Commemoration in honour of the victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear attacks in 1945

Statement Raymond Becker
Friddens- a Solidaritéitsplattform
Ville d’Echternach 6.8.2024 (Trifolion)

Excellency Mr Ambassador of Japan,
Dear Mayoress of the town Echternach,
Value Deputies,
Dear President of the association of Luxembourg cities and municipalities (SYVICOL),
Dear representatives of the Mayors for Peace municipalities,

Distinguished guests,

It is truly not easy these days to stand up for diplomacy, dialogue, disarmament or multilateralism. In times of war in Europe, a powder keg in the middle east and countless bloody wars or conflicts worldwide, the signs are pointing to armament.
Since Russia’s war in Ukraine, which violated international law, our European security architecture built up after the second world war, has collapsed.

The Doomsday Clock, often shortened to Nuclear War Clock, is a symbolic clock from the prestigious magazine “Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists”. It is intended to emphasise to the public how great the current risk of a global catastrophe is, due to a nuclear war and/or a climate catastrophe.

The clock currently stands at 90 seconds to midnight. By comparison, in 1990, at the end of the so-called Cold War, the clock stood at 10 minutes to midnight.

It will be the task of all peace-minded people to work for a future-orientated, peaceful life despite all the uncertainties. We urgently need hope instead of hate, bellicosity and antagonism.

All kinds of weapons are abhorrent because they are used to kill. With nuclear weapons, the killing effect is much higher. It can wipe out the entire human race.
It therefore remains important to campaign for the abolition of nuclear bombs worldwide.

Distinguished guests,

The Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres was right when he said at a recent conference: “Humanity is on a razor’s edge. The risk of using a nuclear weapon has reached heights not seen since the Cold War. States are engaged in a qualitative arms race. Nuclear blackmail has resurfaced, with some recklessly threatening nuclear catastrophe. Meanwhile, the regime designed to prevent the use, testing and proliferation of nuclear weapons is weakening. Disarmament is now imperative. All countries must act, but the nuclear-weapon states must lead the way.”
The President of the Mayors for Peace Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima, expressed a few days ago his profound concern that with the current international circumstances, the perception of nuclear weapons has drastically shifted from weapons that must never be used, to weapons that can be used under certain conditions. An inhuman, fatal development.

Let’s be clear. Nuclear weapons pose an existential threat to humanity. In any conflict, their use of even a fraction of current nuclear arsenals would inflict long-term damage on the environment, to socio-economic and sustainable development, the global economy, food security and the health of current and future generations.

Distinguished guests,

We must act, now!

There are well thought-out proposals for disarmament, including the complete abolition of all nuclear weapons.

On 22 January 2021, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), the most important instrument of international humanitarian law, entered into force. This treaty is in no way in contrast to other nuclear disarmament efforts.
Around two-thirds of all countries worldwide support this United Nations Treaty. The nuclear states and their partners are currently vehemently opposed to this treaty.
Nevertheless, a first step towards dialogue within the framework of this treaty, could be an observer role in the annual follow-up conferences. Luxembourg, like other countries, should participate as an observer in this process.

But there is another path to nuclear disarmament if the political will exists.
The follow-up conference to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty will take place in exactly two years‘ time. In this treaty from 1970, the nuclear weapons states committed themselves to nuclear disarmament. So far, this promise has not really materialised.
They failed to move towards disarmament or to meet their key commitments mentioned in this treaty, and they spend tens of billions of dollars every year to modernise, upgrade and expand their deadly nuclear arsenals, as if they intended to keep their nuclear weapons indefinitely.

If the world community is serious about getting away from these murderous weapons, clear signals must be set at this conference in two years‘ time.

Disarmament is not some utopian dream. The two mentioned disarmament treaties are very clear. Just quoting them in soapbox speeches doesn’t get anyone anywhere. Politicians must take concrete action.

Nuclear disarmament is the only pathway to a safer and more secure world for all.

Distinguished guests,

We can’t repeat often enough: We sorely need diplomacy during a time when the world is embroiled in devastating armed conflicts, an erosion of multilateralism and the rule of law, a renewed nuclear arms race, increased risks and specific threats to use nuclear weapons.

It is still important to stand with the Hibakusha, the bomb affected people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to keep alive the memory of what happened 79 years ago, and the lessons humanity must learn, if we are to secure a more peaceful tomorrow.

Either we abolish nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons abolish us. It should be easy to decide which way to go.

All Mayors for Peace municipalities in Luxembourg must realise that their membership in this international association is more than just the signature of a mayor. Concrete initiatives for a necessary culture of togetherness, a culture of peace, can also be launched at local level.

Member of the International Movement Mayors for Peace and supporting the ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) Cities Appeal on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, many thanks from the Friddens- a Solidaritéitsplattform to the town of Echternach, for organising this dignified commemoration ceremony.

Imagine all the people
Livin’ life in peace

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

John Lennon in his song Imagine.

Distinguished guests we must fight for this.