May 2, 2005

May Day, New York City
Peoples Together Say: No War! U.S. Must Disarm Now!


May Day, New York City

Peoples Together Say: No War!
U.S. Must Disarm Now!

A delegation of more than 1000 people from Japan and thousands of Americans together marched on the United Nations, demanding: No Nukes! No Wars! Keep Dangerous Weapons Out of U.S. Hands! Youth, seniors, peace and environmental activists and war veterans and healthcare workers from both countries stood together to demand the U.S. eliminate nuclear weapons and end the war in Iraq and that the UN act to bring about the elimination of all nuclear weapons. The march gave vibrant expression to the internationalist spirit of May Day. as peoples stood together as one against war and aggression and shared their experience of struggle and resistance.

The action was organized to coincide with the opening of the UN review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The Treaty, brought into force in 1970, is reviewed every five years by the U.N. This year representatives of 189 countries are participating in the month-long conference. While the U.S. is attempting to utilize the conference to target Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) the world’s people are taking their stand that it is the U.S. that threatens the world with nuclear war and must disarm now. This was evident in the many banners demanding disarmament as well as signs opposing war against Iran and the DPRK.

The Japanese brought a large and diverse delegation to the actions. These included youth groups, trade unionists, women's organizations, survivors and many others. A seniors group who every year organizes an international Senior Cultural Festival “to develop cooperation” and ensure that there is “not a repeat of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the earth” broadly distributed their material. So too did Japanese healthcare workers and professionals who joined with a large delegation from 1199SEIU healthcare workers from New York.

The leaflets from a wide variety of Japanese groups also made clear that the people of Japan are taking a firm stand against Japan becoming a military power. Their materials denounced the current effort, pushed by the U.S., to change the Japanese Constitution. The current content was achieved as part of the victory over fascism and enacted to ensure that Japanese militarism, which slaughtered millions during World War II in China and throughout Asia, would never rise again. Article nine of the Constitution states:

“Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes.

“In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.” A large movement in Japan that is supported by the peoples worldwide is opposing efforts to eliminate or change the article.

The delegation also widely handed out gifts of bookmarkers, paper kites, and paper cranes — the symbol of the anti-nuclear war movement internationally — to protesters and those on the streets as an expression of the unity felt by all.

After a brief rally at the UN, protesters marched through the streets of New York for two hours, with spirited chanting, bands and numerous flags flying. Demonstrators then rallied in Central Park, with numerous speakers, songs and skits representing the broad stand against U.S. aggression and war. Demonstrators then organized to form a human peace symbol, expressing their determination to together work to end all imperialist war and aggression and win nuclear disarmament.

 


Voice of Revolution
Publication of the U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization
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