in October which it hopes will regroup, refresh, renew and rejuvenate. It also plans to be active at the World Peace Forum participation in Vancouver in June 2006.

6.) Three topics for discussion by Board • PSR- more than enough ideas already on the table for the board to try to deal with • PGS Abolition of war? • Projects to inspire, recruit and involve strengthen role for youth students NWIP Target project • World agreement that "war is bad for your health"-Support for Responsibility to Care • Outreach to bring more physician members into affiliates and IPPNW. Being part of an international network is of special interest to some physicians who feel being part of something that transcends borders can uniquely contribute to solving global peace and security problems. SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (NORTH AMERICA) Page 2 of 3



World Peace Forum

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REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT NORTH ASIA SUBMITTED BY: KATSUKO KATAOKA, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, NORTH ASIA

1.) Region’s member affiliates Japanese Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (JAPAN) Korean Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (S. KOREA) Korean Anti-Nuke Peace Physicians (N. KOREA) Chinese Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (CHINA) Mongolian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (MONGOLIA)

= JPPNW = KPPNW = KANPP = CPPNW = MPPNW

2.) Organizational issues JPPNW ~ Lack of interest and knowledge among the majority of physicians KPPNW ~ Very low activity, and lack of leadership KANPP ~ ? CPPNW ~ Lack of professional base, interest among physicians, and funding support. Different political system and culture. MPPNW ~ Lack of funding 3.) Main activities over the past year Beijing meeting. a) Advocacy 1. JPPNW held “Forum on the Abolition of Weapons of Mass Destruction; Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons” in Hiroshima on Feb. 11, 2003. 2. JPPNW held the 4th Conference of IPPNW - North Asia Region in Kyoto from Oct. 4 - 5, 2003. CPPNW and MPPNW participated (KPPNW and KANPP did not). 3. CPPNW organized the 16th IPPNW world Congress held from Sept 15 - 19, 2004 in Beijing. JPPNW, KPPNW and MPPNW participated (KANPP did not). b) Education • Dr. Salih Hussam from Basrah Cancer Center, Iraq, studying at Hiroshima University Hospital, gave JPPNW members a lecture entitled “Iraq, Wars and Suffering” on July 14, 2004 • Mr. Yoshihisa Nakamura, a former high official of Japanese Self Defense Force, gave a roundtable speech on a “Limited Nuclear Weapons Free Zone of Northeast Asia (Bordeaux Protocol)”, and discussed with JPPNW members on Nov. 29, 2004. • Dr. Katsuko Kataoka, IPPNW Vice President, participated in the 3rd United Nations Republic of Korea Joint Conference on Disarmament and NonProliferation Issues held on Dec. 6 - 8, 2004 in Jeju Island, RoK. • Nagasaki International Study for Humanity (NISH) was formed in Dec. 2004 by 30 medical students of Nagasaki University. Members meet once a week to study about Iraqi War, nuclear, atomic bombings and environmental issues. A student forum is scheduled to take place in December 2005. • Drs. Katsuko Kataok, IPPNW Vice President and Masao Tomonaga, At Large Board Member, participated in the 55th Pugwash Conference in Hiroshima on July 21 - 28, 2005. • Dr. Shahriar Khateri, from Society for Chemical Weapon Victims Support, Iran, SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (NORTH ASIA) Page 1 of 2

gave JPPNW members a lecture, “Victims of Chemical Weapons in Iran” on August 8, 2005. • Dr. Katsuko Kataok, IPPNW Vice President, gave a lecture on the effects of atomic bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the workshops held at United Nations Institute for Training and Research, Asia-Pacific Office, in Hiroshima. Her lecture will be given several times every year. • The annual medical exchange student program (Medex Program) between Germany and Japan. Ms. Anna Kuehne received a practical medical training at Hiroshima University Hospital and some other institutes, and did peace studies from July to September of 2005. • Two Iraqi doctors were invited to study at Nagasaki University School of Medicine from February to August of 2005. c) Campaigning / Direct Action - Nuclear Issues • •



JPPNW participated in the 2nd Global Assembly in Nagasaki for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons from Nov. 22-24, 2003. JPPNW (Nagasaki Chapter) supported the project to produce an animated cartoon, “Nagasaki -1945-The Angelus Bells- “ in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing, which is to be released this November. An English version will be produced next spring. JPPNW sent Ambassador Howard Baker a letter of protest against the twentyfirst sub critical nuclear weapons test conducted by the USA in Nevada on May 25, 2004.

