STONEWALK JAPAN 2005 Nagasaki to Hiroshima, Japan July 2nd to August 4th, 2005 On the 60th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

On August 6, 1945, the city of Hiroshima was the target of the first atomic bomb used against civil population in history. Three days later, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb over the city of Nagasaki. In total, about one quarter of a million people were killed by the two bombs. Today, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the country of Japan are strongly engaged in banning nuclear weapons and their testing worldwide.

Stonewalk Japan 2005 marks the 60th anniversary of the thousands killed by the atomic bombs, with a peace walk from Nagasaki July 2nd, to Hiroshima, August 4th.

STATEMENT of ATONEMENT

DEAR RESPECTED HIBAKUSHA,

We Americans apologize for the cruelty of the atomic atrocities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

We are grieving and feel great remorse and great shame because of your unending and innocent suffering, caused by the diabolical atomic bombs.

We are deeply thankful to all Hibakusha for the ceaseless efforts you have made for 60 years to plead for peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons. We are here to unite our hearts and our lives with you in solidarity with your witness to the world.

WE BELIEVE

The death planes Enola Gay and Bock's Car committed unprecedented War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. History must record the atomic bombings as the greatest double deed of intentional civilian massacre and atrocity ever perpetrated as acts of war in all of human history.

The further development of thermonuclear weapons, a thousand times greater in murderous death and destruction, followed by a world-encircling proliferation of nuclear weapons, has brought the human family face to face with the end of history.

For the light of hope to be born, amidst the present darkness o f nuclear escalation and proliferation, these most colossal sins against Humanity and against Creation must be confessed and repented.

Human survival depends upon the abolition of nuclear weapons and the abolition of war, following the heroic moral example of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.

We denounce as inhuman and criminal the current U.S. policies of nuclear threats and preemptive wars.

During these days of sorrow of the 60th Anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, praying for all victims of the atomic bombs, we remember and we repent. We apologize. We are deeply sorry. We know our feelings are shared by most of the peace movement in America and around the world.

We are grateful for the apology of the government of Japan for the attack on Pearl Harbor and the aggression of World War II. We recognize this as the first courageous step towards reconciliation and a disarmed world. We American citizens ask that the government of the United States also apologize, so that the evil of Nuclear Holocaust can be confessed and repented, leading humanity to true reconciliation.