The Anti-Media – by Sarah Lazare, Common Dreams
Elders were dragged away by riot police on Thursday after linking arms, lying on the ground, and blocking vehicles in a bid to physically prevent the construction of a widely-opposed U.S. military base in the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan.
Hundreds joined in the demonstration in front of Camp Schwab with the aim of stopping vehicles from transporting materials to build the American installation. “Don’t lend a hand in the construction of the military base!” the crowd chanted.
“Don’t the people of Okinawa have sovereignty?” 70-year-old Katsuhiro Yoshida, an Okinawa prefectural assembly member, told Japanese paper The Asahi Shimbun. “This reminds me of the scenes of rioting against the U.S. military before Okinawa was returned to Japan (in 1972). Now we are facing off against our own government. It is so contemptible.”
Okinawa is home to over half of the 50,000 U.S. military service members in Japan, and over two-thirds of U.S. military bases in the country.
For nearly 20 years, the U.S. has sought to transfer the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Okinawa base from the city of Ginowan to the Henoko district of Nago, further to the north.
This plan is overwhelmingly opposed by the people of Okinawa and has been met with protests by tens of thousands of residents, who warn of the hazards of proximity to the U.S. military presence, including sexual assaults by service members, violence, and the environmental threat to the area’s ecosystems.
Okinawa governor Takeshi Onaga, elected on an anti-base pledge, two weeks ago revoked the permit for the U.S. military installation. But Japan’s land ministry announced this week that it is overriding Onaga’s blockage and permitting the defense ministry to resume work on the controversial base.
“The fact that they forcibly executed this construction, there is nothing but anger,” Takashi Kishimoto from the Okinawa Peace Movement Center told NBC News. “We are outraged at these political tactics which ignore will of the people.”
The Okinawa protests follow nationwide mass mobilizations against the militarization of Japanese society, including the recent passage of a series of widely unpopular that would allow the country’s soldiers to participate in the foreign wars of the United States and other allies.
http://theantimedia.org/riot-police-attack-senior-citizens-protesting-us-military-base-construction/
They’re reporting about this happening in Japan so Americans think their own country is civilized and “democratic” by comparison, but the cops here beat the crap out of elderly people all the time, and ALL protestors are routinely gassed, beaten, and the concerns of the people are ALWAYS ignored.
But there are millions of TV-brainwashed idiots in this country who still believe they can “take to the streets in protest” if things get bad. People don’t know that their rights have been removed because very few people actually exercise them.
When I saw the headline, my first thought was that this WAS happening in the US. American pigs have zero qualms about abusing the elderly.
Brilliant!!!
Let’s build a base where the highest possible concentration of radiation in the world is!
If you’re referring to Fukushima, take note that Okinawa is farther to the south-west, closest to Taiwan. been stationed there for 3 years, great place to be and you can’t get lost.
Like I posted.. from old farmers wisdom.
Don’t fk with old people…
Because if they know they can’t fight you.
THEY WILL JUST KILL YOU!
that’s me Flee.
Is 51 too old to fight or should i use both barrels?
Hi Wade. both barrels. then pull out your hand tools and finish the job. I’m 71. have been kicked in the teeth all my life. I don’t think anymore. i just react.
Carry on brother.
I’m hitting 55 next June… I’m going to try and collect some of that social security money they’ve been stealing from me. The last 40+ years. Hang in there brother.
Hey Flee. GO FOR IT. i did at 62. so far so good. body too messed up to work anymore. Not very much money, but money aint what its cracked up to be. 🙂