4.) Main Problems •

Very low activity of KPPNW (S. Korea) and KANPP (N. Korea) makes it much harder for the campaign for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and a peaceful coexistence in the region.

5.) Ideas for the future • To create Northeast Asia nuclear weapons - free zone. 6.) Three topics for discussion by Board

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REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT RUSSIA / CIS SUBMITTED BY: SERGEI KOLESNIKOV, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, RUSSIA / CIS

Parliamentary activities President of Russian affiliate and Vice-President of IPPNW Sergey Kolesnikov was reelected to the Russian Parliament and is currently Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Education and Science of the State Duma. In the Russian Parliament now there are 6 deputies who are members of IPPNW. The IPPNW members of the Parliament strongly supported and made a lot of lobbying for ratification by State Duma of major treaties in WMD sphere - CTBT, START-2, ABM – treaty, Treaty on the Reduction of the Strategic Offensive Potentials. As a member of Parliament and IPPNW Vice-President for CIS Sergey Kolesnikov visited Armenia, Azerbaijan and had several meetings with his colleagues from Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Moldavia to discuss among other issues the problems of their activities. IPPNW members in the RF State Duma strongly supported and facilitated the ratification of the Protocol 2 to the Convention on Conventional Weapons at the parliamentary hearings in November 2004, which will help to prevent or at least to significantly minimize mine risks for civilian population, to exclude irresponsible use of AP mines which endangers civilian population, to reduce collateral effect of AP mines on civilian facilities and ecology, to limit the use of mines to a minimal number of situations in which the military utility of AP mines far outweighs possible humanitarian effects. IPPNW-Russia will also strongly support and facilitate the upcoming ratification of Protocol 5 to CCW on explosive remnants of war. IPPNW-RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS From 2002 through the present IPPNW-Russia in cooperation with the Swedish IPPNW affiliate SLMK worked on the publication “Incidents at nuclear installations with nuclear weapons and their consequences as a result of human error” the English version of which was released in Autumn 2004. It is generally accepted that a human being has the right to human error. This applies equally to the housewife standing before a gas stove and to the operator of complex manually operated mechanical systems. There is a clear relationship in this: the more powerful and dangerous this manually operated system is, the higher is the price of human failure, and the more far-reaching can the consequences be. It is even difficult to imagine the extent of the catastrophe and its consequences as a result of a human error made by a team or a single operator, during the application of nuclear technology and involving nuclear weapons, including their delivery systems, based on that technology. There have been quite a few such incidents and events in recent history when everything seemed to hang on a razor’s edge and man found himself face-to-face with an irredeemable calamity. The materials of the joint research project by the Russian Committee of the “International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War” movement, together with their colleagues from Sweden and the United Sates, entitled “Incidents at nuclear SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (RUSSIA / CIS) Page 1 of 5

