Commemoration of Hiroshima and Nagaski Bombings
ILPS in Canada led a commemoration of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Friday August 9, at the Seaforth Peace Park in Vancouver. Here are some pictures from the commemoration and the statement prepared by ILPS Commission 4, focused on building an anti-war movement, for this event.
The anti-imperialist alliance known as the International League of People’s Struggles (ILPS) met in Hong Kong from June 23 to 26 where 400 members and guests agreed to mark the anniversaries of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with demonstrations in their areas around the world. The resolution came from decisions and a program of action made by the Commission for just peace against wars of aggression and counterrevolution and against nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.
The Commission’s program included actions at Japan embassies and consulates to demand an apology and compensation for so-called “comfort women” on August 14. As well, it is mobilizing for an international day of action against wars of aggression, militarization, militarism and imperialism on September 21 this year.
Tensions of inter-imperialist rivalries and all the contradictions of a global system in deep crisis are higher than ever before. Military mobilization is increasing while militarist and terrorist ideas and groupings are flourishing and the arms production industries churning while the people everywhere are working to resist and create alternatives to the failing system. Every tactic of imperialism, from cyber attacks to misinformation campaigns, from economic attacks to support for terrorism, from internal interference for regime-change to armed interventions, is being deployed against states that deviate from the imperialist blueprint and movements that resist or pursue the path of independence. The people must rise to the challenge; the whole planet is at stake.
Reviewing history and acknowledging both injustices and victories for just peace is important. In commemorating the large-scale bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that murdered and maimed 100’s of thousands of unarmed civilians, including Koreans and some Americans, we oppose nuclear and other weaponry of mass destruction. More than that, we oppose aggressions past and present of all states trying to take over others, capture markets and societies and dictate to and impose systems on them. In that light, the ILPS and its friends and allies together oppose US, Japanese, Chinese, Canadian, European and other imperialist bodies that are causing much destruction around the world.
Japan occupied and warred against neighbouring countries in the early 20th century. Its government has returned to an aggressive policy that celebrates this past and seeks to restore imperialist Japan. We condemn imperialist Japan’s past and present actions and policies.
We also condemn US imperialist’s past and present military aggression and militarism, from organizing coups and human rights violations against socialism in Latin America, to meddling and arming itself and terrorists against sovereign nations in Eastern Europe and Western Asia (aka “Middle East”). We strongly oppose the alliance between Japan, the US and South Korea and this alliance’s supporters in Canada and Europe in their efforts to deprive and destroy North Korean society. We are against the continuing massive nuclear presence and nuclear power expansion in the region. We applaud the ongoing real efforts to resolve the war and reunify Korea.
We stand firmly against the militarization of the Asian-Pacific region that is already stirring up international conflicts to the point exchanges of fire power, driving retaliatory strategies, disturbing and monopolizing waters and lands important for food and traditional practices, harming women and children, and prolonging wars such as the just guerrilla war against the vicious repressive and greedy government of the Philippines.
Countries such as North Korea and Iran are struggling to survive against threats and sanctions. Nuclear energy development is a necessary component of providing energy to run industries and infrastructure. Nuclear weapons development is seen as a necessary deterrent against the blackmail and threats of states holding thousands of nuclear warheads such as the US and France. Missile testing is seen as necessary for launching communications satellites and preparing for defense. With its advanced and widening nuclear weapons development, Russia is also a nuclear threat and the tensions between the US and Russia these days pose increasing danger.
US imperialist rhetoric, mobilizations and policies cause a ripple effect of violence and militarization, for which it refuses to take responsibility. The monopoly capitalist economy, still today represented by, centralized in and defended by the US, is based on principles of violence against others and it depends on production for war. It is a system that constantly produces violence: labour, gender, economic, family, environmental, cultural and military violence. Now that it is coming apart at the seams, it is even more violence prone.
The people must continue to organize and rise to fight against this inherently violent system in order to achieve just peace. Conflicts cannot be resolved without properly and truly addressing just social, political and land reform demands. Negotiations are always preferred, and every act of legal, civil society must be attempted, but the armed self defense and opposition to repression and military aggression is often called for. The ILPS, while opposing wars of aggression and militarization/ militarism, defends such just struggles for just peace.
ILPS-Canada specifically calls on democratically minded and peace-loving people in Canada to organize and mobilize for just peace. Oppose colonial relations and policies! End the support for and dependency on the arms trade. Demand that Canada stop attacking diplomatic relations with Cuba and Venezuela and stop participating in the sanctions against the DPRK and Venezuela. Canada, get out of Afghanistan, the Middle East and Eastern Europe! Demand that Canada reject NATO.
No more Hiroshimas! Oppose militarization and aggression! Just and lasting peace for the peoples everywhere! Universal nuclear disarmament now!
Dismantle NATO! Hands off Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, Yemen, Iran and North Korea!