Representatives from soil source sites for land reclamation assert solidarity with Okinawa opposing Henoko construction
On May 27 at the Okinawa City Civic Center, participants from outside Okinawa shout ganbaro (let's do our best) three times to reassert solidarity between Okinawa and the rest of Japan, asserting their resolve against allowing the new base in Henoko to be built.
May 28, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo
The nationwide liaison council Opposition to Soil Hauling, which is comprised of 18 organizations from 12 prefectures containing sites from which soil is being harvested for land reclamation use in Henoko, held a prefectural rally on May 27 at the Okinawa City Civic Center protesting land reclamation work and the building of a new base in the ocean.
Okinawa and the prefectures from which soil is being harvested have come together and adopted a resolution requesting that soil not be transported for land reclamation in Henoko.
As it seems that the government may be dumping in July, the rally drew the participation of 220 people from both within and outside of Okinawa.
Representatives of eight organizations from places where soil is being harvested (including Kagawa, Kagoshima, Yamaguchi, and Kumamoto) took the podium and reported on their efforts against soil hauling.
One speaker reaffirmed opposition to the new base with the words: “I will not let even one grain of sand from my hometown be used for war.”
On behalf of Okinawa, on May 29 the liaison council will call for cooperation from the prefectures in which soil is being harvested.
An advisor to the liaison council, Ichiro Yuasa, pointed out the risk of invasive species being brought from outside Okinawa and destroying Okinawa’s natural ecosystem.
He called for advancement of the movement with keywords such as “biodiversity,” and “non-military.”
Executive committee member Riki Moromi of the National Federation of Dockworkers Unions of Japan also took the podium and said, “From the standpoint of laborers who work in the harbors, it is unacceptable to be expected to do soil transportation work for base construction in Henoko.”
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
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