Speakers and moderators

• Günter Baitsch (Switzerland), MD is member of IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War - Physicians for Social Responsibility) in Germany and Switzerland (Board member). He is specialist in internal and environmental medicine, co-founder of the Ökologischen Ärzteinitiative Hochrhein, former head doctor of the Hochrhein-Klinik in Bad Säckingen and president of the ecological committee of the local medical chamber. He was member of the organizing Committees of the IPPNW World Congress in Basel in 2010, and the meetings “Uranium and Health” in Mali 2012, Tanzania 2013 and South Africa 2015.

• Doug Brugge (USA), is a professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. He also directs the Tufts Community Research Center (funded by Tisch College). His research includes traffic-related air pollution and cardiovascular health, housing conditions and child asthma, second-hand smoke exposure, asthma in immigrant communities, health communication, uranium mining in Native American and other populations, and research ethics. Most of his work uses a community-based participatory research approach. He is the author of over 160 publications and has a deep commitment to seeing research translated into policy and practice.

• Marcos Buser (Switzerland), dipl. geol. ETH, Institute for Sustainable Waste Management INA GmbH Zurich. Geologist and social scientist, he is a senior scientist who has worked in the field of nuclear and chemo-toxic waste disposal for over 40 years. He was chairman and/or member of governmental expert commissions, such as the Swiss EKRA-expert-commission responsible for the Swiss nuclear waste disposal concept, the Federal Nuclear Safety Commission or several expert commissions in the field of clean-up of industrial waste dumps. For over a decade he represented the State Council of the canton of Jura in the international research laboratory Mont Terri for high-level radioactive waste in Switzerland. Since 1997 he has been involved in different projects in the field of underground storage / disposal of hazardous chemo-toxic wastes in former salt mines.

• Julian Burger (UK), Dr., Visiting Professor, Human Rights Centre, University of Essex and Fellow, Human Rights Consortium, School of Advanced Study, University of London. He has significant experience working for the UN on human rights issues and for twenty years was the Head of the Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Programme at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Prior to this, he was Deputy Director of the Independent Commission on Humanitarian Issues (ICIHI), a think tank established by the UN General Assembly to propose new approaches on humanitarian issues. He also held a position as Director of Research at Anti-Slavery International. Dr Burger has written and published on human rights and indigenous peoples‘ issues

• Helen Caldicott (Australia), MD, was founder and president of the PSR (Physicians for Social Responsibility). Currently she is the president of the Nuclear Policy Research Institute and president of the Helen Caldiott Foundation for a Nuclear Free Planet. She has been campaigning for nuclear disarmament for decades and her visit to New Zealand in the early 1980s is often cited as a catalyst for Kiwis adopting the anti-nuclear cause as their own. The Smithsonian Institute has described her as one of the 21st century’s most influential women.

• Jean-Marie Collin (France) is an expert working on international disarmament and national security issues in France. His area of expertise covers arms control, nuclear deterrence, non proliferation, disarmament. He is the Director for France and Francophone’s countries of the network Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND), Vice-president of Initiatives For Nuclear Disarmament, Associate researcher in the Group for Research and Information on Peace and Security (GRIP), and member of ICAN France.

• Desmond Doulatram (Marshall Islands), has seen the devastating effects of the testing of 67 nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands. After graduating from college in 2010, worked on Climate Change in the Office of the President, and as an educator at the local high school. Co-founder to two NGOs Jo-JiKuM which deals with environmental issues, and REACH-MI (Radiation Exposure Awareness Crusaders for Humanity-Marshall Islands), which aims to provide information and explore ways to address unresolved issues to improve community conditions and people's lives. Hopes to showcase the little known side of history and humanity from the Pacific, and human rights abuses by colonial super powers.

• Scilla Elworthy, (GB), Dr is a peace builder and the founder of the Oxford Research Group, a non-governmental organisation she set up in 1982 to develop effective dialogue between nuclear weapons policy-makers worldwide and their critics, for which she was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. She served as its executive director from 1982 until 2003, when she left that role to set up Peace Direct, a charity supporting local peace-builders in conflict areas. In 2003 she was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize.

