  2004 World Conference calls for international action now to abolish nuclear weapons -- Akahata editorial, August 10The 2004 World Conference against A and H Bombs was held August 2-9 with about 10,000 people attending, including 66 delegates representing 40 organizations from 24 countries and eight international and regional organizations as well as four government officials from Egypt, Malaysia, Mexico, and Cuba. This year's World Conference, held a year before the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombings and amid the increasing international opinion and movement calling for nuclear weapons elimination, has become a milestone in calling for international action to be developed on a large scale, based on the common slogan "Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, Now!" New progress made in international common action This year's World Conference made it clearer than ever that government representatives and activists from anti-nuclear movements share the common call for humanity to be saved from the threat of nuclear weapons. First, they share a severe criticism of the U.S. nuclear weapons policy which goes against the world trend calling for nuclear weapons to be abolished. The United States not only maintains enormous nuclear arsenals but even adopts a preemptive attack strategy to use nuclear weapons under the pretext of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Under this strategy, the United States is promoting research and development of small and usable nuclear weapons, is considering the resumption of underground nuclear tests and is further formulating a missile defense program. In order to carry out tests necessary to develop such weapons, the United States is also scheming to scrap the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In the World Conference, foreign government officials and other delegates expressed severe criticism of and concern about this U.S. policy. Second, foreign government officials in the World Conference made clear that nuclear weapons elimination is a realistic task. For example, the Egyptian ambassador stated that the promise was made at the 2000 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference to eliminate nuclear weapons and that the need now is to urge nuclear weapons states to carry out the promise. The mayor of Hiroshima in his Peace Declaration called for a campaign toward the adoption of an action program to eliminate nuclear weapons at the NPT Review Conference in May 2005. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in his message to Hiroshima's peace memorial called on the parties to the NPT to not only reconfirm the undertakings already made by the nuclear-weapon states to accomplish the total elimination of nuclear weapons but turn words into deeds. Third, it was confirmed that common action by governments, citizens, and NGOs is the driving force to eliminate nuclear weapons. It has actually prevented the use of nuclear weapons since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Participants in this year's World Conference had high confidence in nuclear weapons abolition through joining forces, and discussing and exchanging views with each other. Significance of the "Declaration of the International Meeting" The "Declaration of the International Meeting" emphatically states, "Further progress is possible if grassroots movements, NGOs, and national and local governments develop cooperation to reach this goal, while fulfilling their own roles." As evidenced by the world campaign in opposition to the war on Iraq, diverse movements for a new world order based on peace and justice are in progress. As proved by this development, our time is no longer one where the outrageous can prevail." This is how the "Declaration" shows the way to eliminate nuclear weapons. The World Conference exposed the extraordinary Japanese government position in continuing its subservience to the U.S. government, thus disregarding the fact that Japan is the only atom-bombed country and most of its citizens support nuclear weapons abolition. In his speeches at peace ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro stated that Japan will "do its best to get nuclear weapons eliminated." The fact, however, is that he is pushing ahead with a missile defense policy in subservience to the U.S. He is also committed to an adverse revision of the Constitution with a view to allowing Japan to take part in U.S. wars based on a preemptive nuclear strike strategy. Responsibility of Japan's peace movement This is why the Declaration emphasized that for peace in Asia and the rest of the world, it is vital for the Japanese people to "retain its peace Constitution" as the only A-bombed country, while playing an active role in increasing international common action for nuclear weapons abolition. It is a responsibility of the Japanese peace movement to tackle these tasks to meet international expectations. The "Declaration" states, "Let us create a global movement to make 2005, the 60th year of the atomic bombing, a year of international action to achieve a decisive turn toward liberating humanity from the horror of nuclear weapons." Towards the NPT Review Conference in May 2005 and in preparation for the 60th anniversary of the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, let us rapidly increase the international peace movement through collecting signatures calling for "abolition of nuclear weapons, now!" from places of work and communities throughout Japan. (end) |