Letter to the United Nations and Member States
For No More Hiroshimas or Nagasakis
The following is the text of the letter from the 2002 World Conference against A & H Bombs-Nagasaki to the United Nations and its member states:
The 2002 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs held in the 57th year of the atomic bombings appeals to the United Nations and its member states to act without delay to prevent another Hiroshima or Nagasaki from occurring.
We feel a great uneasiness about a government rushing to prepare a war ostensibly to "counter terrorism" or "counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction" and even suggesting the possible use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states.
The atrocious and indiscriminate killings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the after-effects remind us that nothing can justify the use of nuclear weapons.
Following the First Resolution of the UN General Assembly calling for a ban on atomic weapons, the international community has defined the use of nuclear weapons as a "crime against humanity" and urged their ban; it has also agreed by consensus on an "unequivocal undertaking" to completely eliminate nuclear weapons as the "only absolute guarantee" to prevent the use of nuclear weapons.
Drawing bitter lessons from the two World Wars, the UN Charter set the sovereignty and equality of the nations as the basis for modus vivendi in the world. Threat or use of force or nuclear attack on other nations is incompatible with the peaceful world order that has been built throughout the 20th century.
On the basis of the agreements reached by the international community, we call on the United Nations and the Governments of its member states to:
- Take every possible measure to prevent the threat or pre-emptive use or any other use of nuclear weapons, regardless of their excuses, and
- Set to act now to get the "unequivocal undertaking" to completely abolish nuclear weapons implemented.
We sincerely hope that your government will respond to this call promptly. (end)