• Jean-Jacques Fasnacht (Switzerland), MD, President IPPNW Switzerland, Co-President KLAR! Schweiz (Kein Leben mit atomaren Risiken), Member oft the executive board ANNA (Allianz Atomausstieg), lecturer University of Zurich

• Stefan Füglister (Switzerland), is one of a few nuclear opponents in Switzerland who have been dealing with the issue of atomic energy since the 1970s. The experience of the resistance in Kaiseraugst led him later to Greenpeace. At Greenpeace, he first was in charge of the nuclear campaign (1995 to 2000) and later (2000 to 2005), as a member of the management, he was head of the campaign area. From 2006 to 2008 he was campaign leader at VCS. In October 2008, he joined the Kampagnenforum.

• Emilie Gaillard (France), is a teacher researcher at the University of Caen Normandy, Institut Demolombe EA 967, France. She is a member of the Pôle Risques, Qualité et Environnement Durable at MRSH Caen, and Research Associate at IODE (UMR CNRS 6262).

• Laurent Goetschel (Switzerland) is professor of political science at the University of Basle and director of the Swiss Peace Foundation (swisspeace) in Berne. He has been a journalist with the Associated Press, Visiting Scholar at the Centre for European Studies at Harvard University, and at the Centre for International Conflict Resolution at Columbia University, Lecturer at the Graduate Institute of Public Administration at the University of Lausanne and at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Berne. He also served as personal collaborator of the Swiss foreign minister Micheline Calmy-Rey. His main research interests lie in the fields of foreign policy analysis, the transfer of norms and ideas and peace policy. He is currently also President of the Swiss Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE) of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.

• Paul Ingram (UK) is BASIC’s executive director, responsible for developing its strategy to help reduce global nuclear dangers through disarmament and collaborative non-proliferation. Paul has authored a number of BASIC's reports and briefings covering a variety of nuclear and non-nuclear issues since 2002. Paul has an extensive media experience and hosted a weekly peak-time talk show on IRINN (Iranian domestic TV News in Farsi) addressing issues relevant to global security 2007-2012. He also taught systems approaches on the flagship Top Management Programme at the UK government's National School of Government 2006-2012.

• Beejin Khastumur (Mongolia), Founder of Delhiin Mongol Nogoon Negdel (DMNN), a Mongolian environmental protection NGO. DMNN is working with the nomadic herders in Mongolia to protect springs and waters from the impact of (illegal) mining. They joined the struggle against abolishing "the Law with the Long Name" - a law protecting the environment in Mongolia. They exposed mines which operated without permits, some of these were closed. In 2016, Beejin Khastamur was framed in a car accident and authorities wanted to see him in prison. International Human Rights activities strongly supported by Frontline Defenders led to his acquittal.

• Claudio Knüsli (Switzerland), MD, is an oncologist, past president and board member of PSR/ IPPNW Switzerland. Motivated by his daily work with cancer patients, he is especially interested in the subject of medical effects of low dose ionisation radiation in the context of nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.

• Gerhard Kreutzer (Austria), is a Legal Officer at the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL). Since 2014 he is on a temporary assignment to the International Criminal Court. Between 2005 and 2009, he used to work as an Assistant Legal Officer at the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights, and subsequently the Council of Europe, Directorate of Legal Advice and Public International Law. He holds a doctorate from the University of Vienna.

• Nadezda Kutepova (France) who has lost a number of close family members to radiation-related diseases, founded the Planet of Hope in 1999. From its very beginnings, this self-help organization's main purpose has been to inform those who live in the region about radiation doses and corresponding health dangers – and about their rights as Russian citizens. Planet Hope has entered into partnerships with international activist groups and environmental organizations, has created a victims parliament, and facilitates for people across the Urals access to specialist radiation knowledge. Despite intimidation from authorities, the group has conducted analyses of probes from the prohibited zone, as well as taken its protests for justice, openness, and human rights to Moscow's Red Square.

