US & UK FORCES SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM IRAQ / JAPAN MUST NOT PARTICIPATE IN OCCUPATION

From No.787, May 9, 2003 issue of FLAG OF UNITY newspaper

US & UK FORCES SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM IRAQ / JAPAN MUST NOT PARTICIPATE IN OCCUPATION

Japan to Join Occupation Forces

The Japanese government is planning to dispatch 4 to 5 government employees and civilians to US Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (known as ORHA) in Iraq before the end of April. Depending on the situation, the number of staff may be increased further. ORHA is an agent of the US Department of Defense in charge of occupation. What matters here is that the organization is under the control of the US military forces, which delivered dreadful blows to Iraq in violation of international law.

Up until today, the Japanese government insisted that they were not in a position to dispatch personnel to help the occupation or administration of an occupied country because "the act would be in conflict with the Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution that renounces the state's right of belligerency" (The statement of a governmental official in May, 1980).

However, this time the Cabinet Legislation Bureau invented an excuse, saying, "Dispatch of civilians would not constitute the use of force." Thus the Japanese government is to make another step forward to unmaking of the constitution once again.

The Japanese government was among the first to support the US attack against Iraq, gladly deploying the Aegis destroyer to the Indian Ocean. Now, Japan is going to be among the first group of pillagers of wealth of Iraqi people in the style of capitalistic competition.

We deplore Japanese support for the military occupation, the shameful outcome of the illegal war, and that she is going to add a new count to the list of illegal acts since the start of the war-of-aggression in Iraq.

Pillage of Oil is a Crime

The United States are enjoying the sweet fruit of the victory after US industries have successfully monopolized contracts for reconstruction work of Iraq "revival business" (a total of about 100 billion US dollars) and it is said that their second aim is to monopolize the share of oil interest.

The US is presently working on a resolution so that Iraq sanctions may be removed. Under the sanctions the UN control the oil related business transactions, which will keep the US from benefiting from oil production.

Furthermore, it is reported that the US is demanding the cut of the oil share of France, Russia and Germany, the countries who objected the war against Iraq strongly.

Apparently the US intends to drive away business interests of France, Russia and China by setting up a pro-American puppet government in Iraq so that US-British oil major can stay in Iraq permanently to have the rich oil field under control.

Such outright pillage of the nation's resource by the occupation force, which is evidently the winner of the war, is not tolerated under the Geneva Conventions or Hague Treaty. Japan, their willing partner, must be regarded as the accomplice to the looting.

The oil of Iraq is the property and wealth of Iraqi people and it should never be subjected to pillaging by the globalized US capitalists. Iraqi neighbors such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt condemn the oil pillage, and began to demand the withdrawal of the occupation forces loudly.

Investigate War Crimes of the US Government and US Industries

The Iraq public stood up and started to walk in demonstration of their strong objection to the occupation forces. On April 22, two million Iraqi pilgrims held anti-US meetings and demonstrated chanting, "No to colonialism, No to America" and "No to Chalabi (Chairman of Iraqi National Congress)." The puppet Iraqi National Congress of the US selection is not getting support from the public at all.

In order to expedite the withdrawal of US-lead alliance forces in response to the opposition from the Iraqi public, the world should never tolerate those who flock to take the lion's share of the people's wealth. At the same time, it is essential to conduct thorough investigation of war crimes in this war for prosecution. We consider it essential to reveal war crimes committed by the winner, US-led alliance forces to civilians of Iraqi national and others. We also think that Japan should be indicted for its role of assisting the burglar act of occupation. In this way, US and other warmongers would be anxious to leave the country.

We must shower the voices of opposition and persuasion to US multinational enterprises such as Bechtel, Halliburton and others, which are all ready to enjoy the profits from the reconstruction work of Iraq and a larger share in the oil business, and the Japanese companies associated with them�DThey must be made to understand why they should not monopolize the profit or that they would be forced to take war responsibility.

We must pay attention to the role of the mass media which have been hiding the pains and sufferings of the Iraqi people from the public in the interest of continuing the war.

Every time a war takes place, and every time a state is occupied, the first strikers should be exposed to the strong public criticism and opposition. By establishing precedents where the aggressors are forced to pay compensations to the damage they caused in their so-called enemy states, we must build the power to dismantle the system which prefers the war. Make the warmongers leave the stage of the history by the solidarity of us in the international anti-war movement. (April 29)

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