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Appeal from Nuclear Weapons Victims to the Peoples of the World
(1993)
We are atomic-bomb sufferers of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and nuclear test victims from around the world. As witnesses of the "inferno" produced by nuclear weapons, we have appealed, and will continue e to appeal that nuclear weapons are atrocious and inhumane. The coexistence of nuclear weapons and humans is incompatible. Therefore nuclear weapons should totally be eliminated urgently.
In January this year, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II was signed between the USA and Russia, and the International Chemical Weapons Convention by over 140coutries. Urged by a campaign of Non-Governmental Organizations launched in May this year decided that it would seek an advisory opinion form the International Court of Justice on the illegality of nuclear weapons. The worlds' demand of the abolition of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction is steadily developing. We welcome all these steps taken.
Yet, nuclear weapons states leaders are still limiting themselves to speak only about "reduction", without showing any move forward total elimination.
Nuclear weapons are instruments of human annihilation. The existence of even one single bomb cannot be accepted. The United States and Russia will continue to hold nuclear weapons with equivalent destructive power to some 200,000 Hiroshima bombs into the 21st century.
Not only does the use of nuclear weapons in war constitute a crime against t humanity, but these weapons have caused damages by radiation to a large number of people at all stages of research, development, production, deployment and nuclear testing. The victims of nuclear weapons are in plight of both their health and livelihood, with little or no compensation and relief measures taken by the governments that are responsible for the damages. The destruction of the environment wrought by the development of nuclear weapons has reached a detrimental stage.
With two years, the 50th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be commemorated. We must launch actions now to liberate the human race from the danger of annihilation by the devilish weapons created by humankind.
Looking to the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we call on the governments and the people of the world:
*To abolish all nuclear weapons without any further delay, by signing an international convention on the abolition of nuclear weapons by the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki;
*To initiate a world-wide campaign for the relief of victims of nuclear weapons and their tests;
*To urge the International Court of Justice to rule that nuclear weapons are illegal.
We urge the Governments of nuclear weapons states and others that are planning to develop nuclear arsenals:
*To renounce from research, development, production, deployment and tests of nuclear weapons, and dismantle those weapons in your arsenals, if they already exist;
*To take an initiative in signing an international convention on the elimination of nuclear weapons;
*To conduct thorough investigation of the damages caused by the development of nuclear weapons, and take compensation and relief measures for the victims.
We call on the United Nations Organization:
*To convene without delay an international convention or conclusion of an international agreement eliminating nuclear weapons;
*To take a decision to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice for the "Illegality of Nuclear Weapons".
We ask the World Health Organization:
To encourage thorough investigation on the damages caused by nuclear weapons and their tests in the countries concerned, as well as relief of the victims.
August 9 1993 in Nagasaki
Takeshi ITO Sakae ITO Senji YAMAGUCHI