A reminder that we humans can't control everything

This week marked the 67th anniversary of the world’s first nuclear attack. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, which virtually wiped out the city and killed more than 140,000 people. Three days later, a second one was dropped on Nagasaki and killed thousands more, prompting Japan to surrender to the Allies.

The result of the destructive force has been evident. Yet the world is still far from peace, with battles raging in many regions. The threat of nuclear weapons prevails. 

Looking back, the massive destruction caused by the atomic bombs should serve as a reminder, most obviously that innocent civilians have always been the victims of conflicts. 

Earlier this week tens of thousands of people gathered in Hiroshima’s Peace Park, the “ground zero” where the atomic bomb detonated that summer day in 1945, to attend a memorial service for those who were killed and otherwise suffered. Survivors continue to tell this tragic tale. A period of silence was a tribute to the ordinary Japanese who fell victim to the catastrophic attack. 

Innocent people have always become the tools of people in power. The surviving residents of Hiroshima had no idea that a single bomb would change their lives forever. We have seen the result of the event. The survivors who are still alive, whose average age is 78, can easily recall the most horrific moment in their lives.

The memorial gathering this week reminds us of the human inability to solve conflict through civil means. Hiroshima’s eternal flame should symbolise the global effort for peace, even though we continue to see many countries failing to solve differences through diplomatic channels and cooperation. 

The memorial serves to tell future generations that the lessons of Hiroshima are not forgotten. 

The anniversary also comes as some countries discuss the pros and cons of nuclear power. A few weeks ago protesters rallied in Japan against the government’s decision to reactivate idle nuclear plants. Such facilities generate power, but the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant after the tsunami on March 11 last year raises questions over human ability to prevent catastrophe. The Fukushima nuclear disaster shows how easily the forces of nature can destroy mankind’s greatest innovations.

Thais are also pondering this question. After Fukushima the Thai government delayed its first nuclear power-plant project by three years, to 2023, in response to mounting concern about the country’s readiness to utilise nuclear power.

The fallout from nuclear accidents can go beyond borders and affect the global environment. Countries should thus strive to develop diverse sources of power that are safe, not least to ensure that later generations will not have to clean up the mess of the present generation.

There is no question about the human ability to innovate. But there are still many questions about our ability to cope with the consequences of accidents and disasters and to mitigate against any future effects that might result from natural catastrophe or human negligence.

The atomic bomb attacks meant that the world would never be the same again. After the mushroom cloud dissipated, the consequences proved to be beyond anyone’s ability to comprehend. The powerful images of the massive destruction caused by nuclear weapons are still imprinted in the minds of the surviving few.