World without Wars remembers the attacks on Atocha Station and expresses concern for the nuclear power stations in Japan

The World without Wars World Coordination Team today remembered the victims of the terrorist attacks of the 11th of March 2004 and denounced all forms of violent action and social injustice in the world with a visit to Atocha Station in Madrid. Seven years after the terrible loss of life on the Spanish rail system the Coordination Team from 11 countries took time from their meetings to visit Atocha Station and the memorial erected to honour the victims with messages of peace.

Early in the morning came the shocking news from Japan of an earthquake of 8.9 on the Richter scale, immediately followed by the frightening realisation that a number of Japanese nuclear power plants were affected by power cuts and at risk of nuclear reactor melt-down.

Referring to the terrible anniversary, Tony Robinson, International Spokesperson said, “What happened in Madrid is unforgivable and should never be forgotten, we utterly condemn all violent acts whatever the supposed justification but we need reconciliation: a reconciliation between all peoples of all cultures and all religions. We reject the interpretation of those who portray this terrorist act as an act of religious fundamentalists. The real problem at the root of this is a global system of injustice which leads people to take extreme positions. A world where people have access to social justice does not create terrorists. And terrorism will never be resolved with bombs, by occupying foreign territories and by spending ever-increasing sums of money on weapons systems.”

On the subject of the Japanese earthquake he added, “The forces of nature are shocking and terrifying and bring home the need to live life to the full every day. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families and we hope that the people of Japan recover as quickly as possible. At the same time we express our deep concern for this absurd need by the Japanese government to continue depending on nuclear energy when it is aware of the precarious nature of its geology and has all the possibilities to develop renewable energy sources.”