IMPHAL, August 6: “Determined never to let the atomic bombing fade (away) from memory, we intend to share with ever more people the desire for a nuclear-weapon-free world”, said a message from the Mayor of Hiroshima Matsui Kazumi who is also the president of the Mayors for Peace to the 68th Hiroshima Day observation here at Imphal.
The 68th Hiroshima Day was observed today at the Manipur Press Club organized by the Indo Japan Friendship Association, Manipur.
“A general conference of Mayors for Peace, whose membership is now over 5,600 cities, was held in Hiroshima this August”, the message said before adding that Hiroshima will soon host a ministerial meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative comprising ten non-nuclear-weapon states, including Japan”.
Special invitee to the observation, Aimu Murakami from Yamagata, Japan spoke on the occasion.
Addressing the function, Aimu Murakami in a short speech said that she was fortunate to attend the observation in Manipur, representing her country and people.
Conveying the message of country and people who have been victims of the Atomic Bombing (Hibakusha), she said that the Japanese “do not want any human being to meet the Hiroshima horror”.
“I heard that, the people of Imphal also met the horrors of the World War II in India. Today is the time of international cooperation and understanding”, she said.
“The whole world is becoming a global village and the sense of one world one family is the need of the hour”, she said, before adding her hope that the function will bring better cooperation between Japan and Manipur for future development.
The Mayor of Hiroshima Matsui Kazumi said in his message, “On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was reduced to ashes by a single atomic bomb. The houses we came home to, our everyday lives, the customs we cherished-all were gone”.
“From newborns to grandmothers, by the end of the year, 140,000 precious lives were taken from Hiroshima”, the message said.
“Our hibakusha experienced the bombing in flesh and blood”.
The message further read, “Then, they had to live with aftereffects and social prejudice. Even so, they soon began telling the world about their experience. Transcending rage and hatred, they revealed the utter inhumanity of nuclear weapons and worked tirelessly to abolish those weapons”.
“We are deeply grateful that you are calling for peace through the 68th
Hiroshima Day Celebration in Imphal and wish it every success”, it continued.
The observation was also attended by Parliamentary Secretary YAS and Toursim, Mairembam Prithiviraj Singh and IMC Chairperson A Nimai Sharma as the chief guest and guest of honour, respectively.