For the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons

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Hibakusha Speak at the meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament

On February 14, 2009, three Hibakusha spoke in the second meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), held in Washington D.C.

The ICNND was launched last year at the joint initiative of the governments of Japan and Australia, and former foreign ministers of both countries co-chair the Commission. The Commission will publish a report by January 2010 to help shape a global consensus in the lead-up the 2010 NPT Review Conference.

All of 15 commissioners including Dr. William Perry, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, and its advisory board members participated in the meeting. Mr. Gareth Evans, co-chair, said next day, "It was a very very moving devastating testimony that I think we heard from the Hibakusha survivors yesterday. ...We have to constantly remember that the reason we are so concerned about nuclear weapons is because they are the most horribly destructive weapons of all in terms of the sheer human misery and waste and despoliation that they cause."

We believe that the three Hibakusha's messages have reached all the participants.


Speeches
Iwasa-speech
Michigami-speech
Thurlow-speech