installations with nuclear weapons and their consequences as a result of human error” bear ample witness to this. In April 2005 took place the publication and release of the Russian version of the study “Human Factor and Risk of Nuclear War” – a joint project of SLMK and IPPNW-Russia. As a member of leadership of Russian Pugwash Committee Sergey Kolesnikov have attended Hiroshima Conference devoted to 60 anniversary of Hiroshima Bombing and anniversary of Einstein-Russell manifesto and made presentation. Dialogue Seminars and Meetings In April 2004, the international seminar “Confidence Building and Nuclear Risk Reduction” organized by the international movement “International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War” 1985 Nobel Peace Prize winner, was held in the “PresidentHotel”, Moscow. Among the participants of the seminar were representatives of the international Pugwash movement, Federation of Peace and Reconciliation, World Peace Council, as well as official representatives of the NATO HQ in Brussels, RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense, RF Academy of Military Sciences, RF State Duma deputies, as well as representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow and Ukrainian NGOs. Among the topics discussed during the seminar were non-proliferation of the WMD, nuclear threat reduction in the context of NATO expansion to the East, perspectives of multilateral disarmament, reduction of the state of WMD alertness and prevention of accidental launches caused by technical failures or human errors. Also discussed were the issues of combined anti-missile defense and NATO efforts in the reduction of possible effects of the use of chemical and biological weapons. The participants of the seminar stressed a special threat of the development of mininukes (the so-called “bunker-busters”) which eliminate the threshold between the WMD and conventional weapons. A special attention was paid to increasing transparency efforts for tactical nuclear weapons and weapons with depleted uranium. The participants of the seminar discussed the possibility of the combined efforts of NATO and Russia as well as Scandinavian countries to solve the problem of the contamination of the Baltic Sea by chemical weapons buried there after the WWII. The participants of the seminar also discussed the possibility of holding, with the support of OSCE, a conference on nuclear-free zones in Europe. The participants of the seminar agreed that the basement of greater security is the strengthening of confidence-building measures between Russia and NATO, increasing transparency of nuclear programs and undertaken decisions in nuclear issues (to prevent unilateral provocative steps), strengthening of the ongoing and development of new institutions of cooperation between NATO and Russia, more active involvement of mass media in covering these issues. A great support in the organization and holding of the seminar was provided by the RF State Duma Committees for Health, Science and Education, Defense and Security, and personally by the Duma deputies Sergei I. Kolesnikov, Gennady V. Gudkov. Tatyana V. Yakovleva and Sergei M. Grigoriev. Following that was the meeting; IPPNW-Russia took an active part in the meeting with the UK Foreign Office and NATO high-level officials at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium in February 2005.

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In September 2005 for the first time in the history of Dialogue Seminars and Meetings, the officials of the NATO and the Russian mission in NATO will meet with IPPNW international students’ delegation. IPPNW-RUSSIA STUDENT ACTIVITIES IPPNW-Russia student chapter with the support from IPPNW-Russia headquarters and financial support of the SLMK held the 2005 IPPNW European Students meeting in St.Petersburg. Over a hundred medical students from all over Europe were able to make up their own minds about this statement when they met up with their Russian colleagues in St. Petersburg for the European Congress of the IPPNW Medical Students for Peace and Social Responsibility. Besides the main theme of nuclear security, the European students also dealt with the medical aspects of development and peace and with the cultural influence of tradition, socioeconomic background and philosophy on the definition of health and sickness. Finally, the Russian IPPNW staff member Roman Dolgov talked on the problem of World War II - landmines in Russia and presented the work of his group, which actively seeks the total abolition of landmines. But the conference would not have been an IPPNW conference, if the participants had not worked on concrete projects as well. The productive project workshops yielded their first results with the restart of IPPNW’s multilateral medical exchange program MedEx and some concrete plans for raising awareness about the nuclear threat amongst students. IPPNW-Russia’s student chapter will take an active part in the upcoming meeting between international IPPNW medical students’ delegation and high-level NATO officials in Brussels. An essential part of IPPNW disarmament programs is the education of students and their dialogue with peers as well as decision-makers. In the past IPPNW students have met with decision-makers from their own countries, nuclear weapon states and the UN, but it is the first time that NATO has extended an invitation to the students. IPPNW considers it to be an important part of its mission to create dialogue between generations and see this meeting as a great opportunity. NATO as furthermore explicitly expressed interest in the presence of students from South Asia, NATO countries and Russia. According to the program the IPPNW students’ delegation will meet with as well NATO officials working on nuclear policy as country representatives from NATO and the Russian Mission. OTHER IPPNW-RUSSIA PROJECTS In September 2005 “Islands of Sredmash” publication was released. It the second book in the series “Sredmash Archipelago”, the first book of which was published in 2000 and describes the history of the creation and development of the Soviet “nuclear shield”. “Islands of Sredmash” (published in Russian version only throws light upon and provides analytical evaluation of the most modern tendencies and peculiarities in the present-day Russian nuclear policies in 2001-2005. IPPNW-Russia also pays a lot of attention to the cooperation with the mass media. IPPNW-Russia’s viewpoints on the most vital issues of nuclear security, disarmament, proliferation etc. has been on a regular basis aired by broadcasting companies (e.g. “Voice of Russia”) and published in the press (“Rossiyskaya Gazeta”). IPPNW-Russia continued maintaining and developing working relations with key contacts in numerous official bodies of the Russian Federation, such as the State Duma, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Emergent Situations, Catastrophes and Disasters, the Ministry of Social Protection, the Ministry of Health, among others, as well as with similar bodies in other CIS countries like Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Byelarus, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.

