International Dialogue on Underwater Munitions (IDUM), is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada in 2004, following a Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in Ottawa, when Senators from all Parties unanimously made the following recommendations, but the Government failed to act.
•Must be greater federal government involvement by departments and agencies other than DND
•Must be a substantial, long-term, financial and scientific commitment by federal government
•Government of Canada should call on the United Nations to organize a conference with several other coastal countries on this serious issue. implement and continue to avoid any open and transparent debate or independent scientific investigation. the
Mr. Terrance Long, founder of IDUM, is a former commissioned United Nations Officer (UNO), and retired Canadian Military Engineer specializing in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Demining. His expertise and passion and respect for our seas and ocean led to the birth of IDUM. Our four pillars are to advance International Policy, Science, Technology and Responses to UWM’s. Our Mission is to create a Global Treaty for the Protection of our Seas and Ocean by eradicating underwater chemical, conventional and radiological munitions.
Underwater Munitions toxins (“Silent Killers”) negatively affect our marine environment and human health. There are environmental impacts, that includes depleting fish stocks, extra fish diseases, stress on kidneys and livers of Cod fish, and the inability of juvenile fish to reproduce. Scientists believe, that some chemical weapons may dissipate in water, but others like arsenic, can bioaccumulation in the food chain, and, ultimately, produce human health concerns, including cancers. In many world regions people unknowingly consume contaminated fish.
Warfare Materials continue to spread across our seafloors while chemical plums drift in our waters from underwater munitions dumpsites, exposing large areas to chemical contamination, that destroy fish stocks. TNT’s breakdowns to DNT’s in the marine environment, that is a human carcinogen that remains in the ocean for 1000’s of years to pollute. It’s a matter of time before chemical weapons plums begin to meet one-another in our seas and ocean, raising the temperature of our waters destroying our marine ecosystem, unless we “Call to Action”.IDUM is collaborating with international leaders and organizations to better understand the socio-economic impact on both human health and environment from years of decaying underwater munitions. The organization is facilitating this through international diplomacy via national and international programs, dialogues, conferences, workshops, committees, senate hearings, and international commissions. IDUM promotes constructive engagement with all stakeholders rather than disengagement so that we may learn from one another's situation and determine how we can best respond in the future with everyone's considerations.
"Our mission is to promote the creation of an Internationally Binding Treaty for Human Health and Environment on all classes (biological, chemical, conventional, and radiological) of underwater munitions, that lead to their global eradacation from
our seas and oceans."
Creation of a Global Treaty on all underwater weapons.
Development of a Global Database of underwater weapons sites.
Being a repository of information for underwater weapons.
Eradication of the "Point-Source Emitters of Pollution" from our seas and oceans.
GLOBAL COOPERATION
IDUM, actively cooperates globally with national and International organizations and bodies on UWM’s. IDUM has conducted 5 international dialogues, working groups, conferences and seminars on UWM’s. IDUM: help draft, and present the social-economic overview on United Nations (UN) Resolution “Cooperatives measures on sea dumped chemical weapons” at UN Second Committee for Sustainable Development in 2010 and 2013; Chaired side event sessions on Sea Dumped Chemical Weapons during Third Review Conference of State Parties, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC); Observer to International Seabed Authority (ISA) for Law of the Sea; Observer to OSPAR and Helsinki Commissions for the Protection of the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea; Chairman, Expert Panel Sea Dumped Chemical Weapons Human Health and Environment, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta Georgia; Chairman, International Technology Advisory Board (ITAB) on Sea Dumped Weapons (SDW’s), The Hague, The Netherlands and on Scientific Committee of the Polish Naval Academy Marine Security Yearbook. IDUM continue to cooperate by providing a voluntary commitment to UNEP Oceans Conference as a global focal point on underwater munitions Policy, Science, Technology, and Responses.
IDUM is active as Associated Partner, Co-Director and Work Package Leader for collaborative international scientific programs. They include CHEMSEA, Search and Assessment of Chemical Weapons Baltic Sea; NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS); DAIMON (Decision Aid for Marine Munitions)
