2011 CODEPINK Osaka JAPAN in action
Inviting Ms.Nydia Leaf from Granny Peace Brigade New York
2011 WORLD CONFERENCE AND JAPAN TRIP REPORT
GENSUIKYO – COUNCIL AGAINST ATOMIC AND HYDROGEN BOMBS
In many ways my trip to the 2011 World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs was an extension and expansion of a peace sisterhood launched May 4, 2010 during the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty meetings at the United Nations. That event was called “The Green Tea Party” and attendees came from Code Pink/New York, Code Pink/Osaka and the Granny Peace Brigade.
The following report is written from the perspective of a New York City activist visiting Japan for the first time. My impressions combine some awareness of Japan’s political and cultural landscape and fresh responses to the social currents observed briefly in Osaka, Hiroshima and Kyoto.
AUGUST 1 Monday–
Arriving at Kansai airport Hisae Ogawa, director of Code Pink/Osaka and Akiko Oguchi, a CP member, met me and accompanied me to an informal dinner with several Gensuikyo/Osaka officials and Joseph Gerson, Director of Peace Programs for American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). Mr. Yukio Iwata (Chairman), Mr. Masaaki Komatsu (Secretary General) and Mr. Haruo Ueba all spoke English giving the dinner a relaxed mood.
AUGUST 2 Tuesday –
Dorothy Dufour of Code Pink/Sapporo and a Green Tea party attendee, joined us as we went to a gathering of Shinfujin/Osaka. Shinfujin (New Japan Women’s Association)has called for eliminating the “sympathy budget” of $1.6 Billion annually which the Japanese people pay for the more than 100 U.S. bases in Okinawa and Japan. Eiko Miyamoto, the Chairperson of the Osaka Society of International Women’s Year, greeted us. With Hisae-san interpreting I described the Granny Peace Brigade (GPB) and its activities to a group of about 25 women. The questions that followed focused on GPB actions opposing the militarization of U.S. youth and recruitment in our schools. This concern recurred often during my trip.
The presentation for the Osaka Gensuikyo was attended by 40-45 people – Mr. Komatsu explained that a delegation of 358 would go to Nagasaki and hence only a few would come to our talk. The program began with songs by a gifted performer, Junko Noda, and was a welcoming start. I reviewed GPB and its actions outlining the work of our committees. In his talk Joe Gerson said he was inspired by the resilience of the Japanese people and the peace movement. He stressed the significance of the March 11th earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima catastrophe and called it a major “turning point” in Japanese history, providing a signal for a change in policies.
There was little time for Q&A as we were taking the bullet train to Hiroshima and needed to arrive at the Sunroute Hotel for the 7 pm overseas delegates’ Orientation. The largest groups came from Korea (15),
India (12) and China (8) with five from the USA. Then our Hiroshima homestay hostess, Reiko Funada, brought Hisae, Dorothy and me to her lovely home where we stayed for five nights.
AUGUST 3 – Wednesday morning
From the Sunroute Hotel small groups of overseas delegates were escorted to briefings at various hospitals. This provided a way for conference delegates to learn up to date information about the Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) and to become acquainted with each other. The Red Cross Hospital gave us a booklet and a briefing physician reviewed the information in more detail. Badly destroyed by the bomb, the hospital was only 1.5 km from the epicenter, and its new building is designed with an atrium – modern, light and very busy. 66 years after the bombs, it treats approximately 100 in-patients and up to 280 outpatients daily. Just recently a gene mutation has begun to appear for the first time. Their concern is for those who were 0-10 years of age in 1945, as well as persons now from the Fukushima area. On the lawn outside is a blasted section of the original hospital – the bomb force is evident in the twisted metal window frames and the wrecked brick and mortar walls.
AUGUST 3 – Wednesday Afternoon through AUGUST 5 – Friday CONFERENCE SESSIONS
Plenary sessions and workshops of the 2011 World Conference Against A & H Bombs took place at the Bunka Koryu Kaikai Hall. The opening plenary began promptly at 2 p.m. and after preliminary welcome greetings and introductions, conference chairs were selected. Among them was Corazon Fabros from the Philippines who led the victorious struggle to close the USA base at Subic Bay and is now engaged in the campaign to end the “Visiting” Forces Agreement. (She is barred entry to the USA.)
