New Delhi: As a tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, the Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare Day is observed on November 30 across the globe.
The day promotes the goals of peace and security by reaffirming the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) as well as elimination of the threat of chemical weapons.
History & Significance:
During the last day of the United Nations’ 10th session of the conference of the state parties, on November 11, 2005, the members of the UN officially recognised the Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare, following a suggestion by Rogelio Pfirter, Director-General of the Secretariat. The day was officially recognised by the United Nations (UN) and has been celebrated since 2005.
In fact, the history of the serious efforts to achieve chemical disarmament that culminated in the conclusion of the Chemical Weapons Convention began more than a century ago. Chemical weapons were used on a massive scale during World War I, resulting in more than 100,000 fatalities and a million casualties.
Towards a World Free of Chemical Weapons
Although the majority of the countries across the world have either given up or destroyed their stockpiles of chemical weapons as of 2013, several nations are yet to follow the path. Four countries including Egypt, Israel, South Sudan and North Korea, have not ratified the convention and are suspected to possess chemical weapons.
The Third Review Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Convention held on April 8-19 in 2013 in Netherlands, adopted by consensus a political declaration that confirms the “unequivocal commitment” of the States Parties to the global chemical weapons ban, and a comprehensive review of CWC implementation since the last review conference in 2008.
The CWC Status
The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entered into force on April 29, 1997, and currently has 193 states-parties. This was the world’s first multilateral disarmament agreement to provide for the elimination of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction within a fixed time frame.
While Israel has signed but not ratified, three states have neither signed nor ratified including Egypt, North Korea, and South Sudan.
India’s Stand
India is a strong opponent of chemical weapons and is committed to the chemical weapons convention. India signed the CWC in 1993 and enacted the CWC Act in 2000. The CWC is a non-discriminatory treaty that bans the development, production, use, and stockpiling of chemical weapons.
India has made significant progress in preparing for chemical disasters, including the development of laws and a disaster management framework. India also has chemical defence research facilities, including the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (NBC) warfare directorates in the military.
UN View on Chemical Weapons
According to the findings of the United Nations, the chemical weapons were not used on the battleground in Europe in World War II. Following World War II, and with the advent of the nuclear debate, several countries gradually came to the realisation that the marginal value of having chemical weapons in their arsenals was limited, while the threat posed by the availability and proliferation of such weapons made a comprehensive ban desirable.
“But the last decade has seen the re-emergence of these weapons. Combined with rapid developments in science and technology, the threat grows greater still,” the UN has said.
The global community must speak with one voice and reaffirm commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention, end impunity, and live up to the Pact for the Future’s pledge to a world free of these weapons, the UN resolution said.
“The United Nations will continue to do our part to keep the memory of the victims alive and support all efforts to ensure that these weapons are never used-anywhere or at any time, it said.
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