We are here to remember that on August 6 and 9, 1945, 79 years ago, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Almost 200,000 men, women and children were killed instantly and many thousands more died later of burns or radiation sickness.
We are here to remember those who died in this horrific event and to remember all victims of nuclear war preparations including those who lived on Pacific Islands and our own first nations people who died during British testing.
Since that terrible event, France, Britian, China, Russia, India, Pakistan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Israel have acquired nuclear weapons.
We say that no country should ever have nuclear weapons.
Civil Society has pushed back against nuclear weapons and an organisation founded in Melbourne – the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons ICAN – has successfully got the UN to pass the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. So far 70 States have ratified this treaty.
We demand that the Australian Government ratify the UN treaty to ban Nuclear Weapons, reject the AUKUS nuclear powered submarines and reject the Opposition’s proposal for nuclear power reactors on 7 sites.
Australia is supporting wars and preparing for war instead of concentrating on solving the social issues in Australia and the region.
There are no victors or vanquished in a nuclear war.
Today we solemnly vow to do everything we can to make sure that Hiroshima and Nagasaki never happen again.
