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   From: jonez@norcom.ca   
      
   "- Prof. Jonez©" wrote:   
   > "- Prof. Jonez©" wrote:   
   > > "- Prof. Jonez©" wrote:   
   > > > "- Prof. Jonez©" wrote:   
   > > > > "- Prof. Jonez©" wrote:   
   > > > > > A moment of silence for A-bomb victims   
   > > > > > Hiroshima recalls day 60 years ago that changed face of war   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) -- For a brief moment, the trolleys   
   > > > > > stopped and the city fell silent. Then, with offerings of   
   > > > > > water and flowers for the dead, Hiroshima remembered how a   
   > > > > > flash in the early morning sky 60 years ago turned life to death for   
   > > > > > more   
   > > > > > than 140,000 and forever changed the face of war.   
   > > > > > Marking the 60th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb   
   > > > > > attack, more than 55,000 people gathered Saturday in Peace   
   > > > > > Memorial Park, a sprawling, tree-covered expanse that for one   
   > > > > > day each year becomes the spiritual epicenter of the global   
   > > > > > anti-nuclear movement. The ceremony was an austere one.   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > A moment of silence was observed at 8:15 a.m., the instant of   
   > > > > > the blast. After a flock of doves was released into the sky,   
   > > > > > wreaths and ladles of water -- symbolizing the suffering of   
   > > > > > those who died in the atomic inferno -- were offered at the simple,   
   > > > > > arch-shaped stone monument at the center of the park.   
   > > > > > Outside the nearby A-Bomb Dome, one of the few buildings left   
   > > > > > standing after the blast, peace activists held a die-in.   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > In a "Peace Declaration," Hiroshima's outspoken Mayor   
   > > > > > Tadatoshi Akiba gave an impassioned plea for all nuclear powers to   
   > > > > > abandon their deadly arsenals. He said the United States, Russia and   
   > > > > > other members of the nuclear club are "jeopardizing human   
   > > > > > survival." "Many people around the world have succumbed to   
   > > > > > the feeling that   
   > > > > > there is nothing we can do," Akiba said. "Within the United   
   > > > > > Nations, nuclear club members use their veto power to override   
   > > > > > the global majority and pursue their selfish objectives."   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > In a more subdued speech, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi   
   > > > > > offered his condolences to the dead.   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > "I offer deep prayers from my heart to those who were killed,"   
   > > > > > he said, vowing that Japan would be a leader in the   
   > > > > > international movement against nuclear proliferation.   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > Though Hiroshima has risen from the rubble to become a   
   > > > > > thriving city of 3 million people, most of whom were born after the   
   > > > > > war, the anniversary underscores its ongoing tragedy.   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > Officials estimate that at least 140,000 people were killed   
   > > > > > instantly or died within a few months after the Enola Gay   
   > > > > > dropped its deadly payload over the city, which then had a   
   > > > > > population of about 340,000. Three days later, another U.S.   
   > > > > > B-29 bomber, Bock's Car, dropped a   
   > > > > > plutonium bomb on the city of Nagasaki, killing about 80,000   
   > > > > > people. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, 1945, bringing World War   
   > > > > > II to a close. The true toll on Hiroshima is hard to gauge,   
   > > > > > however. Including those initially listed as missing or who   
   > > > > > died in the years since from a loosely defined set of   
   > > > > > bomb-related ailments, including cancers, Hiroshima officials   
   > > > > > now put the total number of the dead in this city alone at 242,437.   
   > > > > > This year, 5,373 more names were added to the list.   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > "For the people of Hiroshima, this is a day of prayer," said   
   > > > > > Takaomi Tahara, who lost several relatives, including his   
   > > > > > grandfather, in the bombing. To this day, he said, the remains   
   > > > > > of his dead kin   
   > > > > > have not been found. "For us, there isn't any closure."   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > Along with being a time to remember those who died,   
   > > > > > Hiroshima's anniversary has become the focus of the   
   > > > > > international peace movement. In the biggest pre-anniversary event,   
   > > > > > about 8,000   
   > > > > > people, including   
   > > > > > several hundred activists from 30 countries, attended the   
   > > > > > annual World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, which was   
   > > > > > to conclude later Saturday.   
   > > > > > The organizers of the conference, mainly leftist and labor   
   > > > > > groups, have collected more than 8.5 million signatures   
   > > > > > calling for a global nuclear ban.   
   > > > > > Several hundred Koreans also held their own memorial.   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > An estimated 20,000 Koreans, many of whom were forced to come   
   > > > > > to Japan as laborers, are believed to have died in the bombing.   
   > > > > > Korea was a Japanese colony from 1910 until Japan's surrender   
   > > > > > in 1945. "The suffering of our people has never been acknowledged   
   > > > > > enough," said Kim Bong-seon, who helped organize the   
   > > > > > memorial. "It was a tragedy for all, not just the Japanese."   
   > > > > >   
   > > > > > Hiroshima's normally quiet peace park, meanwhile, has been   
   > > > > > transformed into a stage for smaller gatherings spanning the   
   > > > > > ideological spectrum, from folk singers to Buddhist monks   
   > > > > > beating drums.   
   > > > > > On the eve of the anniversary, fundamentalist Christians held   
   > > > > > a prayer circle while members of the International Communist   
   > > > > > League handed out leaflets nearby.   
   > > > > > Some simply came on their own, offering a purely personal   
   > > > > > message. "Our goal is to apologize to those who suffered and   
   > > > > > are still suffering the horrible, unspeakable atrocity of the   
   > > > > > atomic bomb," said John Schuchardt, who came to Hiroshima with his   
   > > > > > wife from Ipswich, Massachusetts.   
   > > > > > Schuchardt, who said he also intends to visit Nagasaki, added   
   > > > > > that he was on a nine-day fast.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)