For the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
Letter to the US President
Hidankyo sent the following letter to President Bush, protesting against the US nuclear posture review plan.
March 26th, 2002
His Excellency George W. Bush
The President
The United States of America
In the President's annual State of the Union Address to Congress, you warned that the United States could take anti-terrorist campaign against the so-called “Axis of evil”, which you clearly identified as North Korea, Iraq and Iran. You also indicated “Nuclear Posture Review” which includes hypothetical nuclear attacks against Russia, China, Libya, and Syria in addition to three countries mentioned above. Whole world was shocked by this news.
Later, the details of the “Nuclear Posture Review” were leaked: It includes pre-emptive attack by nuclear weapons toward Iraq for the reason that Iraq possesses biological weapons and chemical arms, and development of new weapon, called robust earth penetrator, to destroy underground bunkers. For the new weapon, you are planning to start nuclear tests again. These plans are outrageous and arrogant challenge toward hopes and wisdom we possess in order to seek peace.
It is not surprising at all that whole world denounced and criticized your plans. The “Nuclear Posture Review” will make the final agreement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (May, 2000) wastepaper, and reverse our 50-year efforts in order to abolish nuclear weapons.
We, survivors of the A-bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and hundreds of thousands of dead who lost their lives because of the A-bombs dropped 57 years ago impeach these outrageous plans.
Based on our experiences, we, the survivors of the A-bombings, pronounce that nuclear weapons are evil equipment, and the use of nuclear weapons is inhuman and cruel. Those who utilize nuclear weapons are devils.
President Bush, we would like to ask your answer:
Wasn’t dropping A-bombs the greatest terrorism which has been unprecedented in history ever?
Have we mentioned retaliation for it?
You have chosen an evil pathway and whole world is against you.
On behalf of human beings, we, the survivors of the A-bombings, call on you for getting back to humanitarianism and renouncing the plans of “Nuclear Posture Review”.
Stop immediately anti terrorist campaign.
Do not continue wars at any countries including Iraq.
Do not use nuclear weapons in any circumstances.
Implement the "unequivocal undertaking" to accomplish the total elimination of your nuclear weapons at the NPT Review Conference in May 2000, without delay.
Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo)