Hiroshima

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Laurie: In Hiroshima we are staying at an International Youth Hotel (cause we are still young at heart) which was great as it was on 8th floor with a great view over the city and it had a private bathroom and shower. I hadn’t realised how much I missed that. This is the first place since India that we had a private bathroom. What luxury. It also has broadband internet in the room for free. So we can catch up on blogging and life.

Going to the Peace Park and Memorial was deeply disturbing as you might expect. There were thousands of people there everyday. Especially Japanese school students. Most of it I knew but what I wasn’t sure about was whether it was justified. I now believe that it was completely unjustified.
1) it was done during the day
2) there was no warning given
3) the US said it was a military base
4) it could have been exploded in a country area
5) the US wanted to see the effects on people
But then it was not the only atrocity of the war.

Jasmine: The Children's Monument was very moving. While we were there, several school groups came, had a moment's silence and delivered their cranes. The Monument was built by Sudoka's classmates after she died from leukemia due to the effect of the bomb in Hiroshima. She had tried to make 1000 orgami cranes when she was sick as there is a old Japanese story that this will save the person who is ill. She had made 634 by the time she died.

The Peace Museum was full-on. It did state what role Japan had in colonising Korea and invading China. Also it discussed the role of Hiroshima in terms of support for the military 5th Division. It also highlights what action is being taken now -- the Mayors for Peace program has more than 2000 Mayors involved to emphasis the danger to residents in cities.... and to keep global attention on the importance of not repeating this sort of attack. I have since talked to the Secretariat of the Mayors for Peace -- do you want any information? I want to encourage our Mayor of the BM to join the program but would need to promise some tangible support.

I have attended Hiroshima Day marches but feel a sense of urgency now with Pakistan and Inida have nuclear weapons. ... Oh I don't know what else to say. It was very sad, all war including those fought with the most basic of conventional weapons are sad and essential to avoid.

Kym is not saying much but is strongly affected.

The students in the photo were doing a peace education program and gave us a card with a peace message of "Stop Discrimination". It was encouraging to see their enthusiasm and zest for the possiblity of change. It was good for me to meet them.

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