The continuing shadow of Fukushima hung over the conference, especially with revelations in newly declassified documents of President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles that the U.S. “sold” atomic power plants to Japan. An article in the July 24, 2011 Japan Times described the U.S. policy initiated in October 1954 to “remove the strong Japanese notion that atomic and nuclear energy is primarily destructive.”
Themes introduced were the joint Abolition of Nuclear Weapons and Power Plants, Hibakusha compensation, and future NPT Preparatory conferences, and papers presented at the conference sessions amplified these ideas. Overseas presenters spoke of their solidarity and concern for the Japanese people in the aftermath of Fukushima.
Detailing each delegate’s message would be repetitive. Instead here follows a broad list of the most trenchant points to help further our aim of sharing information:
– The complacency of 25 years post-Chernobyl has been shattered by Fukushima and has shifted the balance in organizations from strictly anti-nuke to now encompass nuclear power plants. The 442 nuclear plants in 29 countries produce 15% of total electricity needs. An international non-violent struggle for complete energy transformation has already begun.
– Nuclear Weapons abolition remains our most urgent task. 23,000 Nuclear Weapons exist and 2000 are maintained on a high alert status. The technology is too complex to be mastered; thus “safety” is a myth. Likewise the Cold War strategy of “Mutual Assured Deterrence” is now exposed as myth.
– The 2015 NPT conference should be held in Hiroshima with significant progress to be made at the U.N. prep com meetings in 2012 and 2014; no significant progress has been made since last year’s NPT meetings, in particular, work towards a nuclear free zone in the Middle East..
– The need for a Nuclear Weapons Convention is clearer now than ever before. The Non-Aligned Movement in May 2011 proposed a high-level international conference “to identify ways and means of eliminating nuclear weapons.”
– The peoples of Japan and Guam have been caught in the middle of geopolitics that compromises the safety of the entire world. Peace and stability in Northeast Asia (China, Japan, Korea) is possible through regional cooperation.
– It is important to create Nuclear Free Zones, especially in the Middle East. Mayors For Peace, the world’s largest organization working to abolish Nuclear Weapons, has 5000 member cities representing nearly one billion people.
– According to SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) annual military spending is $1.6 Trillion of which 100 Billion is for the nuclear industry.
– The U.S. has violated the NPT by illegally deploying nuclear weapons on its European bases. The German government was forced to admit that 20 U.S. nuclear bombs are deployed in Buchel. Now Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Norway have called on the U.S. to remove nuclear weapons from their territory.
– U.S. bases – Because of two Marine bases located at Mt. Fuji, the site cannot be registered as a World Cultural Heritage site. In the Philippines, the U.S. closed its base in 1992 but left a heavily contaminated area with resultant cancers like leukemia and miscarriages. This is a lesson for Japan to learn that it must stop hosting the USA.
– The City of Kobe has banned the presence of U.S. nuclear warships and submarines. Other cities in Japan should do likewise.
– A strong call for No More Hibakusha. Victims of Agent Orange should also be remembered. Korean Hibakusha abroad should be entitled to the same welfare benefits and compensation as Japanese Hibakusha. Likewise now for the new Hibakusha resulting from the Fukushima Daiichi plants.
– Chernobyl in 1986 has left millions who suffer its consequences but true facts are not available. In 1959 a contract between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) permits WHO release of information about radiation impact only after consultation with the IAEA.
– Death tolls continue to climb in the Marshall Islands after the 1954 Hydrogen bomb (Bikini) test and nuclear claims for compensation and restitution meet with little or no response from the U.S.
– Victims of the 193 tests conducted by France over a 30 year period (150 underground and 43 above) have struggled with the French government for compensation for tests in Polynesia and Algeria. They have launched an Appeal for a United Nations conference to take up the issue of Nuclear Test sites around the world for cleaning, rehabilitating and developing of all regions so affected.
– “Don’t send our Students to Battlefields.” Education for Peace is essential and textbooks need to be monitored for their description of nuclear energy – “Renewable Energy Sources” are usually portrayed as insufficient to meet energy needs.
The message from Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to the Conference, delivered by Sergio Duarte, U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, thanked Gensuikyo for its role in the work of disarmament. Mr. Duarte called the gathering a “Collective Conscience” that must push for accountability and while, acknowledging the many obstacles as countries continue to modernize their arsenals, he expressed his gratitude for Gensuikyo’s contributions.
AUGUST 6 – Saturday –
HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL CEREMONY – 8 to 8:45 a.m.
As a U.S. citizen attending this solemn, formal commemoration, the event was very painful – it was the U.S. that unleashed this horror on the world and inflicted a nightmare of destruction on the people of Japan. The Peace Park area was set with 12,000 chairs; escorts to seats done quietly with no frenzy; a program and a flower given to each person as they arrived; phalanxes of TV camera crews arrayed on the side; orchestras and choruses dressed all in white; the day was clear and hot and attendees were advised to drink water which was provided. At eight o’clock the ceremony began with a dedication of the register of names of the victims, a brief address and then foreign dignitaries presenting wreaths at the cenotaph. At 8:15 a.m. (the time when the bomb struck on August 6, 1945) a bell rang followed by silent prayer. The Mayor of Hiroshima spoke. Flocks of doves were released several times and a “Commitment to Peace” was read by the two 6th grade school children who had written it…their high voices sounding open and hopeful. A Peace Song was sung and the ceremony closed. We were invited to lay flowers at the monument where banks of Chrysanthemums had already been arranged.
AFTERNOON
The workshop and Solidarity Forum with the people of Hiroshima continued an exchange of ideas as did the rally in the Gymnasium where speeches were followed by choral groups of young and old with beautiful banners and singing.
EVENING
In the evening a lantern floating ceremony near the Aioi Bridge honored the A-Bomb victims. The Buddhist priests said prayers before the lanterns were sent off but the participation of children made the event festive and the many lanterns bobbing on the river with their peace messages was a lovely sight.
CODE PINK AND GREEN TEA PARTY EVENTS – AUGUST 4-12
DURING THE CONFERENCE IN HIROSHIMA
OKINAWA – Dinner , August 3
Hisae, Dorothy and I had dinner with Marian Kuepker (International Coordinator for the German Peace Society), Dr. Hiroshi Takei (Emeritus Professor at the University of the Ryukyus and President Emeritus of the Ryukyu Rehabilitation Academy), Katsuma Yagasaki (Chairman of the Peace Council) and Idani Shuichi (Hiroshima Hibakusha and President of the Tottori-Ken Gensuikyo). It was an opportunity to talk briefly about the Granny Peace Brigade. and some of our work related to Futenma and US bases, and to
learn about ABCC U.S. government policies toward Japan in the days of Eisenhower and Kennedy.
SHINFUJIN (New Japan Women’s Association) – Dinner, August 4
Dorothy, Hisae-san and I were guests of Shinfujin members some of whom would be going to Nagasaki. Miyo Inoue, Kazue Takahashi, Kimiko Kasai and Atsuko Yoneyama described their work. We learned about Shinfujin’s history of working on issues of the rights of women and children, support for Article 9, opposition to militarism and a commitment to the peace movement and abolition of nuclear weapons. 2012 will mark their 50th year and they publish a weekly newspaper distributed to thousands of groups. In their ongoing work with petitions, they collected 1.8 million signatures calling for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World and presented them to Ban Ki-Moon at the 2010 NPT.
The Grannies and Shinfujin share many of the same goals and, through Hisae, we will continue to support their work, exchanging information and collaborating where possible.
Dinner, August 5
A small dinner hosted by Takako Kasuya of the Shizuoka Mothers’ Congress welcomed Nun Maki and was a reunion of sorts for Dorothy and me who had last seen Maki in New York City at the NPT. Now a Buddhist nun she hopes time will allow her to continue her storytelling of Sadako and the Thousand Cranes. There is now a book in Braille in addition to the original version. Maki is a perfect embodiment of Peace and her presence always generates a quiet joy. Just to look at her face instills gentleness.
GLOCAL SYMPOSIUM – August 6
A joint event of Code Pink and Minirenn Hiroshima took place after the large Hiroshima Rally. The presenters were Maki, Dr. Yutaka Manabe and Emiko Higami. Takako Kasuya from Shizuoka who helped Hisae with the event, introduced me to a friend, Yoko Toba, and her mother, Kyoko Hama (a hibakusha). She described her experience from the bomb and gave me a CD of a recording by a French composer.
Maki came to New York for the 2010 NPT and performed her Story of Sadako at the Green Tea Party there. She presented it at this event with help from Dorothy. It is a type of slide show with drawings that tell Sadako’s heartbreaking story. However, through her youth and gentleness, Maki conveys and inspires hope when she recounts it.
