Iraq law paves way for SDF to participate in military occupation: JCP Shii

At a news conference on June 13 Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo published the following statement in criticism of the new bill on "special measures" concerning Iraq that was submitted on the same day.

The government today submitted to the Diet a bill aimed mainly at sending the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq.

Neither the Iraqi people nor the international community has asked Japan to send the SDF. Nevertheless, the government shows persistence in sending SDF troops to Iraq to have them take part in the military occupation of Iraq by the U.S. and British forces in response to the U.S. Bush administration's request. In fact, the bill's Article 3, Clause 1, Item 2 provides that the main duty of the SDF in Iraq is to support the military occupation by the U.S. and British forces.

In helping Iraq's reconstruction, respect for the wishes of the Iraqi people is most important and the United Nations has an essential role to play.

The United States and Britain, following the lawless war, are moving to establish a long-term military occupation using a new kind of colonialist method. This is very harmful and counterproductive to a true reconstruction of Iraq based on the wishes of its people.

It's highly significant that the new bill, unlike the existing Law on Cooperation with the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) and the Law on Special Measures against Terrorism, is aimed at sending SDF ground troops to combat zones where fighting is taking place, the first Japanese participation in a war zone since the end of WW II.

The Iraqi people are showing strong animosity towards the military occupation by the U.S. and British forces, and combat continues, causing many casualties to the Iraqi people and the occupation forces alike. The bill states that SDF activities will be limited to non-combat zones. In fact, there is no dividing line between combat zones and non-combat zones. To send SDF troops to Iraq under these circumstances will mean that the SDF, along with the U.S. and British forces, may be firing at the people of Iraq or may be fired on by them.

Such a plan as this clearly contravenes the Constitution prohibiting either the use of force or the right of belligerency.

It is also disturbing that the bill's Article 1 expresses the endorsement of the U.S.-British invasion of Iraq as a legitimate war in compliance with U.N. resolutions.

A majority opinion of the international community is that a lawless war remains as such even after a military victory. What is more, possible manipulation of information concerning the allegations of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which the U.S. and Britain cited as the biggest reason for going to war and which the Japanese government cited as the biggest reason for supporting the war, is now under fire internationally. The righteous cause of the Iraq war is being questioned.

The government plan to send the SDF by painting the lawless Iraq war as a legitimate war is to duplicate the mistake.

The JCP demands that the bill on sending the SDF to Iraq be withdrawn. (end)