JCP in Diet demands government urge U.S. to end mopping-up operations in Fallujah
"If the government really regards the situation in Fallujah as serious, it must request the U.S. government to immediately halt military operations on the city," said Japanese Communist Party representative Koizumi Chikashi at the House of Councilors Iraq and contingency bills special committee meeting on April 15.
Referring to Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's statement made the previous day in the one-on-one talks with JCP Chair Shii Kazuo that he regards the situation in Fallujah as indeed serious, the JCP lawmaker demanded that the government review its attitude toward U.S. military operations in Iraq.
"The government must face up to the reality of Fallujah, where the U.S. forces with F-15 fighters have killed more than 600 citizens while surrounding the city with 2,500 U.S. personnel, JCP Koizumi said.
Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Yoriko just answered that the U.S. forces have been maintaining a cease-fire since April 11.
Quoting coalition forces' commander Ricardo Sanchez statement confirming the killing of non-combatants in the city, JCP Koizumi stressed that it is highly possible that these U.S. actions violate the Geneva Convention banning attacks on non-combatants and non-military facilities.
Kawaguchi, however, said that the U.S., a signatory party to the convention, is abiding by the international law.
On the plan of additional troop dispatches to Iraq announced by the U.S. president, JCP Koizumi stressed that the decision will only help inrease the vicious cycle of violence. "Such reinforcement will only reproduce more reckless actions in Iraq. The Japanese government must request the U.S. Bush administration to immediately cancel its plan and halt its military occupation," said the JCP lawmaker. (end)