Dr. Manabe is an Osaka physician now assisting Hibakusha in a group lawsuit to qualify their medical conditions as eligible for compensation. His slideshow presentation described the struggle of Hibakusha to gain their rights. The “Little Boy” uranium bomb dropped on Hiroshima killed 140,000 people in one day; “Fat Man” plutonium bomb on Nagasaki, 70,000 – for a total of 210,000. Compensation has been slow to reach survivors. In order to qualify, a board of review had to agree that the disease was caused by radiation; one had to be within 2 km of epicenter; applications had to be made in Prefectures so that people from Korea or other countries could not apply for compensation. Out of 250,000 only 2200 were eligible. Lawsuits have been working their way through 17 Japanese courts. Survivors were granted $375 a month when the first Hiroshima Aid Law of 1994 was passed. It has now been raised to $1527 per month.
Dr. Manabe spoke also about ABCC – the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission – established by the U.S. in 1946 to study the effects of radiation. The ABCC didn’t actually treat survivors – it studied them over a period of time. It did not pay compensation and did not share information with Japanese doctors – hence Japan viewed it with suspicion that it was really a laboratory for studying “guinea pigs.” Decisions on compensation were based on “Causative Probability” which compared data from ABCC, usually unfavorably to the Hibakusha.
As one of a group of physicians working for the Hibakusha’s rights, Dr.Manabe is to be commended and honored. A handsome, gracious man he is a grandfather and was interested in the work of the Grannies. The decision on the lawsuit of Hibakusha in Osaka will be handed down in December and we will be kept informed.
Emiko Higami, an Osaka historian, is interested in the factors that cause untimely or premature deaths. Her research covered the Edo, Taisho and Meiji periods and she presented a paper in English which incorporated statistics on housing, nutrition, working conditions and industrial development which impacted infant and neonatal mortality. Her further studies will look at other areas such as war and living standards. She came back to the Funada home with Dorothy, Hisae and me for our last evening in Hiroshima.
SUNDAY, August 7 –
In the morning we went our separate ways – Dorothy to Sapporo; Emiko to Edajima, Hisae and I to Osaka. Lots of photos were taken early in the morning outside the Funada home with the cicada chorus in the background. The conference was an intense period – meeting many new people, forming part of a larger network, and feeling a sense of solidarity with the Japanese peace activists who are extraordinary for their dedication and soulfulness. The Funada homestay was a pleasure – our own “home” for five nights; delicious, generous breakfasts served by a lovely Reiko-san and her husband.
MONDAY, August 8 – Osaka to Kyoto
Reiko Deguchi met Hisae and me at the train station and whisked us off to Kinkaku-ji – the Golden Pavilion – where we were met by Rev. Paul Oe and Narumi Tomida. Rev. Oe’s contact at the shrine permitted us to enter the living quarters of the priests where we were received with tea and then given a private tour of the area surrounding this amazing temple. We walked with the priest around the small lake in which the Pavilion is reflected and where a series of rock formations replicate the Japanese archipelago. It was an endlessly beautiful vista.
An afternoon visit to the Craft Museum was highlighted by a kimono “fashion show” and a visit to an exhibit of spectacular kimonos, as well as fabric designs. The lighting was subdued to protect the fabrics which were so very beautiful.
A gathering that evening was arranged by the Kyoto Shuheikyo, an Interfaith organization, and Code Pink/Osaka. I addressed the group and, after a light dinner, there was a Q & A session. Junko Noda came and thrilled us by singing “Amazing Grace”. Among the attendees were several who spoke English and who knew Allen Nelson, the U.S. veteran who is famous in Okinawa and whose widow I know. Dr. Minoru Suda, Emeritus Professor at Ritsumeikan University, gave me a book of stories written by Hibakusha. It is a small, powerful book. Osaaki Hasegawa, Secretary of the Kyoto Association for a Non-nuclear Government, was at Hiroshima conference and kept his promise to attend, as did a priest from Tokyo who had fasted at Hiroshima and then invited us to his brother’s restaurant. It was a busy day full of wonderful visits with very special people.