• Moritz Leuenberger (Switzerland), is a Swiss politician, lawyer, was a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1995 to 2010 and President of the Confederation in 2001 and in 2006.

• Tundu Lissu (Tanzania), Dr., lawyer, President of the Tanganyika Law Society (2017), Member of Parliament (CHADEMA-Party).  Active in Human Rights issues and critical of the extractive industries based on his experiences; in the 1990ies, he had confronted Barrick Gold about the forcible removal of artisanal gold miners which obviously had led to the death of 50 miners.He worked with LEAT - Lawyers Environmental Action Team from 1999 to 2009, from 2010 - 2015, he helped to draft Tanzania's new constitution as a Member of the Constitution and Legal Affairs Committee, and is a member of Parliament since 2010 for CHADEMA, the opposition party.
  
  Our Tanzanian colleague, Tundu Lissu has been seriously wounded on 7th of September by a gun attack on his way home in Dodoma, the capital of the Tanzania.  Tundu underwent emergency surgery in the Dodoma Regional Hospital and later in the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. Apparently, his condition is stable after several operations of the abdomen and the legs on 17th september 2017. Some of us from PSR/IPPNW and from the "uranium-network" know Tundu very well: He was here in Basel some years ago; we have met him in Dodoma and in Dar-Es-Salaam in 2013 during the Congress about uranium mining. He liberated Anthony Lyamunda from a prison in Bahi, near Dodoma after a field trip to the mining area. Tundu Lissu is a member of the Tanzanian Parliament, an outspoken human rights activist, critical lawyer of extractive industries and he is also critical of the Tanzanian President Magafuli.He should have spoken at the congress "Human Rights, Future Generations & Crimes in the Nuclear Age" from 14-17 September 2017, but, unfortunately, he cannot come. We all wish him all the best.

• Anthony Lyamunda (Tanzania), Director CESOPE (Civil Education is the Solution to Poverty and Environmental Management). CESOPE has been struggling against plans for uranium mining in Tanzania since first news about exploration came up and has gained a strong reputation as advocate for peoples rights, protection of natural resources of life and sustainable development.

• Wilbert Mahundi (Tanzania), Wilbert Mahundi is the director of TMMTF - Tanzania Mineral Mining Trust Fund, a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization. The organization was started in 2000 and established on 29th January 2004 after being registered under Tanzanian law, Trustees Ordinance Cap 375,1956. The mission of TMMTF is to support small artisanal miners and communities by improving their work through education, improving their skills, information sharing, trainings, lobbying and advocacy. TMMTF got involved in the uranium mining issue when members of local communities in Namtumbo region in the southwest of Tanzania wondered about mining of uranium: The Mkuju River Uranium Project is in their vicinity. Mr. Mahundi currently is a counselor for Ruhuwiko Ward at Songea Municipal Council.

• Harald Müller (Germany), Prof., is the Executive Director of the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) where he leads the research group of Arms Control and Disarmament. He is a Professor in International Relations and has a PhD in Political Sciences.He is a member of the German delegation to the Review and Extension Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has been a member of different advisory boards regarding disarmament, security policy and peace.

• Natsuko Nakase (Japan), lawyer, serving as a member of legal team for some litigations regarding Fukushima nuclear victimes

• Andreas Nidecker (Switzerland), is a Professor Emeritus of Radiology at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Past president and board member of PSR / IPPNW Switzerland. Member of the organizing Committees of IPPNW world congress in Basel in 2010 and of « U and health » meetings in Mali 2012 and Tanzania 2013 and South Africa 2015. Co-Initiator and Board of « sun21 », a think tank dedicated to use of renewable energies, resource utilisation and sufficiency.

• Michel Prieur (France), is a Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of Limoges, Scientific Director at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Environmental, Development and Urban Planning Law (CRIDEAU) and President of the International Centre of Comparative Environmental Law (CIDCE) – France.

