¡@
|
July 20, 2000 --- To:
Bill Clinton, Trent Lott, Denny Hastert, George W. Bush |
Dear Mr. President Bill Clinton, Reported on July 16, 2000 --- About 2,500 students and activists carrying signs bearing anti-American slogans rallied in front of the main U.S. military base in South Korea on Saturday, protesting the dumping of a toxic chemical. Brief shoving matches erupted when thousands of riot police formed human blockades with helmets and shields to keep the protesters from the U.S. army base. In a separate demonstration, 10 college students pelted the nearby U.S. Information Service building with red paint. Five were apprehended by police for questioning. Saturday's rally in front of the U.S. Eighth Army headquarters base in Yongsan, central Seoul, came a day after the U.S. military command admitted dumping 20 gallons (75.7 liters) of formaldehyde in February into the base's sewage system, which discharges into Seoul's Han River. "Punish those responsible," the protesters chanted. They marched two blocks to the base, carrying U.S. flags with "Ugly U.S. Army!" scrawled on them. Other slogans called for the resignation of U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Thomas A. Schwartz. The march snarled traffic. Reported on July 16, 2000 --- Thousands of protesters gathered Saturday in Okinawa to oppose the U.S. military presence and criticize recent alleged crimes by American servicemen on Japan's southern island. The rally comes days before the July 21-23 meeting of Group of Eight leading industrialized nations begins. ¡§The bases have been the source of many of our problems,¡¨ said Masao Narita, a 27-year-old activist. "We are here to shout, 'No more bases!' " About 6,500 people shouted and carried banners with anti-U.S. military slogans, filling the park where the rally was held. There were no immediate reports of violence. One of the incidents that triggered Saturday's protest was the July 3 arrest of a Marine on charges of indecency and unlawful entry. The serviceman, whose name is withheld, is accused of walked into an unlocked apartment and fondling a 14-year-old girl as she slept in her bed. Okinawans have long complained about crime linked to the U.S. bases. The case triggered a renewed uproar on Okinawa, where years of anti U.S. military sentiment exploded in 1995, when three U.S. servicemen raped a 12-year-old girl. Aggravating the already tense situation, on July 9 an Air Force sergeant was blamed for a hit-and run accident that left a Japanese civilian with a minor injury. "The molestation of the 14-year-old girl ... reminded many of us of the rape five years ago," said Mitsuko Tomon, a lawmaker representing Okinawa. "With only days to go before the summit, we are sending a clear message to the leaders and they will have to listen even if they don't want to."¡@ Since the home-entry case, Japanese citizens and politicians, including Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, have demanded tighter restrictions on U.S. service personnel on Okinawa. The U.S. military imposed a drinking ban and a late-night curfew on all service members, hoping to defuse tensions before U.S. President Bill Clinton arrives for the G-8 summit. Under the U.S. Japan security treaty about 47,000 U.S. military service people are stationed in Japan, nearly two-thirds of them in Okinawa, 1,000 miles (1,610 kilometers) southwest of Tokyo. The G-8 nations are the United States, Japan, Russia, Germany, France, Britain, Canada and Italy ¡K Let us interview; the summit on the table at camp David that major issues are always around over more or less in what's defense mechanism and without of mutual trust, despite President Clinton made a goodwill to link together between both sides which still revealing non-confidence in the principle of "survival of balance". How to make a deal with country-to-country or people-people that is the most important issues for next years in the future, the superpower country as U.S. can not rule out the important position to face crack down on terrorism and organized crime. Thousand of protesters gather in Okinawa on July 15 2000 to oppose the U.S. military presence and criticized recent alleged crime by American-servicemen on Japan's southern island because of raped little girls. However American soldiers need build up new model for other countries. About 2,500 students and activists carrying sign bearing anti-American slogans rallied on July 15, 2000 in front of the main military base in south Korea for protesting the dumping of a toxic chemical. Why American soldiers want to protect region stability and serve other countries under the danger of bloodshed for crucial war, those who were protected or shielded people against U.S. Army? Maybe in the political issue have no definite what is right or wrong but to be superpower country, it would be asked for justice and fair treatment in the world. In my personal view; every country look U.S. as to be judge, high morality, most perfect, and real honest without selfish, a friend in trust. ¡@
|
|
¡@
|