'저는 그들의 땅을 지키기 위하여 싸웠던 인디안들의 이야기를 기억합니다. 백인들이 그들의 신성한 숲에 도로를 만들기 위하여 나무들을 잘랐습니다. 매일밤 인디안들이 나가서 백인들이 만든 그 길을 해체하면 그 다음 날 백인들이 와서 도로를 다시 짓곤 했습니다. 한동안 그 것이 반복되었습니다. 그러던 어느날, 숲에서 가장 큰 나무가 백인들이 일할 동안 그들 머리 위로 떨어져 말과 마차들을 파괴하고 그들 중 몇몇을 죽였습니다. 그러자 백인들은 떠났고 결코 다시 오지 않았습니다….' (브루스 개그논)





For any updates on the struggle against the Jeju naval base, please go to savejejunow.org and facebook no naval base on Jeju. The facebook provides latest updates.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Text Fwd: Okinawa: a grassroots voice

* Text thanks to J.D. on Jan. 13, 2011

From Yoshio Shimoji on Jan. 13, 2011


VOICE OF OKINAWA
Criticizing Japan-US foreign-ministerial meeting
Yoshio Shimoji

At the meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Washington, both agreed to accelerate and strengthen the bilateral alliance to pave the way for Prime Minister Naoto Kan's visit to the United States later this spring. During the talks, Clinton never failed to remind Maehara that the strengthening of the alliance also meant the relocation of Futenma's function to Henoko ("Japan, U.S. to start mapping new goals," The Japan Times: January 8). Why, in the world, does the U.S. persist in demanding Futenma's relocation to Henoko, stomping our appeal for its all-out removal from Okinawa?

The U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma sits on the private lands which were encroached upon with impunity by the U.S occupation army during and after World War II in blatant violation of the Hague Convention, Article 46 of which clearly states that "(f)amily honour and rights, the lives of persons, and private property, as well as religious convictions and practice, must be respected. Private property cannot be confiscated." The U.S. army thus requisitioned the land by violent means, completely disregarding the international convention. This cannot be allowed by any moral principles, either.

Secretary Clinton must be well aware of this and think that, if Futenma's function were to be moved to Henoko in northern Okinawa, the U.S. would be exonerated from not only the violation of the Hague Convention but also an offense against humanity. When dirty money is transacted from one bank to another to conceal its illegal source, we call it "money laundering." Futenma's relocation to Henoko is exactly like money laundering or, should I say, "base laundering." Washington's aim is thus to conceal the shameful history of the base and maintain the status quo of military function of all the bases on Okinawa, Futenma included, indefinitely, making Okinawa's northern area a new military complex complete with airfields, helipads for Osprays, combat training areas and port facilities. Remember also that expenses for this "realignment" project of the Pentagon are entirely borne by the cash-strapped Tokyo government, namely, us Japanese taxpayers. What stupidity! What absurdity!

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