The Asia-Pacific Consultation of Movements against U.S. Military Bases, Tokyo

A significant step toward the creation of regional anti-base movement linkages -- On November 25-28, 2006, around fifty peace activists from the Southeast-East Asia and Pacific region in struggle against U.S. military bases gathered in Tokyo in the first sub- regional encounter ever held on the specific topic of American military bases. Titled the Asia-Pacific Consultation of Movements against U.S. Military Bases, Tokyo, the gathering was called to facilitate exchange of experiences in anti-base struggles and to work out common strategies to resist and defeat the U.S. defense transformation process that is being carried out to further militarize this region violating the interest of the local grassroots people. It was held also as a sub-regional preparatory step toward the inaugural confer- ence of Global Network to Abolish Foreign Military Bases scheduled in March 2007 in Ecuador.

The Consultation was convened jointly by an ad hoc Japanese national organizing com- mittee composed of about 40 groups and individuals, the Stop the War Coalitions Philip- pines, and the Focus on the Global South. The Japanese committee comprised anti-base groups based in communities affected by the U.S. base reorganization plans as well as national peace networks. Among the organizing committee members are the progressive trade union-based Peace Forum, National Christian Council of Japan, Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, and the Asian Peace Alliance-Japan.

The participants were from Australia, Guam, Hawaii, Okinawa, mainland Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Mindanao, all dedicated activists fighting against the U.S. military presence. The presence of activists fresh from struggle scenes in Pyongtaek (South Korea), Okinawa, Kanagawa prefecture (Camp Zama, Yokosuka), Yokota (Yokota airbase), Hiroshima-Iwakuni (Iwakuni airbase), and Yufuin (Hijudai exercise ground) as well as Mindanao and Australia made the discussion concrete and down to earth.

The participants analyzed the U.S. global strategy, shared reports of country and regional situations, exchanged successful and unsuccessful experiences, and adopted a statement and an action plan that would strengthen the strategic network of regional movements.

While the above was done in closed sessions, the Consultation also opened itself by holding a public forum on its first day that drew hundreds of audience listening to struggle reports and appeals from abroad. On November 28, the day following the closure of the session, the overseas participants were invited to participate in an outdoor rally and street demonstration of 3,000 people expressing opposition to new U.S.-Japan military arrangements involving strengthening of base functions. The event was held by the Peace Forum, one of the main organizers of the regional consultation.

Through this Consultation, the participants certainly came to have a clearer whole picture of U.S. “defense transformation”-related activities throughout their region. Also brought into relief was the willing support given by host country governments to the U.S. war ar- rangements. They try to trick us saying, “this is for your security.” But experience has shown clearly enough that the U.S. military presence, far from protecting the people, only violates people’s sovereignty, destroy local people’s cultural and economic life, bring on violence against women and children, and disaster to environment. We, the participants in the consultation, understand that our activities to stop the U.S. military are to take back our rights to live in genuine peace that are taken away from us by the U.S. and our elite groups. We also understand our struggles are to usher in a world with no military and to pass it to our future generations.

We are convinced that the network against U.S. military base and military presence in our region has expanded and strengthened through the Consultation. And we are excited by the outlook that we are going to meet more people with common aspirations and hopes from all over the world in Ecuador. We see the Ecuador conference is going to be a land mark event for our struggle. We express our ardent solidarity with the Conference and will show our commitment to this global people’s fight against military bases and other forms of military presence.

February 19, 2007 The Japan Committee for the Asia-Pacific Consultation of Movements against U.S. Military Bases, Tokyo