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AP Mines Ban and Eplosive Remnants of War related activities Brief history and overview of activities: During the period from its beginning through the present the Russian campaign to ban anti-personnel mines led by IPPNW-Russia has had the following major components, i.e.: (i) further monitoring of LM situation in Russia and FSU, accumulation and systematization of data, shaping of strategy and defining tactical steps in short and longterm perspective; (ii) developing organizational basis/infrastructure for the campaign, including hiring staff persons, purchasing equipment, and establishing new and strengthening existing contacts with active IPPNW affiliates, activists and NGOs in the region; (iii) extending of an expert working group on the landmines issue; (iv) building public opinion, including media work; and (v) building political will on both the diplomatic and parliamentary levels. Back in November 1998, IPPNW formed a working group of experts on landmines, with the purpose of compiling, systematizing and assessing information on the landmine situation in Russia and the FSU. The group, which has been holding regular meetings at IPPNW-Russia’s office, consists of high-ranking, knowledgeable and well-respected officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense (Chief Division of Engineers), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergent Situations, Disasters and Risk Resources, and the Ministry of Health Care, as well as representatives from a number of major civilian and military medical institutions, and independent experts in relevant fields. Over the past years the group has been collecting and systematizing data on the various aspects of the landmine situation in the region, including the production of AP mines, export-import operations, the use of mines and mine incidents, mine victim assistance and demining. This information was incorporated into a number of publications including “Landmines: An Outlook from Russia,” “Landmines: Getting Rid of the Deadly Heritage.”, Landmine Monitor World Reports from 1999 through 2005, among other information-analytical publications. IPPNW has also been working closely with the media (TV, radio and press) in Russia and CIS, and has managed to establish close contacts with journalists who are interested in landmine-related issues. A number of feature programs were made in cooperation with electronic mass media beside numerous publications in press. Held events received extensive media coverage. A number of seminars for journalists were held in Russia, Byelarus, Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia with field visits to mine-affected territories and/or landmines destruction/demining sites. IPPNW-Russia has provided organizational support to the production During the past years, IPPNW has also been building stronger relations with activists, health professionals and NGOs in Russia and several of the states of the FSU, including Abkhazia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Chechnya, Georgia, Nagorny-Karabakh and the Ukraine. IPPNW/CBL-Russia also organized or co-organized a number of round-table discussions and regional facilitators seminars in Russia, Transcaucasia and Central Asian countries. IPPNW-Russia continued cooperating with other international NGOs on Mine Ban and Explosive remnants of war issues. In February 2005 IPPNW- Russia in cooperation with Mines Action Canada and with the support of the RF State Duma, Center for Mine Action and Munitions Disposal organized and held a Leadership, Education and Action Program international training seminar in Moscow. More than 40 young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Byelarus, Canada, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan met not only to listen to informative presentations and discuss vital issues of antipersonnel mines, small-arms and explosive remnants of war hazards but also to get trained in the field of campaigning and public activities. The seminar participants also had a meeting in the RF State Duma with Sergei Kolesnikov to discuss Russia’s foreign and interior policies in the field of armaments and humanitarian hazards. SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (RUSSIA / CIS) Page 4 of 5