• Tariq Rauf (Canada), He is consulting advisor for policy and outreach at the CTBTO, taking part in his personal capacity. Rauf is an internationally respected authority on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation issues. He was the Director of SIPRI’s Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-proliferation Programme from February 2014 to February 2017; Senior Advisor to the Chair of the Disarmament Committee at the 2015 Non-Prolife-ration Treaty (NPT) Review Conference; and Head of the Verification and Security Policy Coordination at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 2002 to 2011.

• Alex Rosen (Germany), MD, is a paediatrician and board member and Vice Chairman of IPPNWGermany. Alex Rosen could not attend the congress.

• Urs Ruegg (Switzerland), Professor of Pharmacology; Geneva-Lausanne School of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of Geneva. Member of the: Conseil Scientifique de l’Association Française contre les myopathies. Swiss National Science Foundation for evaluation of grants on Endocrine Disruptors, Centre National d’Evaluation for the 24 Faculties of Pharmacy in France (1998). President of the Swiss Society of Pharmacology & Toxicology (1995-2000).Treasurer of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (2006-2014)

• Miki Sekine (Japan), lawyer, based in Fukushima Prefecture, serving as a member of legal team for some litigations regarding Fukushima nuclear victimes

• Hiromichi Umebayashi (Japan), In 1980, physicist Dr. Hiromichi Umebayashi left his teaching post at the Tokyo Metropolitan Technical College in order to dedicate himself to the purpose of many NGO’s: achieving world peace and eliminating nuclear weapons. His vision: a Northeast Asia Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone; no atomic missiles stationed on the ground in Japan, North Korea, or South Korea; and a guarantee from Russia, China, and the United States that no nuclear weapons would be deployed or used within that zone. He is the founder of Peace Depot Inc., a non-profit initiative that focuses on peace research and education and promotes ideas for national defense systems not reliant on atomic deterrence or outright military supremacy.

• Martin Vosseler (Switzerland), MD, University Hospital Basel, Harvard Medical School, Boston, medical practice in Basel (1982-95). 1981 Initiator PSR/IPPNW CH, 1997 Co-Founder sun21 energy forum. 2007 Crew member 1st solar Atlantic crossing. CH/EU solar prize. Long distance walks for clean energy (Basel - Jerusalem, LA - Boston, Basel - St. Petersburg).
  
  Martin Vosseler died on 23rd October 2019 in a tragic accident. We mourn for our friend and co-founder of our organisation PSR/IPPNW Switzerland.

  
  Do you want to read more about Martin Vosseler? Here you can find a special edition of PSR-NEWS in German and French

• Saskia Walentowitz (Switzerland/France), is a social anthropologist and associated researcher at the Institute for Social Anthropology, University Berne.

• Martin Walter (Switzerland), MD is member of IPPNW/PSR/CH (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War - Physicians for Social Responsibility Switzerland), Board member and former president of IPPNW/PSR/CH. He is specialist in internal medicine and co-founder of the swiss affiliate of IPPNW International.

• Alyn Ware (Basel/Prague), is a nuclear policy expert from New Zealand. He is Director of the Basel Peace Office, Consultant for the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms, and Coordinator for Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. Mr Ware was a leader in the NZ nuclear weapons prohibition, 1996 International Court of Justice case against nuclear weapons, and Model Nuclear Weapons Convention circulated by the UN Secretary-General to guide nuclear disarmament negotiations. He has received the Right Livelihood Award and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

• Günter Wippel (Germany), is President/Coordinator of uranium-network.org. Active on the issue of uranium mining since 1985; co-organizer of the 1992 World Uranium Hearing, Salzburg / Austria; co-founder and coordinator uranium-network.org; co-organizer of the uranium conferences in Bamako / Mali (2012), Tanzania (2013) and South Africa (2015).

• Toshinori Yamada (Japan), LL.M., Lecturer, School of Law, Meiji University; Senior Researcher, The Institute of Politics and Economy; Director, International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms (IALANA); Director, Japan Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms (JALANA).