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Letter against the US military threat for Iraq
Hidankyo protested against the US strategy to Iraq.
On February 6, Hidankyo sent a letter to the US President against the threat of use of nuclear weapons to Iraq.
President William Jefferson Clinton
The United States of America
February 6 1998
Dear Mr. President,
We, atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki(Hibakusha), have had a great fear of your intensified threat of military attack to Iraq. Since January, this fear has become more and more serious with a nightmare of the possible use of nuclear weapons and threatened Hibakusha and the people in the world.
According to the press, you already signed a classified document for approving nuclear attack to Iraq. In fact, you have increased your military force around the Persian Gulf and deployed aircraft carriers and many other ships. "Independence", the aircraft carrier from the US military port in Yokosuka, central Japan, also takes part in the strategy.
You have created the extremely dangerous circumstance around the Gulf and threatened with nuclear weapons to Iraq as well as the rest of the world. It is precisely the case that the threat of use of nuclear weapons generally constitutes violation of international law, the ICJ(International Court of Justice) confirmed. It is an unacceptable criminal act.
Along with all the peace loving people, we denounce your military attack with anger.
To abandon the threat of use of nuclear weapons to Iraq without delay.
To withdraw all ships loaded with nuclear weapons on the Persian Gulf.
To withdraw all nuclear weapons and their related facilities in the US Military Bases in Japan.
On behalf of Japan Confederation of A- & H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations
Takeshi Ito, Co-chairperson
Sakae Ito, Co-chariperson
Senji Yamaguchi, Co-chairperson