IPPNW-Russia continued contributing to the analytical research project “Landmine Monitor World Report”, namely production of 2005 annual reports on Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. IPPNW-Russia in cooperation with the Center for Mine Action and Munitions Disposal and the Karbyshev Research and Testing Institute of the RF Ministry of Defense initiated the development and production of a mine-risk education course for secondary schools in Russia and CIS. IPPNW-Russia took an active part in the production of video documentary “Banning Landmines: Keeping the Promises” (working title), the filming of which took place in Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Cambodia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, among other places. The documentary released at the 5th Meeting of States-Parties to Ottawa Convention in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2004. The Russian-language dubbing of the noted documentary is underway. IPPNW-Russia also put forward a number of relevant initiatives, among them the supported by ICRC and UN international dialogue between military, technical, medical and law experts on the concepts and criteria for the development of non-lethal alternatives to AP mines. The need for alternatives to replace AP mines proves to be one of the critical obstacles for a number of countries, especially major producers and holders of AP mines like United States, Russia and China on their way to join the universal ban of antipersonnel mines. Sergei Kolesnikov Regional Vice-President, Russia / CIS

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REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT SOUTH ASIA

SUBMITTED BY: MAHESH MASKEY, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, SOUTH ASIA

In South Asia region there are four member affiliates of IPPNW: Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), India, Pakistani Doctors for Peace and Development (PDPD), Pakistan, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Nepal and Physicians for Social responsibility, Bangladesh. It is likely that by the end of this year Sri Lanka and Maldives will join IPPNW as member affiliates. A local organization in central India is also affiliated with IPPNW. Poverty, ethnic conflicts and religious tensions in South Asia have determined the nature of political conflicts in the region. They have fueled conventional wars between India and Pakistan, between Pakistan and Bangladesh, and civil wars Nepal and Sri Lanka. After attaining nuclear status in 1998, both India and Pakistan have continued the nuclear arms race and therefore, the risk of nuclear war by accident or design has increased substantially. The non-nuclear countries in the regions are also affected by the nuclear policies of their neighbors. They cannot safeguard the health of their people and environment if nuclear war breaks between their neighbors. Only a nuclear-free South Asia can ensure peace, health and development in the region. The member affiliates of IPPNW have put their energies in advocacy, campaigns and education against the possession of nuclear weapons, the doctrine of nuclear deterrence based upon Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), and the horrors of nuclear war. They have at the same time involved themselves with the activities aimed at ensuring health of the people, addressing the root cause of conflict, stepping up conflict resolution, and fighting against social injustice. They have crossed the borders in the region with the message of peace, friendship and hope. On 6-9 August, 2005, a South Asia regional seminar of IPPNW was organized in Patna by Bihar chapter of IDPD. More than 370 physicians, medical and public health students and distinguished members of civil society participated in this gathering which brought all the four member affiliates of IPPNW in one place for the first time. The detail of this seminar which was also supported by IPPNW South Asia Center, Katmandu, is attached as appendix to this report. A regional meeting of IPPNW affiliates was also held Patna and BodhGaya, which charted out primarily the areas of future regional collaboration.

