“I Can Die Happy Once We Get Rid of US Bases” ～ The Courageous Granny Fumiko

“I continue living because American won.” “I can die happy once we get rid of US bases.” “If we get rid of bases in Okinawa, we’ll get rid of all bases in Japan.” These are some quotes from SHIMABUKURO Fumiko, an Okinawan anti-base activist widely known as “Granny Fumiko.” On the evening of August 17^th, five hundred people attended the event “People Welcome Granny Fumiko to Unite in Solidarity with Okinawa” at the auditorium of the Upper House Members’ office building in Tokyo. With MIKAMI Chie, director of the film “Targeted Island Kaji Kataka,” as moderator, the 88 year-old Granny Fumiko spoke to an auditorium overflowing with people during her first-ever visit to Tokyo (the alternate venue also reached capacity.) While the talk only lasted for 30 minutes, it was rich in content. With an anger against the Abe government that seemed to fill every inch of her body, Granny Fumiko delivered a powerful message, telling us that we must avoid war at all costs. After the talk, demonstrations took place in front of the Prime Minister’s Official Residence. Granny Fumiko, who arrived in a wheelchair, called to Abe with all her might. “Mr. Abe, I am Shimabukuro Fumiko, the one who wrote you,” she said. “You say you want to create a ‘beautiful Japan,’ but you’re trying to create a country capable of waging war.” In that moment, Granny Fumiko was so courageous, so gallant that I found myself shouting, “I will do my best too!” (KASAHARA Mayumi)
Youtube

 ＊Photo ＝SHIMABUKURO Fumiko in front of the Prime Minister’s Official Residence

「基地がなくなれば 天国に行ける」～カッコよかった“文子おばぁ”

文子おばぁ語録。「アメリカが勝ったから、私は生きている」「基地がなくなれば、天国に行ける」「沖縄に基地がなくなれば、日本中になくなる」。8月17日夕方、参議院会館講堂で「島袋文子おばぁを迎え沖縄に連帯する市民の集い」が開かれ500人が集まった。映画『標的の島 風かたか』の監督三上智恵さんが聞き手だった。会場の講堂はあふれ、別会場も満杯になる中で、初めて上京した島袋文子おばぁ（88歳）のお話を聞いた。たった30分だったが、内容は濃かったし、全身で安倍政権に対する怒りをほとばしらせ、戦争はしてはならないというメッセージを私たちに送ってくれた。講演後は官邸前の抗議行動。車椅子で官邸前に現れた島袋文子おばぁは、渾身の力を込めてアベに呼びかけた。「安倍さん、安倍さんに手紙を託した島袋文子です」。続けて「あなたは美しい日本をつくると言っているけれど、戦争のできる国をつくろうとしているじゃあないですか」と。あまりにカッコよく、力強い文子おばぁ。思わず「私も頑張る」と叫んでいた。（笠原眞弓）
動画（59分）　＊写真＝官邸前の島袋文子さん

“Remove the obstacles” – Voice of Okinawa recorded

“The people in the mainland Japan have done and said the same thing repeatedly. Then, they say sorry while stepping on our feet. But before saying sorry, remove their feet”.
“Okinawa has still been in the state of war for 71 years since the end of World War II. We have no words to express our grief. This is not a natural disaster but a man-made disaster”.
“Remove the military bases that are the root of all evils. This is a road to happiness not only for Okinawa but for the mainland Japan. Japan is not a sovereign state yet”.
“The biggest problem is the indifference of the Japanese people”.
A video in which these comments are recorded has been uploaded by MIYUKI Emi, a LaborNet Japan member. She conducted the interviews at the “Okinawan people’s rally to commemorate the rape victim (by a former US marine) and demand the withdrawal of the US marines from Okinawa”, which was held on June 19, 2016. Miyuki says, “I would like as many people as possible to think about US base issues and war through these interviews”. (Editorial Department)  Video (8 minutes and 18 seconds)

「踏みつけている足をどかしてほしい」～沖縄の生の声を収録

「何回も同じことをして、何回も同じことを言ってきた。そのたびに本土は沖縄 の足を踏みながら、すいませんという。でもすいませんという前に、踏みつけて いる足をどかしてほしい」「71年経っても沖縄では戦争状態が続いている。言葉 にならない悔しさ。これは天災ではなく人災です」「諸悪の根源の基地をなくす こと。それは沖縄だけでなく本土も幸せになる道。日本はまだ主権国家ではな い」「日本人の無関心、それが一番の問題だ」。こうした沖縄の人たちの生の声 を収録した動画がアップロードされた。収録したのは、レイバーネット会員の見 雪恵美さんで、6月19日の「被害者を追悼し、海兵隊の撤退を求める県民大会」 でインタビューしたもの。見雪さんは「このインタビュー動画を通して多くの 方々に、基地や戦争について考えてほしい」と語っている。（編集部）  動画（8分18秒）

Lying down in protest against forcible construction of US base at Henoko

On October 29, 2015, the Japanese Government restarted the construction of a new US military base at Henoko, Nago City in Okinawa as it had declared. However, what it actually did was to clean up demolished military barracks, and the remains in the premise are yet to be investigated and it is impossible to start the main construction work. The government and Japan’s major corporate media say that the main work has started, so as to discourage the people’s protest. Protestors against the construction of the US base are very energetic. On this day, large construction vehicles arrived there earlier than usual before 7 am. Approximately 50 protestors fiercely confronted 150 riot policemen and 22 US military policemen. Three protestors lied down in front of the vehicles, risking their lives. The riot police were surprisingly violent. They applied strong force to my chest as if they tried to break my ribs. The confrontation continued until after 9 am, and six protestors were arrested simply because their hands slightly touched the riot police when they were violently pushed by the police. This arrest is totally unjustified. Five of them were released soon after our protest, but the remaining one is still detained at the local police station. In the afternoon, YAMASHIRO Hiroji, the leader of our protest action, joined us. (SATO Shigemi)

大型車両の前に捨て身で寝ころぶ！～辺野古の工事強行を許さない

10月29日、日本政府は宣言通り辺野古新基地建設に伴う工事を再開した。しかしその実態は兵舎解体の後片付けで、遺跡調査も手付かずで本体工事に入れる状態ではない。政府・マスコミは「本体 工事着工」と宣伝し 県民の反対意志を萎えさせようとしている。辺野古ゲート前の座り込み闘争は元気いっぱい。いつもより早く朝６時５０分頃から工事車両がやってきた。機動隊１５０ 人、軍警２２名、座り込み約５０名が激しい攻防。大型車両の前に捨て身で寝ころぶ人３名。「あぶない！ひかれる」。機動隊の暴力凄い。あばらが折れんばかりの強い力で拳で胸押す。私は今でも胸が痛い。くそ！攻防は９時過ぎまで続いた。この攻防で６名が持って行かれる。機動隊の暴力で倒れかかり手が触れただけで逮捕。許せない。５人が我々の返せの抗議行動の結果、釈放。しかし１名は名護警察署に拘留状態。午後、山城博治さんが現れる。大きな歓声がわく。（佐藤茂美）