Families affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster, one year ago in Japan, went today to the United Nations to ask the international community “not to forget” the tragedy and to halt the proliferation of nuclear energy.

 “I have been thinking how come the adults don’t ask if this could happen to their countries”, said Kaisei Fukagawa, 7, who abandoned his homeland “without being able to say goodbye to his schoolmates.”

　 “When I grow, I wanna be a doctor, be a responsible adult and protect the kids and Earth,” said the kid who, since March 11 2011, only sees his father, who remained in Fukushima, once a month.

 Kazuko Ito, general secretary of “Human Rights Now”, a humanitarian Japanese organization, has been traveling frequently to Fukushima, until last November, and affirms that the population in that region has still facing a crisis.

 　”The more urgent needs are medical treatments and non-contaminated food, and also moving some people away,” said the leader, who went to NY to accompany the Fukushima families.

　In which regards the UN, these people are fighting for a standard resolution, on the level of the General Assembly, for victims protection, in case of nuclear accidents.

 　For now, this NGO and other organizations are trying to gather support from missions of countries with UN representation, in order to compose a resolution project to be submitted to voting. “For now, nobody is composing the text, we still need to advocate,” said Kazuko Ito.

 　A first victory for the group was the recent confirmation of the visit to the region, by UN Rights to Health special relator, Mr. Anand Grover, scheduled to November. “We need a very strong international pressure. Public opinion is very important to move him and make sure he makes a good report,” said Ito.

　The same pressure, she says, can be exerted by people anywhere in the world, be it with their local politicians or UN delegates, to “talk on Fukushima or nuclear matters.”

 　Until the weekend, the group will meet with representatives of some countries to which the Japanese government is on the process of selling nuclear reactors, such as Vietnam and Jordan.
 Around 20 thousand people died or disappeared in Fukushima tragedy. After the accident in the nuclear reactor, the highest level of radioactive emmissions was reported (7 in INES scale), contaminating the whole region, posing increased health risks for the millions that live there.

 　Yuri Tomitsuka, 10, told about his experience of feeling the earthquake in the school, the way back home – located at 58 km away from the nuclear power plant – and the family meeting, where they decided to go to her mother’s family in Yokohama. “Today I cannot see my father many times, but I liked that we were moved out because I could have been very sick.”

　Yoshiko Fukagawa, Yuri’s mother, described Fukushima as “a beautiful place”, with “all kinds of cherry trees, some with more than 1000 years,” mountains, flowers and traditional festivals; where “severe winters” are spent “skiing or in rotenburo.” Today, the scenary is quite different and “much of those that barely survived the earthquake are now exposed to radiation and anxiety,” said her. “I heard that people outside Japan saw us calmly and helpfully after the earthquake. Those who today look after us warmly, please, do not forget us.”