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World Conference against A & H Bombs calls on UN and all states for immediate start of negotiations toward conclusion of treaty totally banning nuclear weapons

The 2006 World Conference against A & H Bombs was held August 2-9 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Overseas and Japanese participants made a pledge to largely advance the movements to establish a "Nuclear Weapon-Free, Peaceful and Just World."

International Meeting: Hiroshima, August 2-4

The International Meeting adopted a declaration that calls on all national governments to adopt at the U.N. General Assembly a resolution to conclude a treaty totally banning nuclear weapons.

Representatives of the Egyptian, Mexican, and Malaysian governments, an Arab League representative, and delegates from 21 countries as well as Japanese people took part in the International Meeting.

It also received messages from six foreign governments, including the head of state of New Zealand and Vietnam, and from Japanese municipality heads, including the Hiroshima and Nagasaki mayors.

Based on a common understanding that the prevention of nuclear proliferation can be truly attained by abolishing nuclear weapons, government and NGO representatives earnestly discussed ways to promote government-NGO cooperation.

Participants condemned the United States for its dangerous nuclear strategy, and exchanged opinions on nuclear issues concerning Iran, Israel, and India.

They also criticized the U.S.-British invasion of Iraq and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, arguing that the use of force does not settle disputes but only causes chaos and the massacre of civilians.

Pointing out that the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan have not been brought to justice as a war crime, Mohamed Ezzeldine Abdel-Moneim of the League of Arab States claimed for an equal application of international law to any country. Egyptian Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister Ehab Fawzy stressed the importance of simultaneously pursuing nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation.

Malaysian Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry Shahrul Ikram urged nuclear weapons possessing states to fulfill their obligation of nuclear disarmament as stipulated in Article 6 of the NPT. Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry Director General in charge of the UN System, Ulises Canchola Gutierrez, advocated that all governments should focus on nuclear disarmament as their main diplomatic policy.

In the special session, a Japanese Hibakusha living in Brazil and a Korean Hibakusha as well as victims of nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands, Russia, Kazakhstan, and French Polynesia reported on their sufferings as well as the situation regarding compensation and relief. All participants, together with these victims and Hibakusha, were determined to work hard in order to establish a nuclear-free world.

2006 World Conference against A & H Bombs - Hiroshima: August 4-6

Opening Plenary

On August 4, the 2006 World Conference against A & H Bombs - Hiroshima opened with a plenary attended by 70 overseas delegates from 21 countries, including five government representatives, and about 7,300 Japanese participants.

Anzai Ikuro on behalf of the chairpersons committee gave an Organizing Committee report in which he stated, "The grassroots movements in solidarity with Hibakusha have motivated municipalities and national governments to undertake initiatives," and called on the participants to strengthen the movement for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Hiroshima City Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi in his special report to the Conference emphasized that the elimination of nuclear weapons is possible if cities, citizens, and NGOs throughout the world join hands. Representatives of governments of Egypt, Malaysia, and Mexico also gave special reports.

As the breaking news of Hibakusha's overall victory in the Hiroshima District Court decision was coming in, the participants congratulated the plaintiff Hibakusha with a standing ovation.

Closing Plenary

On August 6 marking the 61st anniversary of the A-bombing of Hiroshima, about 8,500 people took part in the closing plenary of the 2006 World Conference against A & H Bombs - Hiroshima.

They adopted "The Appeal from Hiroshima" calling for strengthening grassroots movements and cooperation for a nuclear-free world. The Appeal also calls for cooperation among the Japanese people to defend Article 9 of the Constitution and to oppose the realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan.

Taka Hiroshi, secretary general of the Japan Council against A & H Bombs, said, "It is the down-to-earth signature collecting campaign that has made the demand of the abolition of nuclear weapons a world current," and called for more efforts to collect more anti-nuclear signatures for the U.N. General Assembly scheduled for October.

The World Conference adopted a special resolution demanding that the government give up appealing against the Hiroshima District Court decision and change its Hibakusha policies.

Herminio Lopez Diaz, charg_ d'affaires of Cuba to Japan, and Mohamed Ezzeldine Abdel-Moneim, representing the League of Arab States, gave speeches.

The 2006 World Conference against A & H Bombs: Nagasaki, August 8-9

About 2,500 people participated in the 2006 World Conference against A & H Bombs - Nagasaki on August 9, the 61st anniversary since the U.S. dropped the A-Bomb on Nagasaki.

Participants, including foreign delegates, adopted with a round of applause the "Letter to the United Nations and All Member States: Call for Immediate Start of Negotiations Toward Conclusion of a Treaty Totally Banning Nuclear Weapons."

They also responded to the Organizing Committee's proposal for collecting more than 5 million signatures calling "For a Swift Abolition of Nuclear Weapons" to be submitted to the U.N. General Assembly.
- Akahata, August 3-10, 2006