 SDF Iraq dispatch must end now: 3,000 people rally Chanting, "Stop massacre at Fallujah! Stop sending the SDF to Iraq", about 3,000 citizens held a rally on November 30 at the Hibiya open air hall in Tokyo. The Koizumi Cabinet is virtually to extend the term of the Self-Defense Forces dispatch to Iraq for another year after the current law expires on December 14. The cabinet will decide to extend the dispatch without Diet approval after the current session of the Diet closes on December 3. Kumagai Kanemichi, National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) president, spoke on behalf of the rally organizers. Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo in his speech quoted a BBC report on the U.S. Fallujah strike as saying that over 6,000 citizens may have been killed. He denounced the U.S. forces for their dual war crimes in carrying out a war of aggression and acting in violation of international humanitarian laws. Referring to Japanese Permanent Representative to the U.N. Haraguchi Koichi stating at a U.N. open meeting to the effect that attacks against unarmed citizens must be brought to justice under international law, Shii said: "Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro in the Diet stated that the U.S. military action in Fallujah was a success. This is unacceptable," Shii said. "If the government keeps on dispatching the SDF to Iraq, Japan will be condemned by the Iraqi people as their enemy or accomplice in the war of aggression and war crimes. The danger is that SDF personnel will kill or will be killed in Iraq in violation of the U.N. Charter and the Japanese Constitution." Citing the Netherlands' decision to withdraw its forces from Iraq, the JCP chair demanded that the SDF be withdrawn from Iraq without delay. (end) |