Hiroshima Observes 51St Anniversary of A-Bombing
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Special English Section vivors, ordinary citizens, and free world requires a variety members of the legislatures of of measures. These include 14 different countries marched the conclusion of a ban on the Hiroshima Observes 51st in demonstrations. The six- preemptive use of nuclear teen member nations of the weapons and, even more de- South Pacific Forum broke off sirable, a total ban on their Anniversary of A-Bombing talks with France, and the UN use; the expansion of nuclear- General Assembly adopted a free zones; the promotion of resolution calling for an im- regional dialogue; and confi- PEACE DECLARATION Citizens Remain Committed to Nuclear-Free Goal mediate suspension of nuclear dence-building efforts. August 6, 1996 Today Hiroshima commemorated the 51st anniversary of the atomic bombing of the testing. Regardless of how difficult As demonstrated by last it may be in reality to push No matter how many months and years may pass, the memory of Hiroshima lives on city. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony was solemnly observed at Peace May’s indefinite extension of ahead with nuclear disarma- in our hearts. Memorial Park, which is situated in the city’s Naka Ward. In the year that has passed the Treaty on the Non-prolif- ment, we must persist in work- Now more than half a century since that cataclysm, the world still faces the threat of since the 50th anniversary of the bombing and Hiroshima’s renewal of its commitment eration of Nuclear Weapons ing to put an end to the nuclear nuclear weapons. Yet we refuse to abandon hope and will continue to argue that (NPT) and this September’s age and achieving a world free to the abolition of nuclear weapons, the city’s people have been confronted with the humanity cannot co-exist with nuclear weapons. harsh reality of international politics. Two of the nuclear powers, China and France, anticipated signing of the of nuclear weapons. CTBT, international restric- Hiroshima should continue its Even though the East-West conflict has ended, the nuclear powers continue to pushed ahead with a total of 9 nuclear tests, despite strong negative international tions are gradually being im- efforts to accelerate the trend maintain their arsenals, and the dependence on military force that distrust and suspicion reaction. In early July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), while stating in an posed on nuclear arms. towards the total abolition of prompt does nothing to guarantee our security. Peace is shattered when disputes, advisory opinion that, “the threat or use of nuclear weapons would generally be Nevertheless, the 5 nuclear nuclear arms by conveying to poverty, discrimination, and other ills are exacerbated by military force. Nuclear contrary to the rules of international law,” failed to reach a decision concerning the powers, the United States, the the world, through its convinc- weapons symbolize all the violence that obstructs peace. threat or use of such weapons for self-defense. This was much to the disappointment of former Soviet Union, Britain, ing actions and logic, the true Albeit only in general terms, the International Court of Justice has declared the use the citizens of Hiroshima, who had anticipated a ruling declaring nuclear weapons France and China, still possess nature of the consequences of a total of 45,000 nuclear war- the atomic bombing. The city of nuclear weapons illegal. Gradually, inexorably, public opinion favoring the unlawful under any circumstances. The first people in human history to experience the heads, a dark legacy which and its people must go on elimination of nuclear weapons is spreading worldwide. We hope that this rising tide horrors of an atomic bombing, these citizens are now more determined than ever to continues to pose a threat to striving to strengthen the will compel agreement on a new Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty prohibiting all continue working to strengthen international sentiment for the eradication of nuclear the future of mankind. voices in the international nuclear explosions, of which there have been more than 2,000, and leading to a total ban weapons by letting the world know that such arms are more cruel and inhumane than Along with working to re- community calling for the on nuclear tests. At the same time, however, given the uncertain prospects for the any of the weapons banned by international law. duce strategic nuclear weap- eradication of these cruel elimination of nuclear weapons, we are deeply concerned that the nuclear powers are ons and otherwise promoting weapons, working to eventu- nuclear weapons and the real- cated in the South Pacific near nuclear disarmament, the real- ally induce the nuclear powers consolidating their arsenals. ization of