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CND in the News
CND in the News: 18-24 August 2005
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1 Vigil for victims of first atom bombs
18 August 2005
http://www.hastingstoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=479&ArticleID=1118418
HASTINGS peace campaigners ensured the 60th anniversary of the atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not go unmarked in Hastings.
Hastings Against War staged a vigil on Saturday to remember the hundreds
of thousands killed after the bombings. The tragic events of 60 years
ago, when more than 200,000 people died after U.S. pilots dropped nuclear
bombs on the Japanese cities in August 1945, were remembered by folding
paper cranes.
The birds are traditionally a sign of good fortune and have become a symbol
of peace popularised by Japanese children of the post atomic generation
in their plea for "no more Hiroshimas".
Members of the public, young and old, stopped at the Campaign
for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) table in the town centre and in
Alexandra Park to help make up the 700 cranes which will go to the Peace
Pagoda in London for the Nagasaki Day commemoration on 9th August, and
then on to the Peace Park in Hiroshima.
The Mayor of Hastings, Pam Brown, joined the evening gathering in the
Park, to light paper lanterns and float them on the boating lake in the
same remembrance ceremony as the people of Hiroshima hold.
John Enefer of Hastings Against War said: "The best way to commemorate
60 years since the atomic bombings would be if Britain and other nuclear
states make steps to disarm.
"Far from doing this, the UK government is planning for a new generation
of weapons and has even said it is prepared to use nuclear weapons against
a non-nuclear state, and in a first strike capacity."
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2 Edinburgh set to sign up to anti-nuclear move
Scotsman, Thu 18 Aug 2005
http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1804412005
CITY leaders are set to sign up to an international peace campaign calling
for the abolition of nuclear weapons. They are considering joining the
Mayors for Peace Network, an anti-war movement, which has the support
of 812 cities in 110 countries. The campaign aims to see as many mayors
or civic leaders as possible signing up to bring an end to world poverty
and prevent human rights abuses. Now Edinburgh City Council is set to
become the third local authority in Scotland to join the scheme.
It is also hoped that the move will boost the partnership civic leaders
have set up with Glasgow City Council, which has already signed up to
the movement, along with Shetland Islands Council.
City council chief executive Tom Aitchison has recommended that the local
authority becomes a member of the peace network. He said: "While
almost 30 UK councils are members of Mayors for Peace, Glasgow and Shetland
Islands councils are the only Scottish members at present. Against the
backdrop of growing Glasgow/Edinburgh co-operation, it may be appropriate
for this council to become a full member of the network."
Peace campaigners and environment organisations today welcomed the move.
Duncan McLaren, chief executive of Edinburgh-based Friends of the Earth
Scotland, urged council bosses to follow Glasgow's lead and sign up to
the worldwide charter. He said: "The Mayors for Peace Network is
a justifiable and constructive initiative for the council to be involved
with. I think it's entirely appropriate that on the 60th anniversary of
the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki that the city puts its name
to this. "It would be cities like Edinburgh that would be affected
if there was any type of nuclear incident, be it an accident or otherwise,
so it's important for the city to have its say. The network is clearly
designed for local authorities to get involved and it would be good to
see Edinburgh follow Glasgow on this one."
Mayors For Peace was created by the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in
1982 at the second United Nations session on disarmament. The network
seeks to build solidarity and co-operation among cities to raise awareness
of the campaign to abolish nuclear weapons. "We think it would be
an excellent idea if Edinburgh got involved in this scheme," said
Phill Jones of the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
"There is a growing number of councils across the UK who
are keen to affiliate to this cause because they realise the impact that
nuclear weapons have on every community. Decisions on Britain's nuclear
future are being taken right now and people need to get involved."
The city leaders will decide on Monday whether or not to sign up to the
campaign. Lord Provost Lesley Hinds refused to comment on the bid in advance
of next week's meeting.
She had planned to attend a Mayors for Peace Network conference in Hiroshima
last week but the £1350 trip was cancelled after council bosses
discovered they would not need to attend before joining the campaign.
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