I CANNOT STAND IT ! GIVE US BACK THE PEACEFUL ISLAND
Sugako Nakamura, an 18-year old girl student at Futenma High School,
Okinawa, Japan
[A speech presented at the 85,000 people's rally on Oct.21, 1995 in
Ginowan City, Okinawa denouncing the U.S. military servicemen for
raping a girl and demanding the revision of the Status of Forces
Agreement between Japan and the United States]
I am disgusted with the burring of helicopters !
I am just an ordinary high school student. You cannot expect big words
from me. I'll just speak out what I think.
When I first heard of the incident, my heart was filled with a feeling that I
could not get along. What is this at all ? I could not understand it.
Could such a thing happen ?
After this tragedy was widely broadcasted, protest meetings were held at
Futenma Elementary School on September 26th, and at Futenma High
School on October 5th. The high school students paid much attention to it,
many of us joined the meeting or watched what was going on.
While talking with my friends about this tragedy, a question rose in my
mind: O.K. I understand the anger against the U.S. servicemen, but should
we still stand in protest even by sacrificing the victim girl's heart ?
What would happen to her privacy ? This question still remains in me.
But now it is a fact that the tragedy was revealed to the public by the
courageous determination of the girl herself and her family, giving rise
to a big turn of the history. We are no way allowed to waste her torture and
her mind. I thought that by speaking out here, something might change,
which might mitigate her torture. That is why I am standing here now.
When you trace back the history of the crimes committed by U.S.
servicemen, you'll certainly be surprised at the abundance of brutal
crimes. They are committing crimes even after 50 years from the end of
the war.
Can you stand such a situation ? Why has the Mainland Japan
neglected these crimes ? I do not understand. I really feel anger to hear
that the U.S. servicemen who had actually committed crimes were sometimes
not punished in due course. Once I heard that an accused who should be
in custody in U.S. military base had actually escaped back to mainland
United States.
Considering such things, I think it is quite natural that Okinawan people
stood up now against the Status of Forces Agreement between Japan and U.S.
In addition, I think that all the U.S. military personnel, that is "people
within the fence", should share the responsibility for reproducing such
persons inferior to beasts. Offenses have been repeated one after another
since the U.S. bases have stationed in Okinawa. We want to be freed from
the torture caused by the presence of bases, because Okinawa is ours, not
of anyone else.
I was a student at Futenma Middle School, which was very close to the
base. Futenma Elementary School is separated from the base only by a
fence. Seven elementary schools, four middle schools, one nursery school
and two colleges are located around the base. I feel uneasy whenever I hear
the news of crash accidents of a bomber or a helicopter. From my house I can
see helicopters landing to the runway. It looks as if they were diving
into town. The aircrafts fly so close to the ground that you can read the
alphabets written on the fuselage, they make a big noise, and they
sometimes actually dive to the ground. We are studying in such an
environment.
Until now, I have accepted the presence of the bases as something
inescapable. But now we, the young generation, are reconsidering about the
presence of the bases. One day at my school, a student, who usually did
not talk about such things, surprised us by unexpectedly speaking out what
he thought. This happening made it clear that he or she had born with an
antagonistic feeling against the bases, in spite that none had
spoken out.
Today, the student council at Futenma High School printed free bus
tickets, distributed them to all students, and called for joining this
rally saying "Let's go together ! Let's think !" I heard that the
students of Urasoe High School did the same. And now, many high school and
university students have gathered here. The younger generation has
started thinking about this problem.
Now that this intolerable tragedy happened, Okinawa is appealing the
problem to all over Japan. We should never give up. If we give up now, it
will certainly result in another tragedy.
I refuse to continue a life under the threat, accidents, and perils
brought about by the U.S. military base and servicemen. I refuse to let my
future children live like this. Please stop sacrificing us, students, children
and women. I hate war. So I hate having tools to kill people around us. I think
it is most important that each of us young people, high school students, university
students, speak out what one really hates, and put it into action.
Please let us, the young generation, start the new Okinawa.
Please change Okinawa to a peaceful island in its true meaning.
We will take action step by step toward this goal.
Please give us back the quiet Okinawa.
Please give us back the peaceful island, without military bases, without
tragedy.
Thank you.
[ Translated by S. Mitsumoto from "Ryukyu Shimpo" with permissions of
Ryukyu Shimpo News Paper,Co. Ltd. and Futenma High School
For questions etc, please contact S. Mitsumoto (mitumoto@nies.go.jp) ]