HISTORIC 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATOMIC BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA, NAGASAKI: Major Protests at Warhead Facilities

Floating peace crane lanterns, with Atomic Bomb Dome in background, Hiroshima, Japan. Photo courtesy: Hiroshima Peace Media Center.Beyond Nuclear has joined with its Alliance for Nuclear Accountability coalition partners across the U.S. in a press release highlighting actions happening across the country, in commemoration of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings 70 years ago this August 6th and 9th, respectively. The commemorations and actions decry the trillion dollar plan for new U.S. nuclear weapons, and advocate disarmament.  

The press release begins:

A thousand or more peace advocates, Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors), religious leaders, scientists, economists, attorneys, doctors and nurses, nuclear analysts, former war planners and others across the country are coming together to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki this August 6 through 9 at key sites in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and beyond.

Major commemorations, rallies, protests and/or nonviolent direct actions will place at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in CA, the Los Alamos National Laboratory in NM, the Kansas City Plant in MO, the Y-12 Plant in TN, the Rocky Flats Plant in CO, the Pantex Plant in TX, and in GA near the Savannah River Site. These events are united by their reflection on the past, and, uniquely, their focus on the present and future with a resolute determination to change U.S. nuclear weapons policy at the very locations that are linchpins in producing the new trillion dollar stockpile of nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles.

Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear said: "We are humbled to listen to the sobering stories of two Hibakusha, Mr. Goro Matsuyama and Ms. Takako Chiba, both survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, at Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Committee of the National Capital Area events in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. We are also pleased to take part in the 'For People & the Planet' peace activist conference in Columbus, Ohio, to address the inextricable links between nuclear power and nuclear weapons, and what we can do about it."

United for Peace & Justice has posted a calendar of nation-wide Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemorations and actions at: http://www.nuclearfreefuture.org/events/

Update on August 6, 2015 by admin

A City of Hiroshima Peace Declaration has been delivered by Hiroshima Mayor Matsui at the August 6, 2015 commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of his city.

Update on August 6, 2015 by admin

 In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Global Security Institute (GSI) Advisory Board member Jane Goodall (photo, left) wrote the following: 

I was 11 years old when the Allied Forces dropped two atomic bombs, first on Hiroshima then Nagasaki.  At the time the main impact that this had - at least in Europe and North America - was that this ended World War II.  Gradually news of the horror of this weapon of mass destruction filtered out - descriptions of the utter devastation, the horrendous human suffering, the destruction of all life.  That it happened once was awful.  That it happened a second time, after the effect had been witnessed, can never be forgiven.

It is desperately important that we remember our human crimes during this, the 70th anniversary.  That we reflect with sadness, feel shame for the suffering that was inflicted on hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.  That we make  a vow to do anything we can to prevent such a horror from ever happening again, and that we educate the young so that they understand why this is so important.

We should think also of those who were injured, exposed to radiation, affected by cancers as a result of all the tests that were carried out, especially those tests that took place on the Marshall Islands.

Let us be joined, in our prayers and thoughts, as we urge the leaders of all Nations to pledge that they will never, in any circumstance, authorize the deployment of nuclear bombs.  

- Jane Goodall PhD, DBE 

Founder - the Jane Goodall Institute 

& UN Messenger of Peace

[See the GSI Special UN Panel Event Report from May 10, 2010, at which the photo above was taken.]

Update on August 9, 2015 by admin

As reported by Voice of America, Pope Francis has repeated his call for a worldwide ban on nuclear weapons. He did so on August 9th, marking the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan:

"After so long that tragic event still causes horror and repulsion," the pope said in Rome.

"It became the symbol of the boundless destructive power of man, when the achievements of science and technology are put to wrong use. It remains a permanent warning for humanity to reject war forever and to ban nuclear weapons and every weapon of mass destruction," Francis said.

The pope said he wishes there would be "one voice" that says, "no to war, no to violence, yes to dialogue, yes to peace. With war we always lose."

Update on August 10, 2015 by admin

The Kyodo News and Japan Times have posted the full text of the Peace Declaration read on August 9th by Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue (photo, left) at a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of his city by the United States.