Castro says world needs to learn more about A-bomb victims
Sep. 24, 2010
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro said in talks with a victim of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Tuesday that the voices of the survivors of the nuclear disaster should be heard more by the world.
Castro told members of Peaceboat, a Japanese nongovernmental organization, and other Japanese visitors that he wants to cooperate with people like them who are aware of the risks humankind is taking so as not to repeat the use of nuclear weapons.
The comment was made when the former Cuban leader made an appearance at a rally attended by some 700 Japanese visitors including one A-bomb victim, called hibakusha.
The Japanese visitors are on an overseas voyage organized by Peaceboat.
At the rally, Junko Watanabe, a 67-year-old woman who resides in Sao Paulo, Brazil, told Castro about the black rain she was exposed in Hiroshima at a location 18 kilometers from ground zero.
''I hope we will continue to be the last people who must suffer for long years (from a nuclear attack),'' she said, describing how she was exposed to radioactive black raindrops that fell after the bombing.
Castro asked her how long it took before the black rain started to fall after the detonation of the A-bomb above the western Japanese city.
He also said that the rally will be broadcast on Cuban state television and talked about his visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in 2003.
The rally lasted for two and a half hours, far exceeding the scheduled time.
(Distributed by Sept. 22, 2010)
Castro told members of Peaceboat, a Japanese nongovernmental organization, and other Japanese visitors that he wants to cooperate with people like them who are aware of the risks humankind is taking so as not to repeat the use of nuclear weapons.
The comment was made when the former Cuban leader made an appearance at a rally attended by some 700 Japanese visitors including one A-bomb victim, called hibakusha.
The Japanese visitors are on an overseas voyage organized by Peaceboat.
At the rally, Junko Watanabe, a 67-year-old woman who resides in Sao Paulo, Brazil, told Castro about the black rain she was exposed in Hiroshima at a location 18 kilometers from ground zero.
''I hope we will continue to be the last people who must suffer for long years (from a nuclear attack),'' she said, describing how she was exposed to radioactive black raindrops that fell after the bombing.
Castro asked her how long it took before the black rain started to fall after the detonation of the A-bomb above the western Japanese city.
He also said that the rally will be broadcast on Cuban state television and talked about his visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in 2003.
The rally lasted for two and a half hours, far exceeding the scheduled time.
(Distributed by Sept. 22, 2010)
