The current situation of Henoko
In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, both governments of Japan and the USA reconfirmed their continued ‘commitment to the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility at Henoko’ in their joint statement issued after the summit meeting on April 16th. We cannot overlook the one-sided way of both governments any more.In Okinawa, people have continuously opposed the new base construction for the last 24 years ever since 1997 when people in Nago-city voted against hosting a new base in the plebiscite. Okinawans have repeatedly expressed their opposition in the prefectural referendum, all-out rallies as well as national, prefectural and local elections. The will of islanders has clearly been ‘No base in Henoko.’ In spite of all these, the LDP-Komeito coalition administration has run rough shod over Okinawans.
We want to stop it in any way possible. We want to stop it now.
This campaign is to stop the base construction in collaboration with progressive and leftist members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and DSA(Democratic Socialists of America), which is the largest socialist organization in the USA and influential among congressional Democratic progressives.
DSA greatly contributed in the election campaign for Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, in the 2020 Presidential Primaries. He currently serves as chair of US Senate Budget Committee. DSA members canvassed in all of the 50 states and got registration of more than ten million electorates. DSA’s membership is said to be approaching ninety-thousand. They are working hard to shift Biden administration’s neoliberalist policies by way of corporation tax increase, measures against climate change, withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. These radical shifts from the previous administration is a sign of the influence gained by the Congressional Progressive Caucus including DSA members.
This campaign is an international project to directly demand, in collaboration with members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and DSA, that the Biden administration abandon the plan to construct a new base in Henoko. We will inform Washington of the inconvenient facts that Tokyo has hidden. We will inform the Biden administration of the existence of super-soft seabed in planned sites, of the serious violations of human rights inflicted on Okinawan people, of the environmental destruction of pristine nature in bio-diverse Ohura Bay, which is designated as one of the Hope Spots, of the need to realign and close the US overseas bases as a measure to tackle global warming, etc. Please endorse this Campaign to Stop Henoko Together with DSA Members! in solidarity with like-minded people from around the globe in order to stop the new base construction in Henoko.
In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, both governments of Japan and the USA reconfirmed their continued ‘commitment to the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility at Henoko’ in their joint statement issued after the summit meeting on April 16th. We cannot overlook the one-sided way of both governments any more.
In Okinawa, people have continuously opposed the new base construction for the last 24 years ever since 1997 when people in Nago-city voted against hosting a new base in the plebiscite. Okinawans have repeatedly expressed their opposition in the prefectural referendum, all-out rallies as well as national, prefectural and local elections. The will of islanders has clearly been ‘No base in Henoko.’ In spite of all these, the LDP-Komeito coalition administration has run rough shod over Okinawans.
We want to stop it in any way possible. We want to stop it now.
This campaign is to stop the base construction in collaboration with progressive and leftist members of Congressional Progressive Caucus and DSA(Democratic Socialists of America), which is the largest socialist organization in the USA and influential among congressional Democratic progressives.
DSA greatly contributed in the election campaign for Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, in the 2020 Presidential Primaries. He currently serves as chair of US Senate Budget Committee. DSA members canvassed in all of the 50 states and got registration of more than ten million electorates. DSA’s membership is said to be approaching ninety-thousand. They are working hard to shift Biden administration’s neoliberalist policies by way of corporation tax increase, measures against climate change, withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. These radical shifts from the previous administration is a sign of the influence gained by the Congressional Progressive Caucus including DSA members.
This campaign is an international project to directly demand, in collaboration with members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and DSA, that the Biden administration abandon the plan to construct a new base in Henoko. We will inform Washington of the inconvenient facts that Tokyo has hidden. We will inform the Biden administration of the existence of super-soft seabed in planned sites, of the serious violations of human rights inflicted on Okinawan people, of the environmental destruction of pristine nature in bio-diverse Ohura Bay, which is designated as one of the Hope Spots, of the need to realign and close the US overseas bases as a measure to tackle global warming, etc. Please endorse this Campaign to Stop Henoko Together with DSA Members! in solidarity with like-minded people from around the globe in order to stop the new base construction in Henoko.
Co-sponsors of this campaign as of July 16 are as follows
Spread the campaign!
About DSA
DSA (Democratic Socialists of America https://www.dsausa.org/) is the largest socialist organization in the USA. Formed in 1982, they have been active in the labor movement, community organizing, and struggles against racism. In the age of global capitalism, they propose democratic socialist agenda to radically solve issues of ever widening economic divide, racism, and war.
In the presidential elections of 2016 and 2020, they actively contributed to the campaign of Bernie Sanders, self-proclaimed democratic socialist, currently serving as chair of Senate Budget Committee. Medicare For All, Green New Deal, College For All, More Tax on the Rich, etc. are their socialist policies, all intending to protect people’s lives and livelihood, forcing the wealthy global capitalists to bear the burden of financial resources.
DSA is gaining support in election campaigns of all levels from federal to state and local cities through canvassing in their communities. In this Corona pandemic, they demand that the government provide healthcare for all, emergency relief package, rent cancellation, and protection of employment and workplace safety.
In 2020 elections, DSA successfully sent its four members to Congress; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamar Bowman (New York), Cori Bush (St. Louis, Miss0uri), and Rashida Tlaib (Detroit, Michigan). In New York State, they have two members in the Senate and three in the House. There are many more in other local city councils.
Congressional DSA members are those who defeated in the Primaries longtime Democratic incumbents who support the vested interest of big corporations and war. DSA has increased its membership from 6000 as of several years ago to almost 90,000 now. Supported by workers and citizens in the USA, DSA is gaining influence that the Democratic Party and the Biden administration cannot overlook.
In July, 2017, ZENKO invited Bill Yates of DSA, International Committee, Asia/Oceania Sub-committee, to the annual convention held in Tokyo, and we discussed our experiences. In August of that year, one member from ZENKO was invited to attend, as an observer, DSA’s biennial convention held in Atlanta, Georgia.
ZHAP (ZENKO Henoko Anti-base Project)
[WEB] http://www.zenko-peace.com/zhap
Contact
zenkoweb@gmail.com
[E-mail] zenkoweb@gmail.com
[TOKYO]
2F 8-8, Senju Sekiya-cho, Adachi-ku, Tokyo, 120-0024
TEL:+81-90-1771-4150
[OSAKA]
3F LAG Center, 1-6-21, Gamou, Joto-ku, Osaka-city, 536-0016
TEL&FAX: +81-06-6931-0277