A letter to President Obama

Dear President Obama,

I am a student from The Evergreen State College in Olympia. I have been conduncting research regarding the effects of U.S. military presence in Okinawa. As one of many individuals deeply concerned about these effects it has been clearly shown that the removal of the bases in Okinawa is critical.

Okinawans are not being heard. As a small island prefecture, Okinawa comprises only 0.6% of the nation’s land area and less than 1% of its population yet bears 70% of the total U.S. military presence in Japan. Okinawa also holds the burden of being an ethnic minority which has suffered from discrimination from both Japan and the U.S. for many years.

After Japan abolished the 500 year old Ryukyu Kingdom Okinawans suffered socailly, economically and politcally in the worst ways. Since then the Okinawans have been thrust in a violent war. This war left 1/3 of Okinawan civilians dead, this is more than Nagasaki and Hiroshima combined. Okinawa now lives under U.S. military rule which routinely denies Okinawans basic legal, property, and political rights. The number of crimes and deadly accidents involving U.S. forces, continuing to this day.

Stopping the Henoko air base would also greatly improve the enviroment and ecosystem of Okinawa which the people greatly depend on. A vast majority of Okinawans want the base gone. Let's prevent any further tension between the U.S. and Japan.

Please stop the base.

Sincerely,

Alice Newberry