Nuclear disarmament treaties in Sinhala and Tamil: Germany funds project

The German Federal Foreign Office has granted funds to the Forum on Disarmament and Development ( FDD) for the translation of the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) to the Sinhala and Tamil languages.

German Ambassador Jörn Rohde graced Tuesday's launch of the translated texts along with the Former Foreign Secretary H. M. G. S. Palihakkara.

Ambassador Rohde spoke of his personal reflections during his posting in Japan on visiting Hiroshima and the poignant reminder of the devastation that the city faced.

He also stressed that Germany was committed to disarmament and non- proliferation of nuclear weapons as it was part of Germany's foreign policy.

The ambassador said he hoped that the treaty texts being available in the vernacular languages would help raise awareness amongst the academia, the media, civil society and the general public for a wider discussion and understanding of the implications of a nuclearised world, the need for non- proliferation of nuclear weapons and also the need for a ban on nuclear testing.

The translations of these treaty texts were spearheaded by FDD coordinator Vidya Abhayagunawardena. Eminent scholar Dr. Kumari Jayawardena contributed to the translation of a third book on the Nuclear Ban Treaty.

Picture shows from left Nadee Gunaratne, H. M. G. S. Palihakkara, Ambassador Jörn Rohde and Vidya Abhayagunawardena