Friday, June 27, 2014

Celebrities and ex-SDF member take part in protests against the use of collective self defense right




As the closing of the Diet session on June 22 was approaching and the Abe administration was increasing the pressure on ruling parties to approve the cabinet decision on the interpretation of the constitution that will allow the use of the right to collective self-defense, protests were staged by civic organizations day after day. In the evening of June 9, some 350 citizens gathered in front of the prime minister's office to conduct an urgent action.  “We will never allow Japan to wage wars!” “Block the constitutional revision by interpretation!” The chanting voices reflected protesters' desperate feelings.  Among the speakers of the rally that day, there was a man who used to serve in the ground Self Defense Force as a ranger.  “When I joined the SDF, I signed a pledge spelling out the readiness to risk my life upon direct and indirect invasions to Japan.  It is a breach of contract to have SDF members take part in military operations by and for the United States. It would be too cruel to SDF members if the constitutional framework were changed just by interpretation and decision by a single administration and we were sent to the front. I tell you, prime minister Abe, that you must go through a due consultation process with the people when you decide on such a crucial issue,” he remarked angrily. The Anti-War Committee of 1000 submitted to the Diet a petition signed by 1.75 million people opposing the approval of the use of right to collective self-defense in the afternoon of June 12 and held a rally in a park in central Tokyo later the day.  Actor SUGAWARA Bunta, 80, made a speech in the rally in front of 3,000 participants that filled the open air theater in the park. “Wars violently deprive people of their lives. Being drafted in his 40s, my father spent six years in military. Though he survived, the rest of his life was devastated. His younger brother went missing in the front. Not even a string of his hair came home. We must prevent wars. If they started a war, we must oppose even at risk of our lives.” Though he talked calmly and slowly, the audience felt his anger. The participants of the rally marched to the Diet afterwards and staged protests in front of the prime minister's office and the Diet building. Nobel laureate OE Kenzaburo, auther and activist OCHIAI Keiko, auther SAWACHI Hisae,  psychiatrist KAYAMA Rika, and journalist and activist KAMATA Satoshi were among the protesters. (By M)
「契約違反!自衛隊員はたまらない」~元レンジャー隊員が官邸前で訴え

6 月22日の会期末を前 に「集団的自衛権容認・閣議決定」へ突っ走る安倍政権に対して、9日夜、約350人の市民が官邸前で怒りの緊急行動を行った。「戦争する国絶対反対!」 「解釈改憲許すな!」コールの声も必死だった。リレートークで元陸上自衛隊レンジャー隊員がマイクを握った。「私は、日本への直接・間接侵略に対して命を かけて国を守ると誓約書にサインして自衛隊に入った。アメリカの都合で他国の軍事行動に参加するのは契約違反だ。日本が本当に戦争する国に舵を切るかどう かを、一政権ごときの“憲法解釈”で決められたら、自衛隊員はたまらない。安倍総理! 決めるならきちんと国民の審判をあおぐべきだ」。元レンジャー 隊員の怒りの眼が官邸に注がれた。(М)  
動画(YouTube 4分)
菅原文太さん「命がけで戦争反対を!」~6.12全国署名提出集会

「戦 争は暴力。父は40過ぎで 戦争にとられ、6年後に帰ってきたがその後の人生を棒に振った。父の弟は戦地に行ったまま消息不明になり髪の毛1本戻ってこなかった。戦争は絶対やめな きゃダメです。もし始まったら、みなさん命をかけて反対しましょう」。今年80歳の菅原文太さんは6月12日の「戦争をさせない全国署名提出集会」(日比 谷野 音)で、3千人の聴衆を前に怒りをこめて訥々と訴えた。この日午後、「戦争をさせない1000人委員会」は「集団的自衛権」行使容認に反対する175万筆 の署名を国会に提出した。集会に集まった人たちは、その後徒歩で国会に向かい、首相官邸・国会に向かって抗議の声を上げた。大江健三郎・落合恵子・澤地久 枝・香山リカ・鎌田慧の各氏も参加した。(М)
 動画(菅原文太さんの訴え 7分)

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