The Okinawa Outreach blog posted news and an action alert about an escalating situation in Takae in Northern Okinawa. The U.S. military uses the area as a jungle warfare training area and is attempting to expand the base, including construction of a new helipad. The local residents have been blocking construction and holding vigil. The article reports that construction equipment showed up on the scene but was blocked from the site by protesters. They ask for solidarity:
We would like to call for your attention and action to support Takae people.
Here are what you can do:・Check Takae blog (in Japanese) and Okinawa Outreach Facebook Group for update on Helipad construction in Takae.・Spread update on Takae to make the issue known to the world.・Express your objection to the construction of helipads in Takae by writing to the Okinawa Defense Bureau and the Japanese government.– Japan Ministry of Defense infomod@mod.go.jp-Okinawa Defense Bureau Fax: 81-(0)98-921-8168・Send a message of solidarity to info@nohelipadtakae.org. Your words will encourage Takae people to keep on with their struggle to protect Yanbaru forest and their life. You can leave your comment on their blog or send an email to info@nohelipadtakae.org
Here’s an excerpt from the article. There is more background information in the full article:
Save Takae ! Voice your opposition to the resumed US helipad construction !
Photo:Takae People’s Blog, ”What is going on in Takae, Higashi village” On November 15, the Okinawa Defense Bureau (ODB) returned to Takae in the Yanbaru forest to resume the construction of six new helipads for US military for the first time in 8 months.According to Yamashiro Hiroji, a sit-in protester, about 70 people including 30 OBD staff members and 30 security guards showed up around 10:18 am in front of the Gate of N-4 Point with heavy machinery, demanding that the local residents and their supporters make way for them to resume the construction work.
Shortly after arrival of the ODB, about 40 people from various parts of Okinawa came to join the local residents and their supports to stage a larger sit-in protest against the ODB’s move.The stand-off between the two sides became intensified as several construction crew members sneaked into the construction site. With the machinery kept outside the construction site, however, the ODB was unable to do much work.
On November 16 and 17, ignoring the local residents and supporters’ protest and call for dialogue, the ODB again returned to Takae in attempts to resume the construction work with force. They were however kept outside the construction site by the local residents and their supporters and were not able to conduct much work. (Okinawa local TV QAB’s report [in Japanese] on Nov.17 is here).
I am curious why protestors are not “Occupying the White House” and/or “Occupying Congress.” They are part of the problem of militarizing the world at the expense of the people, air, water, land, wildlife, flora, and fauna.
Okinawans are among the most peaceful people on the planet. Let’s do whatever we can to help them retain their traditional lifestyle of farming and fishing. Okinawan houses 75% of all the U.S. bases in Japan. Let the mainland Japanese step up to the plate and take on some responsibility. I am not against the base, per se, just the inequity of using more of Okinawa to house it.