Japan Press Weekly

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2014 December 17 - 23 [PEACE]

Hibakusha oppose US plan to designate atomic research sites as national park

The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) on December 18 sent U.S. President Barack Obama a written protest urging him to not sign a bill to turn facilities related to the wartime atomic bomb project into a national park.

The U.S. Congress recently passed a bill to create a national park at the sites of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. government research project that produced the world’s first atomic bomb during WWII. The bill is awaiting the president’s signature.

Hidankyo in its document pointed out, “Atomic bombs are extremely inhumane weapons that indiscriminately kill and injure people and, moreover, condemn those who do survive to a living hell. As such, they absolutely cannot co-exist with humanity.” Hidankyo also stated, “We are concerned that the making of the Manhattan Project National Park will reinforce the rationalization of the development and use of the atomic bombs, and we categorically oppose it.”