On the commemoration of the **International Day against Nuclear Tests**, on Wednesday, experts and world leaders raised their voices to condemn atomic tests before the **General Assembly of the [United Nations (UN)](https://www.un.org/en/)**.
The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, **Izumi Nakamitsu**, was emphatic in stating that nuclear tests have no place as deterrence, political tools, or under the guise of science.
Nakamitsu emphasized that the [consequences of these explosions](https://noticiasambientales.com/ciencia/chernobil-cientificos-descubren-un-hongo-que-se-alimenta-de-la-radiacion/) are “**indiscriminate and enduring**.” She insisted that they leave “**human, environmental, and moral wounds that can never be healed**.”
Therefore, she called for maintaining the global moratorium until the entry into force of the **Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty**. The recent establishment of a scientific group to study the effects of a nuclear war is, according to her, a clear recognition of the humanitarian consequences of these weapons.
## The Pacific Islands’ Claim, a “Destruction Laboratory”
During the event, the young **representative from Kiribati**, **Oemwa Johnson**, shared a poignant testimony about **Operation Grapple**, a series of thermonuclear tests carried out by the **United Kingdom and the United States on her island, Kiritimati, between 1957 and 1962**.
Johnson recounted how her grandfather, only 14 years old at the time, and her great-grandfather had no shelter or real protection, receiving only a blanket to cover their eyes. The [exposure to radiation](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/chernobil-un-estudio-revela-que-miles-de-hectareas-pueden-volver-a-ser-cultivadas/) left survivors with serious health problems and **undeniable intergenerational effects**.
According to her, her grandfather suffered from **hearing loss and memory problems**, while her relatives were born with health issues and died at early ages. Johnson herself suffers from **chronic migraines and other unexplainable ailments**, as does her father.
Furthermore, women in Kiritimati and other affected islands such as **the Marshall Islands and French Polynesia** experienced miscarriages, congenital malformations, and **reproductive health issues**.
“The Pacific Islands did not choose to become a destruction laboratory,” Johnson declared. “The suffering inflicted by colonial powers is **inseparable from stories of domination** and the disregard of human dignity,” she added.
## The Urgent Call for Treaty Ratification
The President of the **General Assembly, Philemon Yang**, urged all countries that have not yet ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to do so without delay.
In particular, he addressed those States that participated in the **1996 negotiations** and that had nuclear power plants or reactors at that time.
Yang emphasized that this step is not only crucial for the treaty’s entry into force but is also **essential for collective security**. The message is clear: the **total prohibition of nuclear tests is a fundamental pillar** for a safer and more peaceful future for all.
