No peace for hibakush
Japan, 6 and 9 August 1945, the United States launched an atomic bomb causing tens of thousands of deaths in Hiroshima and Nagasaki; although there are no precise figures, the most cautious estimates indicate that at least 210,000 people died at the end of that year. But in addition to the dead, there were also many who managed to survive. Today there are about 140,000 left and in Japanese they are called hibakusha, literally “the person affected by the atomic bomb.” They've decided to award them the Nobel Peace Prize 2024.
Those who received a direct impact from the bombs suffered burns and wounds that were permanently marked on the body and face. Radiation caused many of those who initially appeared to be injured to suffer serious symptoms as well. Cancer cases began to reproduce later… And to the physical consequences we have to add psychological influence: some escaped from the two cities and would not return in their entire lives; others cannot walk around rivers or in bridges by the memory of bodies floating in the water; and there are also some who do not consume food because they are reminded of the smell of burned bodies.
Today there are about 140,000 left and in Japanese they are called hibakusha, literally “the person affected by the atomic bomb.” Nobel Peace Prize 2024 will be awarded to the winners
In addition to the traumas and fears, many felt guilty that they had survived and that they had not covered those who asked for help. Keiko Ogura was then an eight-year-old girl. “After the explosion, two very serious people came to me to ask me for water. I gave them water and they both died in front of me. I thought I killed them for a long time.”
As if that were not enough, they were also rejected by society. Yasiari Yamashita was six years old. “People thought we had a contagious disease. They thought they had to rule out us, they couldn’t marry us or be our friends.” As soon as work began, he began to suffer the effects of radiation and, due to the importance of work in Japanese culture, “I was told that I was weak, lazy, that I did not want to work.” For women, the situation was even more complicated, since at that time their main objective was to marry. According to Keiko Ogura: “We couldn’t say we were in the city that day. If we were talking about radiation, we couldn't get married." They had survivor certificates that allowed them access to health care and government aid. But “they told us not to teach us the certificate.”
A few hibakushas started to organize themselves and, over time, they were going to be prominent activists against nuclear weapons. But fear, guilt and marginalization condemned the majority to remain silent for almost 80 years.
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