Written by: Alice M. on 4 August 2022
Peace rallies and activities commemorating the US dropping Atom bombs on the cities and people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in 1945 are being held across Australia in all major cities and regions on 5-6 August. (See list below for all Hiroshima activities across the country.)
This year the solemn reminders of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are being held against a background of intensifying global inter-imperialist military conflicts that can quickly escalate to WW3, potentially with the use of nuclear weapons. The imperialist war between US/NATO and Russia, with Ukraine as the US proxy could be overtaken by a potential major war between the US and China in Asia-Pacific. Imperialist wars can spill across the entire world.
The underlying drive towards inter-imperialist war is the decline of US imperialism and China’s global economic rise and expansion which is threatening to replace the US as a major global superpower. The laws of capitalist survival dictate the necessity for imperialism to constantly expand (the rate of profit), leading to fierce competition between imperialist powers to capture, or redivide, and control the world’s resources, markets and spheres of influence.
It’s deceptive to promote fairy tales that imperialist powers can co-exist peacefully and live happily with each other after dividing the world amongst themselves. Capitalism relies for its survival on the ruthless dog-eat-dog competition between imperialist powers. As long as imperialism continues to stride the world, wars of aggression between rival imperialist powers will continue.
In today’s world US imperialism is the most militarily aggressive and belligerent superpower instigating and perpetuating wars. US needs its puppet allies like the successive Australian governments to support and promote US economic, political and military interests around the world.
From the first day of British colonisation of what is now called Australia this country has been a dependent vassel state of first British colonialism, and now US imperialism. Australia’s foreign policies and relationships with other countries have followed and supported almost all British and US imperialist interests and wars. At the behest of the British ruling class the Australian government delivered young Australian lives to WW1, and after WW2, to the US wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. And now the US is preparing Australia as a staging platform for an imperialist war with China. It will have devastating consequences for the people and the environment in Australia and the region.
The recently elected Australian Labor government’s foreign and military policies are indistinguishable from those of the US. By grovelling at the feet of US war mongers, Richard Marles, Australia’s Deputy PM and Defence Minister, confirmed that the new Labor government will continue the servile relationship with US imperialism as its obedient “deputy sheriff”.
The AUKUS (Australia, UK, US) military pact and nuclear-powered submarines announced in September 2021 will integrate Australia even deeper into the US military industrial complex and its war machine. The sole purpose of AUKUS and nuclear-powered submarines is to consolidate and strengthen US war plans against China. Very little public information and details on AUKUS are available, but it has been described as a version of NATO in Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific. Recently some NATO members’ warships (British, France, Denmark) traversed the disputed South China Sea waters.
Against this background Hiroshima-Nagasaki rallies across the country this year are more urgent as the calls are made for Peace, No More Hiroshimas, No AUKUS and an independent Australian foreign policy. There’s more urgent calls to build the people’s united front for peace, abolition of nuclear weapons and against imperialist wars.
Hiroshima Day rallies across the country – Mobilise to stop imperialist wars
Across the country a movement is growing demanding No More Hiroshimas, No Nuclear Submarines, No AUKUS, No nuclear industry, No War with China and for the Australian government to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Included in the demands are No Nuclear Waste Dumps, and after the recent announcement of the reopening of a fourth uranium mine – No Uranium Mining. The last two demands are particularly relevant to Australian First Peoples who are the traditional owners of the lands on which these two activities are set to take place.
For decades Hiroshima Day commemorations have been held across Australia. From the late 1950s every year thousands of people rallied on 6 August calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and wars of aggression. On Hiroshima Day peace groups, workers and unions took to the streets, gathered in public forums calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons and imperialist wars. In some cities the peace movement came together on a “Long March” lasting 2-3 days.
Calls to end U.S. imperialist aggression and imperialist wars were always raised at these peace rallies, protests and long marches.
Public campaigns against wars of aggression, for an independent Australian foreign policy and ending the US-Australia alliance are growing and spreading.
An anti-imperialist independent and socialist Australia will guarantee genuine and lasting independence and peaceful foreign policy.
Mobilise for Peace!
No to AUKUS!
No nuclear submarines!
$170 billion for urgent needs of the people and the environment, Not Nuclear Submarines and US war!
No Nuclear waste dump!
For an independent and peaceful Australian Foreign Policy
Oppose imperialist war!
Commemorating Hiroshima and Nagasaki - National Peace Rallies
Adelaide - South Australia
Friday 5 August
12.30 pm
Beehive Cnr (Rundle Mall & King Williams st)
No More Hiroshimas, No Nuclear submarines, No First Use of nuclear weapons, No Nuclear Industry, Sign Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty
Information and contacts: https://www.facebook.com/events/433389905384662
nonuclearsubssa@protonmail.com
Mparntwe Alice Springs – Northern Territory
Saturday 6 August
8 am – 9 am
Uniting Church Lawns https://goo.gl/maps/YpD599c9CHw7zTZ5A
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembrance Vigil: Never Again! (Minute’s silence at 8.45 am)
Information and contact: aspatt2016@gmail.com.au
6pm – 9pm
3rd Yami Lester Memorial Address: ‘Half-lives and half-truths: The nuclear industry in Australia’
Witchetty’s (Araluen Arts Centre)
Information and RSVP: mcifali@bigpond.com or 0450 474 043
Brisbane - Queensland
Saturday 6 August
11am
Assembling: Reddacliff Place, 266 George Street Brisbane, (outside the Casino)
“Remembrance Day. Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Never Again!"
"No Nuclear Subs in Brisbane!”
Information and contact: noaukusqld@gmail.com
Canberra – ACT
Saturday 6 August
11 am
Rotary Peace Bell
Nara Park
Hiroshima Remembrance
(This is not a No War No AUKUS ACT event)
To contact No War No AUKUS ACT – nowarnoaukusact@gmail.com
Hobart – Tasmania
Saturday 6 August
11am – 12 pm
Parliament Lawns, Hobart
Melbourne/NAARM - Victoria
Saturday 6 August
12.30 pm
State Library, Swanston street
No More Hiroshimas, No Nuclear Submarines, No AUKUS, Free Julian Assange
Followed by march to Trades Hall to join cultural event Singing for Hiroshima Day.
Information and contacts: https://fb.me/e/2F3C3AKZb noaukusvic@gmail.com;
Newcastle - NSW
Saturday 6 August
11 am
Peace Park, Tighes Hill Reserve, Maitland Rd, Islington
Commemorating Hiroshima and Nagasaki – No to nuclear submarines in Newcastle Port, Say No to AUKUS Pact
Information and contact: hunterpeacegroup.2016@gmail.com
Perth - WA
Saturday 6 August
11 am
Forrest Place, Perth
Rally for Julian Assange and Hiroshima – Never Again
Information and contact https://www.facebook.com/events/464850568804753?; stopaukuswa@gmail.com
Sydney - NSW
Saturday 6 August
2 pm
Sydney Town Hall Square
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Never Again
https://www.facebook.com/events/762548164944884/?ref=newsfeed
Wollongong - NSW
Saturday 7.30 am
Crown St Mall
Hiroshima Day Commemoration
Information and Contact: https://www.facebook.com/WollongongAgainstWarandNukes; wollongongagainstwarandnukes@gmail.com
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