eternal peace. France’s test site, A-bomb sur- ization of a nuclear-weapon- to change their policies. As the next step, we thus intend to join in solidarity with the entire international A half-century of such ap- community for a universal convention prohibiting the use of nuclear weapons and to peals by Hiroshima, however, work here at home for legislation formalizing Japan’s non-nuclear status. have failed to reach China and Another urgent imperative in the quest for peace is that of continuing to explain the France, which, over the past realities of history’s first atomic bombing and to see that these are conveyed across year, conducted a total of 9 national and generational differences. The experiences, both the lives and the deaths, nuclear tests. France ex- plained that its testing was for following the bombing of Hiroshima must be refined so they touch every heart and this the purpose of developing the culture of peace becomes part of humanity’s shared legacy. technology for nuclear-explo- It is also essential that the extensive documentation on the bombing be archived. I sion-free test simulations, hope that younger generations, far-removed as they are from the wartime realities and the Mayor T. Hiraoka while China asserted the le- bombing’s horrors, will be inspired by the insights and impressions that they draw from Beginning very early in the gitimacy of its actions, saying the hibakusha testimonies and other documentation. morning, citizens and relatives that it has consistently exer- of the A-bomb victims visited cised the utmost restraint with At the same time, I want to find policies for supporting the aging hibakusha in Japan the various monuments that its testing. It is likely that and elsewhere commensurate with their real needs. stand scattered around Peace these two nations pushed Marking the 51st anniversary of the bombing, we here today both pay our sincere Memorial Park and its sur- ahead as they did in order to respects to the souls of those hibakusha who died and renew our vow to work untiringly rounding area, bringing bou- “get in under the wire” with for the elimination of all nuclear weapons and for peace. Fully cognizant of Japanese quets of flowers and bundled their efforts to catch up with history and in the spirit of the Constitution, I also pledge to work with the people of sticks of incense with them. other nuclear powers in Hiroshima to make Hiroshima a creative, hopeful city of peace. The memorial ceremony be- nuclear development technol- gan at 8:00 a.m., with about ogy, aiming to do so before 50,000 people attending. At the conclusion of the Compre- Delivered by Takashi Hiraoka 8:15, the time when the atomic hensive Test Ban Treaty Mayor of Hiroshima bomb was dropped 51 years (CTBT). Their actions ago, the Peace Bell was brought increased interna- sounded and all those present tional criticism of such kinds observed a minute of silence. of self-centeredness on the Hiroshima Hosts 3rd Disarmament Conference Takashi Hiraoka, Mayor of part of nuclear nations. Both Hiroshima, then presented the in Japan and abroad there was Discussion Centers on Test Ban Treaty Peace Declaration (see full an unprecedented surge of The Third United Nations text), appealing anew to the protest against China and Conference on Disarmament world for the eradication of France. In Tahiti, which is lo- Issues was held at the Interna- tional Conference Center Hiroshima in the city’s Naka A-Bomb Dome as World Heritage Site ? Ward from July 17 to 20. The The soonest that the Atomic A-bomb Dome is one of a 62 delegates included repre- Bomb Dome, which stands in small number of locations re- sentatives of the governments Hiroshima as a witness to the maining that eloquently tell of of 22 countries, including horror of nuclear weapons, the ravages of the bombing. three of the five nuclear pow- could be added to the list of At present, 469 cultural, ers (the U.S., Great Britain, UNESCO World Heritage natural and “dual” (that is, and China), and “threshold” sites is December of this year. designated both cultural and nations, such as India and Pa- The citizens of Hiroshima at- natural) properties through- kistan. The delegates also tach much meaning to the ad- out the world deemed as im- were comprised of representa- dition of the structure to this portant to hand down to the tives of NGOs and research- list, since they feel that it will next generation have been ers. be of great significance if the named as World Heritage The theme of the conference dome is recognized by the sights. If the hopes of the was “Common Efforts toward Representatives of 22 countries took part in the UN world as a symbol of the im- people of Hiroshima are real- a Safer and Nuclear-Weapon- conference portance of the eradication of ized, the Atomic Bomb Dome Free World”. The Compre- dian delegate, whose country arms limitation.