By: Tristan Hill
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — A local group is pressing the City of Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas for change after documents revealed that the university could potentially be contributing to the development of nuclear weapons.
Abel Tomlinson, the founder of the Arkansas Nonviolence Alliance, found in a report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons that the U of A is one of 50 American universities believed to be aiding the federal government in the research and development of nuclear bombs.
Tomlinson’s group questioned the university, wanting answers on exactly what extent the school works with nuclear weapons.
“We asked them for more answers and they didn’t want to give us any. They said that the program was beneficial and lawful and appropriate,” Tomlinson said.
The University didn’t elaborate due to a nondisclosure agreement it entered with Honeywell Federal Manufacturing.
The Alliance used the Freedom of Information Act to request documentation on the agreement between Honeywell and the U of A.
As a result of the FOIA request, the university released a 54 page contract between the school and Honeywell. The contract doesn’t specifically mention nuclear weapons, but it does mention Honeywell’s National Security Campus in Kansas City and the company’s relationship with the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Tomlinson says he believes the University’s agreement is a local example of the worldwide threat of nuclear destruction.
“We still have enough bombs to blow up the whole world, essentially,” he said.
That’s why his group is aiming to introduce a resolution to the City Council barring the University’s contract with Honeywell.
The resolution, if passed, would “demand that the University of Arkansas terminate its Master Collaboration Agreement with Honeywell and cease all programs connected to the research and development of nuclear weapons.”
When asked for comment on the university’s relationship with Honeywell, University Communications Manager John Thomas released a written statement.
“It may be helpful to know that the university’s agreement with Honeywell is a technology research collaboration agreement concerning topics of mutual interest to the university and Honeywell including a student component focused on senior design projects. What we can share with you is that all areas of collaboration are lawful, unclassified and appropriate, and the collaboration has been beneficial to our students and the university’s research mission,” he said.
To read the full resolution proposed by the Arkansas Nonviolence Association, click here.