The haunting tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 ignited global discussions on the use of nuclear weapons. Beyond the immediate loss of lives, the aftermath’s environmental and societal impacts continue to resonate for years.
In response to these concerns, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) emerged on July 7, 2017, designed to oversee the development, possession, and deployment of nuclear weapons among its member nations.
Muhadi Sugiono, a lecturer in the Department of International Relations at UGM, shed light on Indonesia’s active role in nuclear disarmament.
“Nuclear disarmament has been crucial to Indonesia’s foreign policy history. There’s an additional layer to why we need to ratify it—considering the peaceful applications of nuclear energy,” he said during a discussion titled “Ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Diplomacy.”
“TPNW addresses the association of nuclear with weaponry and seeks to unlock its potential beyond destructive uses.”
Indonesia has been a stalwart supporter of nuclear disarmament efforts, notably through the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
Collaborating with nations such as the Soviet Union, France, Brazil, and China, Indonesia’s commitment to the NPT reflects a balanced approach that accommodates the interests of both nuclear and non-nuclear nations.
Conducting periodic evaluations every five years, the NPT assesses whether nations, especially nuclear-armed ones, adhere to their commitments. Regrettably, these commitments couldn’t be substantiated in 2015, eroding trust in the NPT.
The waning effectiveness of the NPT has spurred initiatives like the TPNW to establish rules compelling countries to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.
While not intended to replace the NPT, the TPNW aims to fortify NPT articles. This novel treaty explicitly criminalizes the use of nuclear weapons by possessing nations, rendering nuclear armament illegal—a provision absent in the NPT.
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that TPNW has garnered signatures from 93 countries and ratified by 69 nations, with Indonesia proudly among the first 50 to sign.
“The debate doesn’t end there. Nuclear-armed nations oppose TPNW, not just because it’s deemed irrelevant but because it profoundly disrupts the NPT,” said Sugiono.
“The NPT acknowledges their nuclear privilege, while TPNW declares all nuclear possession illegal, irrespective of legal status. This standpoint is unacceptable to them.”
Despite ongoing debates, countries allied with nuclear-armed nations that haven’t endorsed the NPT appear to be lending support to TPNW.
Haryono Budi Santosa, a lecturer in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at UGM, emphasized the urgency of ratifying and implementing the TPNW. Nuclear issues, he outlined, pivot around safety, interpreting nuclear energy as having both potential and disastrous consequences.
Safety is intricately linked to security in managing nuclear power responsibly. Security, as the second pillar, pertains to the intentional use of nuclear power as weapons for national security, constituting the root of all issues related to nuclear weapons.
“This is the foundation of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT). So, when the nuclear bomb was successfully tested, a fundamental question arose—what happens to civilization if the entire world can create it?” Santosa expressed.
“In the event of even a minor dispute, nuclear capabilities come into play, pushing us towards an apocalyptic scenario. This is why efforts to regulate nuclear weapons have emerged, including material control.”
Author: Tasya