Stop occupation of Iraq, 3.19-20 Rally in Japan

Iraq marks 2 years since Bush started “war on terrorism”. On March 19-20, worldwide joint action against war was held in many countries. In Japan there were rallies and parades in various regions. JRU gathered together with Peace Constitution League, 9-joren on both days.

Tokyo-area rally was held at Hibiya Amphitheater near Diet Building on March 19.The organizer announced about 4.500 people assembled there. Jumpei Yasuda, kidnapped in Iraq last April, made a speech opposing against war and occupation.

The next day, on March 20, at the same place there was another rally gathering some 6.000 workers and citizens (reported by the organizer). Among them there was a big group of JRU, JR-East, JR-Tokai and JR-freight of 300 workers.

A journalist from Iraq came and appealed to people against the war. His town near Baghdad was bombed. Almost all the casualties were innocent children and women, he said. He saw a baby crying beside his mother who seemed to be dead. A mentally-retarded man was shot because he ran about frightened at bombing. He told what happened in his town with anger. Every morning when he leaves home, he wonders if he could come back alive again.

We can’t allow Bush who has killed tens of thousands of innocent people in Iraq, repeated atrocities and destroyed their life saying the legitimacy of “war on terrorism”.

We also stand against the Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, who tags after Bush and dispatches SDF troops to Iraq. In the parade we appealed “withdrawal of US allied forces and SDF from Iraq” to the public. Let’s fight on together.