We visited Okinawa with some other members of '9 jou no kai' (Movement to protect Article 9)on January 31. We have been very concerned about Okinawa especially since last year. We can't let the matter with Okinawa pass without a protest. Peace of Japan and our
future are deeply related to Okinawa. So we wanted to watch Okinawa with our own eyes and to know what we can do. We have a good guide who lives in Okinawa and keeps acting about the matter of the U.S. army bases and protecting nature. His name is Mr. Kim and he was once in Saku.First, we went to the southern part of the island. It was the battlefield sixty-five years ago. Many people tried to flee from the attack of the U.S. army and strayed and died there. About 230000 people including American soldiers and Korean people were killed in the battle. We visited the stone monuments on which all the names of them were curved. They were rows and rows of the stones with names....
On the second day, we went to the places from where we could see the U.S. bases well. The bases are huge and surrounded with fences with signs that is saying,"No entry without permission. If you do, you will be punished by the Japanese law." What!!? About 20 percent of the land of Okinawa is occupied as the U.S.bases. Do you know it's not only land, but also sky and sea! Why does a nation have a right to occupy another independent nation and expel citizens? I can't understand.
The third day was the most important day. We went to the northern area of the island, where is the rich forest with many rare species. The U.S. army is using the area as training places with many facilities such as helicopters pads. They want more heli pad near a small village called Takae, and so the government of Japan is making it. The villagers who want safe and quiet life and want to save the forest have been against the plan for some years. But the village is small and far from the big cities, and little media have informed the matter. Since this January the Defense Bureau has sent many people to force the constructions work. On the other hand, the government brought the villagers to a trial for 'disturbing traffic'!!! When we visit there, the people who were protesting looked cheerful, but sitting down and protesting more than two years can't be easy or fun. When I check their blog these days, it often says, "They are coming. Come and help us." "A big construction machine is moving inside the fence."
The situation is the same at Henoko, Nago City, whose beautiful sea is going to be a new army base of the U.S. The people of the city said "No" through the votes twice (election for the mayor and the members of the city assembly). They had to accept the bases in exchange for money from the government. But
now they realized that they can't be happy or safe with army bases. The U.S. has demanded the new and empowered base, and the governments of Japan, that can't say "No" to America, is kicking its own people out and obey its boss. We, Japanese people are already paying 500,000,000en a day for the U.S. bases, and of course, we are going to pay all the money to make the new base. Why do we have to pay from our tax money? If you like wars, please make army bases in your own country, and train your soldiers with your money.We also met some people and talked with them. A eighty-two-year-old woman who was burned with a flamethrower during the war said, "And so, I hate everything related wars. I can't accept the army bases, where people learn how to kill."
Yes, we have learned that armed forces can't make peace. Look at Iraq. Look at Israel. Whose benefit was it? Someone must get money. Someone must get power. We are just citizens. Wars bring us no benefit, let’s stop supporting wars. And so, we don't need any army bases. It's time to find another way to make peace, I think.
Forgive me I'm too excited. I'm dreaming the day when all the people can live in peace and all the children feel no fear. I hope we can share the dream. Thank you for reading my long essay.
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