Report on Workshop 2: Prevention of Bringing-in of Nuclear Weapons in Foreign Territories - Expansion of Nuclear Weapons-Free Zones Worldwide
A large number of Japanese and overseas delegates attended workshop 2. Extensive knowledge and deep convictions were shown by the participants.
The major ideas presented were these,
1) Alarm over widespread U.S. missile defense policy and imperialism.
2) Calls for expansion and strengthen of nuclear free zones.
3) Eradication of crimes and environmental pollution caused by U.S
bases in South Korea, Japan and the Philippines.
4) Specific concerns about a Japanese history textbook and the prime
minister's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.
Japanese delegates showed how much they want peace and nuclear free
world. It is clear that they know the pain and misery of war and
nuclear weapons.
Grass-roots peace groups informed the workshop a book about Hibakusha
which they had published and about their efforts to educate the youth.
They
explained how they are promoting youth participation in the peace movement
Japanese delegates have informed us that they have collected signatures
for the
"Appeal from Hiroshima and Nagasaki". Through this workshop we
could understand many kinds of peace movement in Japan.
Overseas delegates, Ms Corazon Fabros from the Philippines pointed out
that U.S. has an intention to expand military facilities in Asia.
Eg: Asking for new
land for bases in Korea, the base construction plan in Nago, Okinawa,
and increased military exercises in the Philippines are all evidence
of this. Hiroshi
Suda also emphasized that the enlargement of U.S bases and facilities
in Asia will be a real threat to the Asian people. We urgently need to
take action to
block these developments.
Environmental accident at US bases is a really serious problem in Okinawa,
South Korea and the Philippines. So all the people recognized that the
SOFA(Status of Forces Agreement) should be
fundamentally revised in all countries which have SOFAs. Lee, Yujin as
a Korean delegate suggested that
environmental guidelines for the foreign bases should be prepared for
the Rio+10 Earth Summit which will be held in Johannesburg in 2002.
The representatives of India and Sri Lanka strongly condemned U.S. imperialism
and Missile defense policy. Mr. Surojit from India suggested an
international based [World Campaign] for a nuclear free world.
And Mr.Hikima also suggested a world conference about a [ Nuclear Free
Zone in
Northeast Asia]
There were plenty of good ideas and suggestions. I apologize for
any omissions. The conclusion of this workshop was that for a nuclear
free peaceful world, we have to fight together.