TUESDAY, August 9 –
Homestay with Reiko-san was high in the hills of Kyoto and the next morning we prepared for the visit to
Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, where the bell would be rung at 11:15 a.m. to commemorate Nagasaki. On the Kyoto Teachers Union women members were gathering signatures for Abolition of Nuclear Weapons and Plants. They’ve been carrying on this campaign every month on the 6th and 9th for the past 40 years． In the path to the temple, I joined them as I could more easily approach people who spoke English. There were few “Western” people in sight and when the clock pointed to 11:15, a hush came; the enormous bronze bell was rung and the vibrations hung in the air for over a minute. There was a silent prayer of remembering all the victims.
Through Shuheikyo’s work, Reiko, Nomuri, Hisae and I were invited to tea by Eigen Onishi, a priest from the Shrine, and then a tour of the gardens of Kiyomizu-Dera. As time was going fast and we had more visits before returning to Osaka, we could not linger at the temple, but both Hisae and I were invited to ring the large bronze bell – or try to. We managed to touch it but not “ring” it.
The Kyoto Museum for World Peace, part of Ritsumeikan University, is the first such museum in the world. It’s philosophy is to emphasize the importance of peace, “covering the problems of war and the arms race and accurately portraying the suffering they bring about.” The Curator –Junko Tanigawa told us that Johan Galtung will speak there on September 16th. He has a close bond with them.
We departed Kyoto for Osaka with a farewell group at the station of Reiko, Junko and Narumi. It was an event-filled visit and very memorable.
Evening – Dinner and homestay was with Kazu whom I had met in New York several years ago and her husband, Nagao whose English is very good. He gave me a paper he’d written about a trip to New Zealand and other materials, as he is active with the Osaka Committee for a Non-nuclear Government.
WEDNESDAY, August 10
A Tea House gathering in Osaka’s Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tomomi Shibata was there to film and continue work on her documentary about the Grannies which she began in New York two years ago.
In a teahouse in one of the tatami rooms Hisae organized a special day of visitors stopping by for a tea ceremony. I sat on a folding chair as I could never have sat on the floor, or knelt for more than a minute or two. By now I was friends with Kazu and Akiko, and Machiko and Sonoe who prepared the tea, and many women came by. Eiko Kobayashi, a plaintiff in the Osaka Air-Raid lawsuit, came and told her story to us, as well as to Tomomi. The day went quickly and Hisae’s son, Tomo, drew a Manga cartoon portrait of me which I delighted everyone but especially me. Akiko entertained us with a delightful set of “magic” sticks.
In the evening, we met several lawyers for dinner: Masako Katagata and her husband, Hisashi Suzuki, work with an anti-nuclear group. Another, Shoji Umeda, is a labor attorney, and they showed a video of their visit to New York for the 2010 NPT conference. The Granny network of contacts continued to grow.
THURSDAY, August 11
A free day to sightsee at the Osaka Castle, do some shopping, and pack.
FRIDAY, August 12
I met Hisae-san to check out of the hotel and Akiko joined us for lunch, as well as two women, one of whom is a Tamiko Kimura, Hibakusha who won the lawsuite, and the other an activist from Okinawa,
Akiko Yoshizawa who has been organizing a signature campaign to dismantle Futenma US base in Okinawa. Time was pressured and before I knew it I had to take the 2 pm shuttle bus to Kansai and fly home.