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Main activities over the past one year After Beijing congress, following major activities have been carried by member affiliates in their own countries: I. Advocacy: Nuclear issues 1. Indo-Pak friendship meet The Indo-Pak friendship meet of Indian and Pakistani physicians and medical students in Karachi, called for abolition of nuclear weapons in both the countries. The event was organized by Pakistani Doctors for Peace and Development, (PDPD) and Indian doctors and medical students had crossed the border in a large number to attend the conference. (December, 2004) 2. Opposing MAD The national convention of Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) in Hyderabad also called for the abolition of nuclear weapons and highlighted the bankruptcy of the theory of nuclear deterrence baled upon Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). (March, 2005). 3. Seminars against nuclear arms race The IDPD seminars in Patna and Jammu/Kashmir raised consciousness about the futility of nuclear arms race between India and Pakistan. The press conference in Jammu also highlighted these issues with wide media coverage. (March-May, 2005) 4. Hiroshima Day Physicians for Social Responsibility, Nepal (PSRN) observed 60th Hiroshima day, in Nepal giving a strong anti-nuclear message. Physicians, medical students, Intellectuals, artists and human rights activists reminded the devastating moments, loss of life and untold sufferings caused by nuclear bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and vowed to ensure that humanity will never allow to repeat it again. (August, 2005) 5. Joint call for nuclear free South Asia Physicians for social responsibility, Bangladesh, Pakistani Physicians for peace and development, Indian Doctors for Peace and Development, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Nepal issued a joint declaration calling for a nuclear free south Asia, in the regional seminar held in Patna, India. (August, 2005). Non-nuclear issues 1. PSRN’s call for peaceful resolution of armed conflict in Nepal. In response to Royal-Military take over in Nepal, PSRN advocated the democratic election of constituent assembly as the only peaceful resolution of present conflict. It organized seminars and several meetings to highlight PSRN’s perspectives about present situation in Nepal. It also mounted international pressure for the safety of its president Dr. Mathura P. Shrestha and his rights to express himself freely about the conflict situation and peace building processes. (April-June, 2005) 2. Say No to Tobacco PSRN student chapter participated in ‘No Tobacco day’ to highlight the injurious effect of tobacco on health. (April-May 2005). SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (SOUTH ASIA) Page 2 of 4

II. Campaign/Direct Action: Nuclear Issues 1. NWIP in Pakistan Medical students from Sweden, Norway and Nepal participated in Nuclear Weapon Inheritance Project Campaign. They visited Karachi and Islamabad cities of Pakistan, and interacted with students, policy makers and civil society leaders to raise awareness and seek support for abolishing nuclear weapons. In Pakistan the event was organized by the student chapter of PDPD. (August, 2005) 2. Run for Peace To highlight the absurdity of nuclear weapon and war in the region, children of various schools participated in “Run for Peace” program organized by IDPD Patna, on the occasion of South Asia regional seminar held in Patna. (August, 2005). Non-nuclear issues 1. Tsunami relief work The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development responded to the demonstration caused by Tsunami Waves with relief activities in Tamilnadu state coastal areas, the details of which was presented in the national convention of IDPD, Hyderabad. 2. Protection of health rights of prison detainees PSRN played a major role in creating a special Human Right Committee within Nepal Medical Association for ensuring health checkup of prison detainees. Two of its executive members are in the committee, which met the Home minister and discussed issues related to protection of health of detainees. 3. Citizen’s movement PSRN is an active participant of Citizen’s movement for Democracy and Peace which has emerged as powerful alternative to pressurize political parties, state and the rebels for peaceful solution of present crisis. III. Educational Nuclear issues 1. Seminars mentioned above in different countries provide education to the professionals and general public regarding nuclear issues in their respective countries. Talk programs, Art and poster exhibition, Cultural shows, all contribute in the awareness building. Medical and public health students in Nepal organized a national level gathering to spread the activities of PSRN throughout the country (April, 2005). Non-nuclear issues 2. PSRN student chapter organized a seminar on girl trafficking and legalization of sex trade in Nepal. Invited prominent speakers to deliver the talk followed by discussions.

