Okinawa Environmental Justice Project
Connecting the green dots to protect Okinawa's environment
The U.S Military Resumes CH-53 Flight Operations and Issues (Damage Control) Media Release
October 22, 2017
ⓒKYODO
While the residents of the Takae district, Higashi village and the people of Okinawa are still shaken and infuriated by the October 11 crash of a U.S military CH-53 helicopter in the district, and although the cause of the crash has not been determined, the U.S. military resumed the flight operations of the aircraft on October 18. See Kyodo News.
Following a 96-hour suspension of flight operations, the U.S. military’s CH-53 helicopters are back in the Okinawa sky, flying over our houses, schools, hospitals, forests and sea as if nothing has happened.
The Japanese government, Okinawa prefectural government and local municipalities have demanded that the operations of the CH-53 aircraft be suspended indefinitely until the cause of the crash is determined, but to no avail. See The Japan Times.
U.S. Military’s Media Release
Before resuming the operation of CH-53 helicopters, the U.S. military issued a media release, providing explanations for its actions. See the Media Release.
In our opinion, the media release reads like a damage control PR statement, directed to (the rest of) the U.S. military and U.S. government and probably to the U.S. public, but not to the people of Okinawa (It is written in English and we have not seen a Japanese translation of it yet).
The lopsided power relationships among the U.S. military, Japan and Okinawa have prevailed again. Our lives and environment are in danger. Many of us feel we are under colonial and military occupation.
read more
Connecting the green dots to protect Okinawa's environment
The U.S Military Resumes CH-53 Flight Operations and Issues (Damage Control) Media Release
October 22, 2017
ⓒKYODO
While the residents of the Takae district, Higashi village and the people of Okinawa are still shaken and infuriated by the October 11 crash of a U.S military CH-53 helicopter in the district, and although the cause of the crash has not been determined, the U.S. military resumed the flight operations of the aircraft on October 18. See Kyodo News.
Following a 96-hour suspension of flight operations, the U.S. military’s CH-53 helicopters are back in the Okinawa sky, flying over our houses, schools, hospitals, forests and sea as if nothing has happened.
The Japanese government, Okinawa prefectural government and local municipalities have demanded that the operations of the CH-53 aircraft be suspended indefinitely until the cause of the crash is determined, but to no avail. See The Japan Times.
U.S. Military’s Media Release
Before resuming the operation of CH-53 helicopters, the U.S. military issued a media release, providing explanations for its actions. See the Media Release.
In our opinion, the media release reads like a damage control PR statement, directed to (the rest of) the U.S. military and U.S. government and probably to the U.S. public, but not to the people of Okinawa (It is written in English and we have not seen a Japanese translation of it yet).
The lopsided power relationships among the U.S. military, Japan and Okinawa have prevailed again. Our lives and environment are in danger. Many of us feel we are under colonial and military occupation.
read more