二ディア・リーフさん （ Ms. Nydia Leaf from Granny Peace Brigade NYC ）
講演 （ 2011年８月８日 京都の集い) 邦訳 コードピンク大阪ジャパン
私たちは、おばあちゃんのグループで、逮捕されるのも厭わずに、アメリカの戦争に反対して頑張っているものですから、非常に困難な活動をしていると言えば言えるでしょう。
私は今回日本に来て、原水禁大会の国際会議と広島集会に参加しました。おかげで日本のことも、それから自分の国であるアメリカのことも、客観的に、今までよりは深く見ることができるようになったと思います。アメリカがいかに「戦争中毒」にかかり、戦争が無ければ成り立たない国になっているのかということも、よく分かりました。福島の原発事故の後で開催された今年の原水禁大会の国際会議でいろいろな討論に参加しましたが、会議の最後に採択された決議に私は全面的に賛成です。
決議では、原爆と原発というものが別々のものではなく一つの根っこからでているものであり、危険な放射能を、兵器にしたのが原爆、エネルギー源として使ったのが原発であると述べられています。危険で、不確かな放射能を人間はコントロールできないのに、使ってしまったのです。私たちはこれからは、放射能に頼らない、別のエネルギー源というものを、考えないといけないのです。そういうことで、皆さんと合意ができたと思います。
私たちは政府に何か良いことをしてもらおうと期待していたのでは、何も解決はしません。草の根の人たちが連帯をして、世界を変え、政治を変える、それこそ本当に確実に世界を変えることができる道だと思います。
それでは、「Granny Peace Brigade」（おばあちゃんの平和旅団）のことに入ります。皆さんのお手元に、黄色い円いバッヂを置きました。そこに、”Granny Peace Brigade”ということと、下の方にホームページのアドレスが書いてあります。そこをクリックしていただくと、今日私もしゃべりますが、もっともっといろいろな情報を見ていただけるので、どうぞそうなさってください。
「おばあちゃんの平和旅団」には、３つの委員会があり、三つの運動に取り組んでいます。その一つ一つを述べたいと思います。
まず、ノー・ベース(No base)委員会です。「アメリカの米軍基地を撤去せよ」、「世界中にある米軍基地を撤去せよ」という活動をしています。その委員会が「ティーチ・イン（teach in）」学習会をおこないました。
学習会がどういう経過で実現したかと言いますと、２００７年にベネズエラのカラカスで開催された「世界社会フォーラム」に遡ります。フォーラムの一環としてWIDFがよびかけた世界女性会議が持たれました。そこにアメリカからは「おばあちゃんの平和旅団」の女性、他に二名が参加をしました。日本からの女性グループも参加していました。
通訳補足：「ＷＩDＦ/ Women’s International Democratic Federation 」（国際民主婦人連盟/ 国際民婦連）には日本婦人団体連合会（婦団連）が加盟をし、評議員になっています。
原水禁大会国際会議には婦団連がＷＩDＦの代表として参加をしています。
WIDFにはキューバや世界中の国々の女性グループが加盟しています。世界中から集まってきた女性達にたいして日本の女性達は、「日本に米軍基地があり、沖縄にそれがすごく集中している。その米軍基地は撤去して欲しい！米軍基地はいらない！」と発言しました。その後続々と、ドイツの人も「自分のところにもある」、「イタリアにもある」、韓国の人も、「自分たちの国にも米軍基地はある」と、次々に言い出しました。
聞いていた平和旅団のおばあちゃん達と、アメリカの人たちは、びっくりしました。全然知らなかったのです。アメリカ国内に軍事基地があるのは知っていたし、キューバは外国ですが、キューバにも米軍の施設なり基地があることまでは知っていたけれども、まさか日本の沖縄まで、そんなに広く世界中に米軍基地があるということは知らなくて、非常に恥ずかしい思いをしました。
それで、このおばあちゃん達は、「これは大変だ！アメリカでこそ、我々が基地撤去を言わなければならない、アメリカに帰って、自分たちの大きな運動の一つとして、基地撤去をかかげよう」と決意しました。私たちの「ノー・ベース/基地地撤去委員会」の立ち上げはそこから始まったのです。
