On
August 6, 1945 the US dropped an atomic bomb on the city of
Hiroshima, Japan, and three days later another one on Nagasaki.
More than 100,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed instantly
and for years afterwards, from horrible burns and radiation
sickness.
Fortunately,
nuclear weapons have not been used again on civilians, but they continue to remain
a constant threat. Thousands of nuclear weapons remain on alert, ready to be fired
at a moment's notice. These bombs could go off at any time by accident or at the
hands of terrorists.
Recognizing
that there are enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet, most nations signed
the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), agreeing to prevent the spread of nuclear
weapons and to work towards eliminating them. The NPT went into effect in 1970,
but the number of nations with nukes has nearly doubled and there is still no
timetable to eliminate nuclear weapons. A people's movement has grown to convince
governments to rid the world of the nuclear threat. 5 regions, covering most of
the Southern hemisphere and more than 250 municipalities around the world have
declared themselves as Nuclear Free Zones.
Many
are also concerned about the growing use of nuclear energy around the world. After
over 30 years of building nuclear power plants, there is still no safe way of
disposing the contaminated nuclear materials that are produced. These contaminated
wastes endanger our environment and the lives of countless generations to come.
Hiroshima
Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the threat of nuclear weapons
and the dangers of nuclear energy. It's the perfect time to urge your Mayor to
declare your city a Nuclear Free Zone.
