Groups representing survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Hibakusha) today sent letters of support to six governments which have been blocking a proposal to exempt India from international nuclear trade rules.
The groups wrote to the governments of Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland, all of which raised objections to a draft amendment to the nuclear export guidelines of the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) during its August 21-22 plenary meeting. Since the NSG makes decisions by consensus, any one of its 45-member states can block the amendment, which would permit nuclear trade between India and nuclear supplier states.
The US submitted the draft amendment to enable it to engage in nuclear trade with India under the US-India Nuclear Agreement. If accepted, the amendment would also enable other countries, for example Russia and France, to engage in nuclear trade with India, despite the fact that India developed nuclear weapons outside the framework of the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998.
The groups expressed their appreciation for the devotion of the six governments to the elimination of nuclear weapons and urged them to "oppose the exceptional treatment for India proposed under the US-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement."
They explained that many informed people in Japan, including the Mayors of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are strongly opposed to this Agreement, but criticized the stance of the Japanese government saying, "despite our requests, the Japanese government's stance has remained vague throughout."
They said, "We oppose [the US-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement] not only because by allowing an exception for India, which is not a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Agreement will lead to the collapse of the NPT system, but also because we are concerned that it will give countries such as North Korea and Iran an excuse for nuclear weapons development."
They called on the six governments to continue to defend the NPT, saying, "Hibakusha have poured their hearts and souls into the movement for the elimination of nuclear weapons, that never again may the human race be forced to endure the type of tragic suffering that they experienced. And one of the main foundations has been the conviction that only by strengthening the NPT system will a path be opened up for the elimination of nuclear weapons."
The NSG is expected to meet again soon (perhaps as early as September 4-5) to debate a new draft amendment. According to media reports the new draft is only marginally different to the one discussed at the August 21-22 meeting.
A letter was sent from groups in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) also sent a letter. (Nihon Hidankyo is the only national umbrella organization for Hibakusha groups.)
Letter from Hiroshima and Nagasaki groups PDF (76KB) HTML
Nihon Hidankyo's web site
Organizations endorsing the letters from Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Hiroshima Hibakusha Groups
Hiroshima Council of A-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Director General, Kazushi Kaneko)
Hiroshima Council of A-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Director General, Sunao Tuboi)
Nagasaki Hibakusha Groups
Nagasaki Hibakusha Certificate Friendship Society
Nagasaki Council of the A-bomb Sufferers
Society of the A-bomb Survivors in Nagasaki
Nagasaki Friends for the Hibakusha Certificate
A-bomb Victims Liaison Council of Nagasaki Peace Action Center
Other Hiroshima Groups
Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation
Hiroshima Council Against A and Hydrogen Bombs
NO DU Hiroshima Project
Association for Peace Exchange with Indian & Pakistani Youth
Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition
Contacts:
Philip White Phone: 81-3-3357-3800
International Liaison Officer, Citizens Nuclear Information Center, Tokyo
Keiko Nakamura Phone: 81-45-563-5101
Secretary General, Peace Depot, Tokyo
Text of Letter from Hiroshima and Nagasaki Groups
Foreign Minister
Your Excellency / Dear Minister
We appeal to you as organizations representing Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) and other citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
We have consistently opposed the US-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. We oppose it not only because by allowing an exception for India, which is not a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Agreement will lead to the collapse of the NPT system, but also because we are concerned that it will give countries such as North Korea and Iran an excuse for nuclear weapons development.
Many informed people in Japan, including the Mayors of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are strongly opposed to this Agreement. We have made repeated representations to the Japanese government to oppose the Agreement. We hoped that naturally, as the government of the country that was attacked with nuclear weapons, it would understand.
Unfortunately, despite our requests, the Japanese government's stance has remained vague throughout. There have even been reports that the Japanese government will agree to an exemption for India at the plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in September.
Hibakusha have poured their hearts and souls into the movement for the elimination of nuclear weapons, that never again may the human race be forced to endure the type of tragic suffering that they experienced. And one of the main foundations has been the conviction that only by strengthening the NPT system will a path be opened up for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
We are well aware that your government has long devoted itself to the elimination of nuclear weapons and there would be no greater happiness for us than for your government to heed our fervent plea and oppose the exceptional treatment for India proposed under the US-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.
We beg your forgiveness for our importunate appeal.
