“Nuclear Justice and Transitional Justice” was the focus of a side event held at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland last Friday attended by President Hilda Heine and a team from the Marshall Islands.
The President delivered the keynote address emphasizing the enduring impact of the Marshall Islands’ nuclear legacy and the urgent need for truth and accountability.
President Heine reflected on the profound challenges faced by the Marshall Islands due to nuclear testing conducted between 1946 and 1958.
“The understanding of our own limitations in addressing this nuclear legacy has informed the Marshall Islands’ pursuit of nuclear justice,” she said. “The single most fundamental prerequisite for justice rings true: ‘Without truth, there can be no justice.’”
The President highlighted key themes from the recent report presented to the Council, focusing on the transitional justice pillar of truth. She posed questions about the legal implications of agreements made under UN trusteeship and the responsibility of parties to disclose information shrouded in secrecy. “What is the legal value of an agreement imposed by an administrator over its trust territory to impede their basic human right to a full and effective remedy?” she asked.
Reflecting on the historical exploitation of her people, President Heine lamented the ongoing refusal to declassify information regarding the nuclear tests and the resulting harm to the environment and health of the Marshallese people. She emphasized that the lack of truth has created significant barriers to transitional justice, stating, “The trust was violated when 67 known nuclear weapons were tested on our atolls, leading to perpetual displacement and depriving our people of their rights.”
Despite these challenges, President Heine underscored the Marshallese culture of humility and forgiveness, expressing a commitment to reconciliation while stressing that “in the absence of truth, forgiveness may remain elusive.”
President Heine urged the international community to recognize the full extent of the nuclear legacy and its implications. “Only then can we work towards a healthy and secure future for the Marshallese people and a nuclear-free world,” she concluded.
In a related development, while in Geneva, President Heine spoke to the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, highlighting the profound human rights challenges faced by the people of the Marshall Islands for nearly 80 years as result of nuclear weapons testing and the ongoing climate crisis.
President Heine expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome and emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues.
“Having just spoken at the General Assembly, I have come to Geneva to elevate awareness of the struggles my people have endured and to call for urgent action from a world grappling with the climate crisis,” she stated.
President Heine called for an ambitious new climate finance goal under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and urged the G20 nations to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions to transition away from fossil fuels.
This session of the Council is particularly significant for the Marshall Islands, as President Heine announced two landmark resolutions aimed at renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in the context of climate change and providing capacity building and technical assistance to address the nuclear legacy. She noted the collaborative efforts with a cross-regional core group to underline that climate change affects all nations.
Reflecting on the ongoing consequences of the 67 US nuclear tests, President Heine stated, “We must address the human rights violations of the past and the generational implications that persist today.”
She reiterated the need for accountability and redress, urging the Council and member states to recognize the suffering endured by the Marshallese people and to learn from history.
President Heine thanked the Council for its ongoing support and expressed hope for the Marshall Islands to rejoin the Council for the 2025-2027 term. “We count on the support of all member states at the elections in New York in a few weeks’ time,” she concluded.
Before appearing at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the president delivered a statement during the high-level meeting at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons last week Thursday.
Reflecting on her kin, Dwight Heine’s advocacy against nuclear weapons testing Marshall Islands in the UN chamber nearly 70 years ago, President Heine lamented the ongoing struggles of the Marshallese people following 67 nuclear tests conducted between 1946 and 1958.
“The cries of our people were brushed off,” she stated, emphasizing that the promises made in two UN resolutions remain unfulfilled.
“Today, I carry the hopes of the Marshallese people,” she said. President Heine urged global action against the rising threat of nuclear proliferation. She reiterated that no community should suffer the consequences of nuclear detonations.
“The world is slipping backwards into deeper nuclear risk,” she warned, stressing the importance of heeding the lessons of history.