もう一つの委員会は、「カウンター・リクルートメント(counter recruitment)」と呼ばれています。、「リクルート」と言うと、皆さんは就職のことを思われるかも知れませんが、アメリカではそうではありません。徴兵が今はありませんから、志願兵なのですが、兵士になろうと子ども達を志願させるように仕掛けること、それがアメリカで言う「リクルートメント」です。高校生などを、「卒業したら、軍隊はいいところだから来なさい」と勧誘をする、学校の中に堂々と入って行ってやるわけです。それから学校側がペンタゴンに対して、学生の個人情報を全部渡してしまうことがよくあります。成績、家庭の状況、貧困層の子なのか知ったうえで、「成績が悪かったら、もう大学には行けないのだから、軍隊に入りなさい」と巧みに入隊をすすめます。だから、私たちの「カウンター・リクルートメント」委員会は、軍にたいして「そういったことをやるな」と抗議し、学校側には、「個人情報は親が言わない限り、出さないで」と言っています。それから、日本で言えばＰＴＡのような、高校生などの親の組織に「子ども達」を戦場に、軍隊に送らないようにしましょう」という働きかけをしています。
もう一つは、おもちゃで遊んでいるまだ小さな子ども達を守る運動です。今アメリカでは、「戦争おもちゃ」が溢れていて、そのおもちゃを通して、「戦争は良いものだ」とか「かっこいい」とか言う感じを子ども達にすり込んでいます。そういうおもちゃを使わせない、無くす運動。これが二つめの、「カウンター・リクルートメント」の委員会の活動です。
この「戦争のおもちゃなくそう活動」について一例を言いますと、クリスマスの頃に、親は子ども達におもちゃを買ってやろうというとことで、すごくおもちゃ屋さんが賑わうのですが、そこに戦争のおもちゃがいっぱい溢れています。私たちも最初から店の中に入って、「売るな」とか「買うな」とか言うわけにはいきません。やはり商売ですから。
そこで、私たちがまず何をするかというと、店の前で歌を歌います。 （”No more war toys, no more war toys, girls and boys, girls and boys, rararara ra ra, rararara ra ra, no more toys, no more toys.” もうこれ以上戦争のおもちゃはダメよ、お嬢ちゃん、坊や、ラララ……もうおもちゃはダメよ。）
だんだん雰囲気が盛り上がってきたら、自然に中へ入って行って、その歌を歌って、買わせないように、お客さんの注意を引きます。店の方は、「困る」、「営業妨害だ」と、警察を呼ぶのですが、、警察が来るちょっと前に店を出てしまうのです。それが「ノー・モア・ウォートイ」の、「カウンター・リクルートメント」委員会の一つの活動です。
アメリカの国民全体に向けての活動もおこないます。アメリカの人たちは一般には、世界で何が起こっているのか、アメリカはどのように戦争をしているのかということを、ほとんど知りません。一応政府と軍隊が合法的にしている戦争ですから、法律にそってやっているのです。新たに増派をすると言えば、新しい法律を作らねばなりません。議会でつくられる法律を見張る役割が必要です。「法律委員会」は、戦争に関する法律の中身、どんな危険な法律なのかを知らせる委員会です。
アメリカの市民達にどう働きかけるかというと、私たちは人が集まるような公園に出かけていって、そこに居る人たちに呼びかけるのですが、自分たちの携帯電話などを持っていきます。携帯はこの頃みんなが持っているので、恐らくたくさんの人が持っている、そういう状況だと思いますが、そこでみんなに呼びかけることは、「今ワシントンの議会で、こんなひどい法律が通ろうとしている、こういうふうに予算が組まれようとしている、軍隊に、戦争にこれだけのお金を遣うのに、私たちの教育や福祉には全然お金が回ってこないような法律だよ」ということを教えてあげて、それで、「こういう危険な法律が通る前に、あなたは有権者として、あなたの州の上院議員、選挙区の上院議員に電話をしなさい」と。「電話を貸してあげるから、この番号のこの議員にかけて、『そんな予算に反対しなさい』と言ってごらん」と言うのです。最初はみんな、「それはけしからん」とは思っても、「じゃあ、何て言ったらいいの？」と、「わからないよ」と言われるので、「こんな風に言ったらいいよ」と教えてあげます。「電話作戦」を公園の中でやります。みんなを政治的に目覚めさせるというか、そのようなことをしています。
アメリカ政府は、いろいろなデータの発表はします。数字も出しますが、それは非常に不正確で、間違った、嘘の、正直ではない数値です。例えば、失業率が９％だと政府が言ったとします。そうすると、他の人はちゃんと仕事があるのでしょうか。９％だというわけですが、残りの就職ができているという部分は、どういう人のことを言っているのかと言うと、月に一日だけでも何か仕事があった、アルバイトができたと、そういう人は失業者には入りません。仕事を一日でもしたのだから、それは入らない。そういう風に、月に本当に僅かしか仕事が出来ない人は含まれていない９％ですから、全くこれは不誠実な、間違った、嘘の数だと思います。
