The Marshalls is suing the five `established' nuclear weapons states recognised in the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) the US, Russia, which inherited the Soviet arsenal, China, France and the UK.

It is also suing three countries outside the NPT who have declared nuclear arsenals, India, Pakistan and North Korea, and the one undeclared nuclear weapons state, Israel.

The Guardian reports that in the unprecedented legal action, the Marshall Islands accuses the nuclear weapons states of a "flagrant denial of human justice".

It argues it is justified in taking the action because of the harm it suffered as a result of the nuclear arms race.

The Pacific chain of islands, including Bikini Atoll and Enewetak, was the site of 67 nuclear tests from 1946 to 1958, including the 'Bravo shot', a 15-megaton device equivalent to a thousand Hiroshima blasts, detonated in 1954.

The Marshallese islanders say they have been suffering serious health and environmental effects ever since.

Source

• Countercurrents.org
• The Guardian
• Image: 4.bp.blogspot.com

Located in the downtown section of the capital, directly across the street from the courthouse, the new mosque was blessed and then people enjoyed food as part of the celebration.

The opening included reading from the Holy Quran and translations into Marshallese language.

Falah Shams, the national president of the Ahmadiyya, spoke and also led the group in prayer, and recently arrived Imam Matiullah Joyia read from the Quran. The recitation of the Quran and Shams' speech were translated to Marshallese by Billa Typhoon and Sannia Nena.

Ahmadiyya Muslims are persecuted in several Islamic countries and this has led many Ahmadis to emigrate and settle elsewhere.

Falah Shams and Imam Matiullah Joyia emphasised the message that from its founding in 1889, Ahmadiyya has explicitly rejected "jihad by the sword."

Mr Shams says instead the community has promoted an "intellectual jihad of the pen to defend Islam" and rejects terrorism in any form.

Rongelap's mayor James Matayoshi welcomed the religious group as one that "rejects violence" and thanked both the Ahmadiyya and its sister organisation Humanity First for their work with local government to establish computer centres and training for local people.

Source

• PINA
• Radio Australia
• Radio New Zealand
• Image: Radio Australia