STEFANIE AUGUSTIN
Statement at the court process in Cochem from June, 10, 2020
As a reason for my behaviour I want to speak about following treaties:
Two Plus Four Treaty from 1990: On September, 12, 1990, the two German states along with Russia, England, France and the U.S., signed the Two-Plus-Four Treaty. Article 3 says: The Governments of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic reaffirm their renunciation of the manufacture and possession of and control over nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. They declare that the united Germany, too, will abide by these commitments. In particular, rights and obligations arising from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1 July 1968 will continue to apply to the united Germany.
What does that mean? The German government continues to act against these laws, because they agree with “nuclear participation” and exercise power of control over the nuclear weapons deployed in Büchel. Every pilot could confidently follow the order to throw the bombs. That means the German government acts against the 2 plus 4-treaty.
NPT-treaty of 1968: Article 2 says: Each non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty undertakes not to receive the transfer from any transferor whatsoever of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or of control over such weapons or explosive devices directly, or indirectly; not to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; and not to seek or receive any assistance in the manufacture of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
What does that mean? Germany belongs to the states with no ownership about nuclear weapons. That means, the deployment of nuclear weapons infringes against the treaty of counter-proliferation against nuclear weapons. The German government infringes their obligations of the NPT-treaty.
Now some about my personal background: At the beginning of the ‘80s, last century, there was a big peace movement. My husband who died 2016 was part of this movement. I was glad when I heard of the INF-treaty in 1987, when the United States and Russia destroyed most of their [intermediate-range] nuclear weapons. This was a good beginning. It would have been even better finally, if all weapons from all over the world, not just nuclear, had been banished forever. Unfortunately, today there is a new danger of nuclear war, especially because of the unpredictable U.S. President D. Trump who canceled the INF-treaty while Russia followed.
Today the peace movement is much smaller than in the 1980s. So, in my opinion political action to reach our aims must be more radical than vigils and demonstrations.
I appreciate that the international peace organization ICAN got the Nobel Prize of peace in 2017, but in my view the demands of ICAN should also be implemented. That means prohibition of nuclear weapons and their abolition. Germany should sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons soon, and the nuclear weapons in Büchel should be abolished and NOT replaced by new ones.
Worldwide every day thousands of people die from hunger. It cannot be honest, that under these circumstances so much money is invested in defense. Besides, here in Germany we have not enough money for nursery and other social sectors. Because of the fatal ecological situation of the world, there should much more money invested in ecological projects.
In 2017 and 2018 I visited the international peace camp in Büchel and I got to know about the disastrous health problems of indigenous people in the United States as a consequence of uranium mining. And I heard about health problems of workers in nuclear weapons´ industry.
Finally I think nobody ever wants a nuclear war. The consequences would not be imaginable and finally all life on earth would be in danger. Compared to this danger, what is the damage I made by my action of civil disobedience? I have two godchildren and I do voluntary work with refugee children. So, I am in sorrow about the future of children living today and about future generations. Such an inferno would not only affect my friends and relatives but also the soldiers in Büchel, the policemen who reported me, as well as court staff and their friends and relatives. That means I also want to protect you and everybody you know. Please choose a judgment of “acquittal,” and engage yourself, too, for the final abolition of nuclear weapons!
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