Hiroshima Day

["Alois Reisenbichler - Stadtteilzentrum Simmering" <verin.stadtteilz.simmering at chello.at>]

Dear friends,

The Viennese Peace Movement and the Hiroshima Group Vienna will again
organise the annual manifestation in commemoration of the victims of the
first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 August in Vienna, St.
Stephan's Square. This year we will celebrate the 61st anniversary of the
atomic raid of the two Japanese Cities.

The lesson from Hiroshima and Nagasaki is of greater relevance than ever: a
world free from nuclear weapons and war. But despite the continuing protest
of millions of people worldwide, war is waged in Afghanistan, in Iraq, the
Middle East as well as the threat of war is posed on countries like Iran and
others. People in all the war afflicted regions are severely suffering. On
the other hand, research and development of new and above all employable
nuclear weapons (mini-nukes, as described in the recent US military
doctrine) are continuing. The nuclear arsenals of the so called new nuclear
weapons states like India and Pakistan are threatening the world to the same
extent as the stockpiles of the "old" ones or the "non-declared". Treaties
of arms-control or disarmament (e.g. the NPT) nowadays are at stake.

We must speak out clearly: There is no alternative to the abolition of all
nuclear weapons. Prominent and well-known voices all over the world are
alerting public opinion to the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs,
"dirty bombs") by terrorists but also to the threat of resuming nuclear
testing by the nuclear powers and the threat of first-use of nuclear
weapons, laid down in doctrines like that of the pre-emptive strike.

Therefore, our common endeavour for a world without nuclear weapons and
without war is more needed than ever before. For this very reasons, we are
kindly asking you to send us your MESSAGE OF SUPPORT for this important
event on 6th of August (Hiroshima-Day). We expect your kind message not
later than the end of July.

All the incoming messages will be collected at our webpage
http://www.hiroshima.at and presented publicly in the manifestation in
Vienna.

Your kind message is a very valuable help in our common effort: a world
without nuclear weapons and without war.

Yours sincerely,

Andreas Pecha
Alois Reisenbichler
Voluntary members of the Peacebureau Vienna