私たちの先ほどの公園での行動ですけれど、公園に来た人たちに、「あなたは自分の払った税金を何に使って欲しいの？ 今はほとんど、戦争や軍隊に、戦争にばかり使われているのよ」「でも、あなたは何に使ってほしい？」と聞くと、「戦争ではなく、教育、医療、仕事がもっと欲しい、それから、もっと良い環境を作る。そのために税金はつかって欲しい」と言います。
今日初めて京都に来まして、朝、早速金閣に連れて行っていただきました。京都や訪れた金閣の様子が、本当に平和な美しい情景でして、本当に私は感動しました。今までもパリやらロンドンやら、イタリアやら、行く機会はありましたけれど、そのどこよりも平和で、美しい街や光景が、金閣やその周辺にありました。本当に感動しています。
皆さんは、古い文化を大切にまた継承して、今を生きていらっしゃる。そして、本当に美しいものを残して、またその自分たちの文化として、誇りに思って使っていらっしゃる。それと比べて、アメリカがいかに全てのペースが速くて、ゆっくりと古いものから学ぶということができていないのだなと、すごく世知辛い国だなと思います。
私は長年、保母、日本で言えば保母さんになると思いますが、学校に入るまでの子ども達の施設の
教師として、保母としてやってきましたので、子どもの状況にはすごく興味があり、日本に来てからも、子ども達をよく観察しています。子どもと親の関係がどうなのかなということを、広島に居た数日間にも、大阪に戻ってからも、又今日京都で過ごした一日でも、かなりよく観察をしたと思います。電車の中とか、お店の中とか。親子の関係が、日本の皆さんの場合はずっと健康的だと言うように、私は感じました。
私は今回が初めての来日ですが、皆さんよくご存じのジョセフ・ガーソンさんは、もう長年にわたって日本に来ておられて、日本の専門家というぐらいの方です。平和運動の専門家でもありますが、私たち「おばあちゃんの平和旅団」は、ガーソンさんを講師にお招きして、ティーチ・イン、学習会というものですが、それは日本を含めて、太平洋地域の問題、平和の問題、それをガーソンさんにお話をしてもらいました。その中で、ガーソンさんは、日本の文化が非常に好きで、だから日本の人も好きで、「だから私は毎年毎年日本に行くんだ」ということを言っておられたので、「ああそうなんだ、私もいつか行きたいな」と思っていました。それが今回初めて実現して、来てみて、「なるほど、ガーソンさんが言っていることは本当だ」と。私も日本の文化がますます好きになりました。
今回は、コードピンク大阪の尾川寿江さんが招いてくれて、そのおかげで、皆さんともこうして知り合うことができました。本当にこういう風に繋がっていく、草の根の人たちが繋がっていくことが、大事だと思います。これからもご一緒に頑張りたいなと思います。
それと、今回、国際会議で学んだことの一つとして、世界保健機構（ＷＨＯ）は、本来であれば、福島の原発事故後の放射能の数値とか人体に与えている影響に関する情報を直ちに国際的に開示をすべきだと思うのですが、ＷＨＯはＩＡＥＡ（国際原子力機構）の許可、お墨付きがでるまでは自分たちで自主的に情報を出せないということです。国際会議のおかげで、貴重な情報を得ました。。
もう政府は頼りにならない。特に、私の国、アメリカ政府は絶対にダメ。嘘ばっかりついて、正しい情報は絶対に出しません。だから、草の根の私たちが正しい情報を発信し、また共有をしていく。そして、自分たちがもっともっと強くなっていく、そういうことが非常に大切だと思います。そのための道具として、今インターネットというものが普及していますから、みんなもそれぞれがこのインターネットを自分たちのたたかいの武器として、大いに活用して、情報を共有してやっていきましょう。
世界中の若者たちは、平和な世界、自分たちがこれから生きていく世界が平和になることを、心から望んでいますし、それはエジプトでもチュニジアでも、ああいう中東革命を起こした原動力は、若者でした。広島での原水禁大会、平和式典にも、たくさんの若者が来られていました。彼等がこれからの未来を切り拓いてくれるのだと、大いに期待をしています。
最良の人たち、”best people”は、今日お集まりの皆さんにこそふさわしい呼び名です。皆さんが何をしていらっしゃるか、私たちが何をしているかと言うと、「平和と正義のためにたたかっている」、そこでは絶対にくじけない、そういう強い精神、強い気持ちを持って行動されています。、そうい
う人たちは、私はアメリカ人だし、皆さんは日本の方ですが、みんな共通していて、繋がれます。出口玲子さん、田邊さん、須田先生、皆さん、素晴らしい方達ばかりです。
ご静聴ありがとうございました。これから、みんなで一緒にやっていくということが、ますます大切になりますし、ずっと活動を続けて行くには、いろいろ大変なこともあるとは思いますが、それが人生です。皆さん、それぞれ自分たちの人生を精一杯生き抜いて、ご一緒に平和な世界のため
にたたかって行きましょう。ありがとうございました。
