By 'Alopi Latukefu

With the current set of conflicts plaguing the world and flood of stories in the 24-hour news cycle - there is a risk of a significant anniversary being drowned out. Eighty years ago this week, the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were engulfed in fire and devastation. In split seconds, tens of thousands of lives were lost, with generations traumatised and impacted by radiation sickness and grief.  

While seen at the time as the final victory by the USA and its allies over the axis powers, and in later historic and strategic analysis as a deterrence signal to the rising Soviet threat by the US as a pre-emptive strike in what was to become a nearly half century ‘Cold War’, the use of atomic bombs on civilian populations has never occurred again as a result of the world’s collective revulsion of the carnage inflicted, and realisation of the destructive force of these weapons of mass destruction.   In today’s conflict driven world where every second week there seems to be a threat of tactical nuclear war from one or other leader of a nuclear armed state, we are at risk of forgetting the devastation such action would bring. 

As we mark this solemn anniversary, we must do more than remember. We must be willing to reconcile and act in the interest of peace and the remembrance of the innocent – the first victims of the nuclear age -- they must never be forgotten as a nothing less than a profound rupture of our shared humanity.  

Hiroshima and Nagasaki are a reminder of the disproportionate suffering borne by civilians, especially women, children, and the elderly. At a time where nearly three decades of conflict in the middle east (including the current Israel-Gaza conflict) and the current war in Ukraine has flooded the world with daily news stories, images and social media posts of atrocities, genocide and human rights abuses – are we being numbed to the human cost  of war?   

Who bears the cost of war? Whose lives are deemed expendable in the calculus of power? And how do we ensure that such violence is never repeated? 

The legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is not confined to history or annual commemorations. It is a living legacy that lingers in the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) and their descendants. It is a legacy that continues to haunt our global conscience and has driven activist and global government efforts to avoid nuclear proliferation and the associated nuclear test bans in the Pacific. It has been a driver of movements for peace, justice, and dignity for generations. Yet are we at risk of a new generation forgetting the lessons of the past? How easily have we slid into the nuclear race as a country with our involvement in AUKUS and its associated build out.  

As someone committed to social justice and advocacy leadership, I believe our remembrance of today must not just be in solemnity but also in action. We must challenge the current status quo and the assumed strategic reasoning that normalises such acts of violence and use of weapons of mass destruction while silencing dissent in the interests of great power competition, containment, allyship and national security.  At the same time, we must amplify the voices of those who have lived through war, displacement and the aftermath of events including those of decades past such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is the presence of justice. It is the recognition of our shared humanity, the protection of our planet, and the commitment to dialogue over domination. In the Pacific, we speak of Talanoa—a process of inclusive, respectful conversation - a conflict resolution mechanism stemming from the great intra and inter-regional conflicts of the past.  An opportunity exists to bring these traditional approaches and others from across the world to our efforts and global discourse on peace. 

Eighty years on, the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must not fade. It must continue to be a catalyst for peace and conflict resolution, efforts to limit weapons of mass destruction, and commitment to never repeat such acts of wanton annihilation.  

So, on this solemn day of remembrance of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki let us not just remember, lets reckon and act. 

Things you can do: 

• Inform yourself on what has been done by your government to stem the proliferation of nuclear weapons and their use in war. 

• Consider involving yourself in a Talanoa process with others to build consensus and agree of what can be done collectively in the interest of peace. 

• Write to your local members, the Prime Minister, Defence and Foreign Ministers to remind them of the importance of nuclear disarmament and their role in influencing national and international debate and decisions on such matters. 

• Get involved in local and national community efforts such as ICAN Australia (icanw.org.au)