|
Dear Friends
This is news from Japan. Our friend arrested in Iraq,
and goverment is leaving them to death.
We are very, very concerned with this situation.
Following is our appeal for goverment.
Please spread this appeal.
Kazuko Ito attorney at law.
-------------------------------------------
Appeal for the Release of
the three Japanese Taken Hostage in Iraq
Issued by the Anti-DU (Depleted Uranium) Groups in Japan
April 8, 2004
Today Mr. Noriaki Imai, 18 years old, and two other other Japanese were
taken hostage by an armed group in Iraq. Mr. Imai is a member of the
Campaign to Abolish DU (Depleted Uranium) as well as director of the NO
DU
Sapporo Project. The armed group has issued the statement to the effect
that "they will kill them unless Self-Defense Forces of Japan withdraws
within three days."
Mr. Imai has been deeply saddened by the fact that many innocent Iraqi
children have been suffering from cancer and leukemia. He has become
engaged in the activity for abolition of depleted uranium so that DU
weapons
would not be used again.
He has been opposing of Iraq War and the dispatch of the Self-Defense
Forces to Iraq. He went to Iraq in order to see the reality of the DU
damage
by his own eyes and convey it to as many people as possible. He has been
planning to produce a picture booklet about Iraqi children as a means
for
such purpose
Japanese Government should not have such well-meaning citizens killed.
We request that Japanese Government hold the regard for life to be of
the
greatest importance. It should not be allowed to sacrifice citizens for
the
sake of the Self-Defense Forces deployed in Iraq.
What is needed most in Iraq now is not to send an army, but to extend
medical relief for the still increasing victims by the war and the DU
weapons. We demand strongly that Japanese Government withdraw the
Self-Defense Forces immediately and to try every means to save the three
hostages as soon as possible.
As the fighting intensifies, similar captures can occur to the civilians
of many nationalities engaged in the relief activities in Iraq. Recently
a
shell fell just near the base camp of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces
in
Samawah. Now that the whole land of Iraq including Samawah area has
become
the fighting field, the condition of not sending the SDF to a fighting
field
has already collapsed. The swift withdrawal of the Japanese Self-Defense
Forces must be the sincere hope of the majority of the people, not only
that
of particular groups, in Iraq.
Anti-DU Groups in Japan
Campaign for Abolition of DU Weapons, Tokyo
Citizens’ Network for DU Abolition
NO DU Hiroshima Project
NO DU Sapporo Project
Hokkaido Peace Net
|
