Rage against Rape, Rage against US Bases and War

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Press Statement
February 22, 2008
From the Desk of: Atty. Virginia Suarez-Pinlac, Spokesperson, KAISA KA-KPD

KAISA-KA, a progressive women’s organization in the Philippines strongly condemns the rape by a marine staff sergeant of a 14 year old girl in Okinawa. We sympathize with the victim and we hope that she gathers enough strength so that she, her parents and her supporters resolutely fight for justice.

The news of the rape saddens us. As supporters of the victim in the 2005 rape in a former base in the Philippines by a lance corporal from the US Marines, we in KAISA-KA know the emotional and mental anguish the victim and her family are going through.

But more than the sadness is our outrage. Rape and other military abuses have been committed against several people around US bases in Okinawa in the past several decades. People have been opposing the bases but these bases have been in Japan for 62 years now and have even expanded. And worse, the Japanese government has now allowed its armed forces to be dragged into US’ wars.

Wherever US troops are, cases of rape and other sexual abuses abound. A US naval investigator even admitted in the course of his testimony during a hearing on the Subic rape case that 50% of the cases his office attends to involve rape.

We believe, a US official’s promise of countermeasures to prevent recurrence of military sexual abuse will not bring peace of mind to the Japanese women. US officials make this promise every time cases of rape or molestation happen.

The problem lies in hosting bases for the armed forces of the only superpower. Because of its economic and military might, the US government forces upon other countries unequal agreements. These agreements give erring soldiers immense protection, virtually giving them license to bully locals.

The US establishes bases for its interventionist wars. To keep its soldiers in “fighting form”, it allows its troops to have “rest and recreation” (R & R). R & R for them largely include taking liberties with women. The areas around bases are places for these. Hence, women and children in communities around bases become more prone to abuses of their soldiers who may be drunk, demoralized, and alienated.

No less than the dismantling of the US bases and the complete withdrawal of US troops from Japan will give peace and security to the ordinary people of Japan, most especially to its women and children. A united people strongly against interventionist wars can make this happen!