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Main problems The member affiliates of IPPNW in South Asia region are faced with the uphill task of educating people about the absurdity of nuclear weapons. The main stream media often supported by government of these countries make conscious effort to justify the possession of nuclear weapons. Therefore the affiliates have to pull their energies in the most efficient and effective manner to meet this challenge. The central question is that how can we address the root causes of conflict and ensure peace and health in the region? The main challenge is to: 1. Strengthen regional communication and cooperation among member affiliates of IPPNW 2. Coordinated efforts against nuclear arms race and all kind of armed conflict within and between the countries through the agency of affiliates, but working with a wide section of civil society. 3. Making physicians and students aware about their social responsibility and harness their energies for peace and development. 4. Integrating non-nuclear issues with nuclear issues. Ideas for the Future In the regional meeting held in Patna, August, 2005, following ideas and strategies were agreed upon by the affiliates as their future agenda. 1. Strengthening regional communication and collaboration among the affiliates a. Frequent use of South Asia Website to encourage interaction through use of internet b. Use Skype software for long distance regional discussion every 3 months c. Publish e-bulletin of IPPNW South Asia in one year and then gradually make it more frequent. d. Publication of books related to peace health and development, exploring the root causes of conflicts and their resolution 2. Formation of new affiliate in the region: Establish IPPNW chapter in Sri Lanka and Maldives by the end of 2005. 3. Each affiliate may start working in a community to promote peace, development and health through comprehensive health care. Such activities may be gradually turned into South Asian collaboration. Small arms prevention and trauma could be taken up by interested affiliates. Topics for discussion by the council 1. Arms sales/ Military Industrial complex and developing countries (context: India buys submarines from France) 2. Nuclear energy and economic development 3. Injustice, conflict and physician’s responsibility Dr. Mahesh Maskey Vice President, South Asia 15/09/2005 SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (SOUTH ASIA) Page 4 of 4

SOUTH EAST ASIA/PACIFIC REGION REPORT SUBMITTED BY: DANIELE VILIUNAS, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT SOUTHEAST ASIA / PACIFIC

1.) Region’s member affiliates: Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines

2.) Organizational: we are a very disparate association of affiliates. Several factors contribute to this: i) geographical and economic: these result in our being somewhat isolated from our colleagues in the Philippines; despite this, we have the good fortune to have one of our tireless co-presidents from the region. ii) political: New Zealand has hitherto been a world leader in its anti-nuclear stance, but that government now is threatened by having to work in coalition with other-thinking groups. Long held ground may be lost. On the other hand, Australia's current government is in strong alliance with the USA and is moving with enthusiasm and troubling haste to open up the nuclear industry. However, we at least have precedent and structures for lobbying and meeting with decision makers as well as the freedom to protest. iii) our effectiveness historically has depended on our profession's credibility and this varies very widely in the region, both in affiliate and non-affiliate state. In spite of all this, our Australian affiliate's national conference and national council meeting had a regional aspect with the active involvement and contribution of Dr McCoy from Malaysia and of New Zealand representatives, including some enthusiastic students. 3.) Main activities over the past year a.) Advocacy -nuclear issues: dissemination of information about the Mayors For Peace program and appeals for mayoral registration; advocacy regarding the implications of Depleted Uranium munitions. -non nuclear issues: the issues and implications surrounding the war in Iraq. b.) Educational -nuclear issues: ongoing through media, secondary and tertiary institutions; active engagement with and support of NWIP involved students; presentations from MAPW and NWIP at Australian Medical Student Conference, reaching delegates from every medical school in Australia; PPP essay prize sends winner to Hiroshima for Hiroshima day. SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (SE ASIA / PACIFIC) Page 1 of 2

-non nuclear issues: refugee health; creation of educational material on land mines. c.) Campaigning/Direct action -nuclear issues: intensive lobbying in anticipation of NPT meeting; lobbying of Iranian embassy regarding nuclear weapons program. -non nuclear issues: support of affiliated peace groups; candlelight vigil with active engagement of US service personnel of visiting warships 4.) Main Problems: i)

to keep and inspire (into action as well as ongoing financial support) our old members.

ii)

in the face of limited resources and a plethora of work, in our region, how to work, if at all, in the trouble-spots where the next wars are already happening and where members of our profession are perceived as agents of the combatants.

iii)

developing a credible stance in relation to the nuclear industry.

5.) Ideas for the future: to move forward through reintegrating the original grass roots concept of members lobbying from their own position of medical interest and expertise 6.) Three (3) topics for discussion by the Council: i) central PPP sharing and transfer, ii) review of core business focus iii) the challenge of international concurrent action

SECTION III: BOARD REPORTS - REGIONAL VP REPORT (SE ASIA / PACIFIC) Page 2 of 2