沖縄に駐留する米海兵隊が移駐する先のひとつ、地図の矢印の先にある、単なる点として、私たちは脳内処理してしまっていないだろうか（左画像は、『琉球新報』2012年2月26日1面に掲載された「アジア・太平洋での米軍再編の動き」と題されたマップ）。
しかし、当然のことながら、ここにも人たちの暮らしがある。米軍を歓迎しない人たち、米軍を歓迎する国策に疑念を抱く人たちがいる。 つながろうと手を伸ばしてくれる人たちがいる。
施政権返還から40年を迎えた沖縄へのメッセージが届いたので紹介します。
「オーストラリアからのメッセージ」
米国から日本への沖縄施政権返還40年を記念する沖縄の人々へ、連帯のメッセージ
私たちは、皆さんの長きにわたる米軍基地「受入れ」('hosting')の経験に共感を抱いています。それが皆さんのあまりに多くの不利益という帰結を引き起こしていることを知っています。強行された基地建設で立ち退きを余儀なくされ、今はもう集落ごと存在しないふたつのコミュニティのことを思います。
約束された繁栄よりもむしろ、外国軍のインパクトは、様々に地域の経済を歪め蝕むものでしょう。外国軍の兵士は、地域の人々よりも高給を得ているでしょう。地価や物価を引き上げ、水道供給、学校教育などの地元の資源に負担をかけ、交通量の増加は地元の安全を損ないます。地産の食糧や産品を買い上げることで地元経済を活性化させるよりも、むしろ、外国軍は自分の国から商品を輸入してニーズを満たすでしょう。
軍事基地のもたらす社会への悪影響はよく知られた事実です。20世紀半ば以降に米軍が駐留した場所ではどこでも、軍にまつわる売買春をもたらし、父親不在のこどもたちが受入国に残されてきました。レイプや暴力事件が、地位協定（SOFA）や駐留軍協定（VFA）によって地元の法律の規制を免れる米兵によって引き起こされています。
沖縄県警の記録では、1945年から50年の間に278件の米兵によるレイプ事件が発生し、1972年から1997年の間に200人以上の沖縄の女性たちがレイプされ、しかも、この衝撃的な数字は、全てを物語っているわけではないのです。性犯罪は、歴史のなかで長く公表されずに来ました。12才の沖縄の女児が3人の米海兵隊員にレイプされた1995年の悲しむべき惨い事件のことは、私たちも忘れていません。この事件は、外国の兵士によるレイプの実態を世界に知らせるものでした。
軍事基地活動によってもたらされる環境破壊は、このような「受入れ」がもたらすまた別の否定的な結果です。実弾演習は環境汚染の原因となります。その他の武器使用で残留する劣化ウラン、鉛などの重金属、有毒化学物質、燃料が地下水を汚染します。米国の核実験や放射能汚染の過去もあります。
地元に暮らす人びとの健康が、当然のことながら、結果として被害を被るのです。米軍「受入れ」被害という遺産を抱える地域を上げれば、長い一覧表が出来るでしょう。たとえば太平洋のマーシャル諸島、フィリピン諸島のスービック湾とクラーク空軍基地、中央アメリカのビエケスなどはそのうち4つの不運な事例として挙げることができます。
外国軍基地は、挑発的な存在でもあり、そのため、報復攻撃のターゲットとなる可能性もあります。地元の人々にとっては、安全保障の「促進」とは対極のものであることは明白です。
オーストラリアの私たちは、今、存在感を増す米軍に直面しています。沖縄の人びとと同様に、オーストラリアの私たちも相談をされていません。先月、200人の海兵隊員が、北部の都市ダーウィンに到着しました。これから先の数年間をかけて2500人規模に拡大する駐留計画の空陸任務部隊（Air Ground Task Force）の最初の段階です。ノーザン・テリトリーには空軍機のローテーション配置の増加も発表されました。ココス諸島には、無人機ドローン駐機のための飛行場建設が伝えられました。我々の政府は、西オーストラリアの港湾を整備し、米軍艦と潜水艦の寄港・配備に備えると、発表しています。
そういうわけで、沖縄が施政権返還40年を画するとき、沖縄の私たちの友が何十年も抱えてきた重荷を、オーストラリアの人々が受け入れようと覚悟しています。ダーウィンの地元では海兵隊がもたらす危険性と社会的インパクトに取り組むため、私たちは、皆さんの強さから学ぼうとしています。自分たちの土地で米軍基地のインパクトに晒され続けてきた沖縄の友の先例と経験とに学びたいと強く願っています。
友情と連帯の約束を送ります。世界の平和のために。
ジューン・ノーマン
スピリット・オブ・ユリーカ
ベース・ウォッチ（ダーウィン）
戦争を招き入れない/希望の波連合オーストラリア反基地キャンペーン連合カンタベリー・バンクスタウン平和グループ
フレンズ・オブ・ディ・アース（アデレード）
フレンズ・オブ・ディ・アース（ブリスベン）
ジャスト・ピース（クイーンズランド）
［原文は以下］
Message from Australia
A message of solidarity with the people of Okinawa as they mark the 40th anniversary of reversion
of Okinawa's political administration from the United States to Japan.
______
We empathise with your long experience of 'hosting' a US military base. We know that it has resulted in too many outcomes of no benefit to your people. We think of how two entire Okinawan villages no longer exist – because they had to make way for the base that was imposed on those communities.
Rather than bring promised prosperity, the impact of foreign bases is more likely to distort and harm local economies in many ways. The foreign military personnel usually have higher wages than are available to the local people. This inflates property and commodity prices, puts pressure on local resources such as water supply, schools, and increases traffic, decreasing local road safety. Rather than boosting the local economy by buying local produced food and goods, the foreign military are likely to satisfy their needs by importing goods from their own country.
The social impact of bases is infamous. Wherever US military bases have been established since the mid-20th century, military prostitution has occurred and many fatherless children left behind in the host nation. Rapes and violent crimes are also committed by US soldiers who are quarantined from any consequences of local laws by a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) or Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
We are aware of Okinawan Police records of 278 cases of rape by US servicemen from 1945 to 1950, and the rape over 200 Okinawan women between 1972 and 1997 – but these shocking figures do not tell the whole story. Sex crimes are historically under-reported. We remember the sad but infamous case of the rape of a 12 year old Okinawan girl by three US Marines in 1995. It brought the fact of rape by foreign soldiers to world attention.
The environmental damage wrought by activities at military bases is another negative outcome of “hosting” them. Live fire exercises can cause environmental contamination. Other residues from weapons use such as Depleted Uranium, heavy metals such as lead, poisonous chemical pollutants and fuel can enter the groundwater. Then there is the history of US nuclear tests and their radioactive contamination.
The health of the local population of course suffers as a consequence. We could make a very long list of places with a legacy of such harm from “hosting” a US base. The Marshall Islands in the Pacific, Subic Bay and Clark Air Base in the Philippines, and Vieques in central America are four unfortunate examples.
______
We empathise with your long experience of 'hosting' a US military base. We know that it has resulted in too many outcomes of no benefit to your people. We think of how two entire Okinawan villages no longer exist – because they had to make way for the base that was imposed on those communities.
Rather than bring promised prosperity, the impact of foreign bases is more likely to distort and harm local economies in many ways. The foreign military personnel usually have higher wages than are available to the local people. This inflates property and commodity prices, puts pressure on local resources such as water supply, schools, and increases traffic, decreasing local road safety. Rather than boosting the local economy by buying local produced food and goods, the foreign military are likely to satisfy their needs by importing goods from their own country.
The social impact of bases is infamous. Wherever US military bases have been established since the mid-20th century, military prostitution has occurred and many fatherless children left behind in the host nation. Rapes and violent crimes are also committed by US soldiers who are quarantined from any consequences of local laws by a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) or Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
We are aware of Okinawan Police records of 278 cases of rape by US servicemen from 1945 to 1950, and the rape over 200 Okinawan women between 1972 and 1997 – but these shocking figures do not tell the whole story. Sex crimes are historically under-reported. We remember the sad but infamous case of the rape of a 12 year old Okinawan girl by three US Marines in 1995. It brought the fact of rape by foreign soldiers to world attention.
The environmental damage wrought by activities at military bases is another negative outcome of “hosting” them. Live fire exercises can cause environmental contamination. Other residues from weapons use such as Depleted Uranium, heavy metals such as lead, poisonous chemical pollutants and fuel can enter the groundwater. Then there is the history of US nuclear tests and their radioactive contamination.
The health of the local population of course suffers as a consequence. We could make a very long list of places with a legacy of such harm from “hosting” a US base. The Marshall Islands in the Pacific, Subic Bay and Clark Air Base in the Philippines, and Vieques in central America are four unfortunate examples.
Foreign military bases are also provocative, and hence become potential targets for military
retaliation. To the local people, it quite rightly appears that the base, rather than “enhancing” security, does the opposite.
In Australia, we now face an increasing American military presence – and like the people
of Okinawa, we the people of Australia have not been consulted. Last month 200 marines arrived in our northern city of Darwin, the first stage of a proposal to base an entire Air Ground Task Force comprising of 2500 US marines over the next few years. Increased rotational visits of US Airforce aircraft have also been announced for the Northern Territory. We are told that a new air field will be constructed on the Cocos Islands to base unmanned US drones. Our government has announced port upgrades in Western Australia to facilitate visits from and deployment of American warships and submarines.
And so, as Okinawa marks the 40th anniversary of reversion, Australians are now bracing for those burdens that our friends in Okinawa have carried for decades. As locals in Darwin begin to grapple with the risks and social impacts presented by a Marines Corps. base, we take inspiration from your strength. We are keen to learn from the example and the experience of our friends in Okinawa who continue to bear the impacts of American military bases on their land.
We send you our friendship and pledge solidarity. For a peaceful world,
June Norman
Spirit of Eureka
BaseWatch (Darwin)
Keep War From Our Door/ Wave of Hope Coalition Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition Canterbury-Bankstown Peace Group
Friends of the Earth (Adelaide)
Friends of the Earth (Brisbane)
Just Peace (Queensland)
In Australia, we now face an increasing American military presence – and like the people
of Okinawa, we the people of Australia have not been consulted. Last month 200 marines arrived in our northern city of Darwin, the first stage of a proposal to base an entire Air Ground Task Force comprising of 2500 US marines over the next few years. Increased rotational visits of US Airforce aircraft have also been announced for the Northern Territory. We are told that a new air field will be constructed on the Cocos Islands to base unmanned US drones. Our government has announced port upgrades in Western Australia to facilitate visits from and deployment of American warships and submarines.
And so, as Okinawa marks the 40th anniversary of reversion, Australians are now bracing for those burdens that our friends in Okinawa have carried for decades. As locals in Darwin begin to grapple with the risks and social impacts presented by a Marines Corps. base, we take inspiration from your strength. We are keen to learn from the example and the experience of our friends in Okinawa who continue to bear the impacts of American military bases on their land.
We send you our friendship and pledge solidarity. For a peaceful world,
June Norman
Spirit of Eureka
BaseWatch (Darwin)
Keep War From Our Door/ Wave of Hope Coalition Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition Canterbury-Bankstown Peace Group
Friends of the Earth (Adelaide)
Friends of the Earth (Brisbane)
Just Peace (Queensland)