From: 大石 高久
To: seyedjavad@hotmail.com
Subject: An Appeal
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 23:57:47 +0900
Appeal from Japanese Scholars of Political Economy to All the People and
States of the World
- Call for the Rational Actions to Eradicate the Vicious Cycle
of Indiscriminate Terrorism and Military Actions -
8 October, 2001
On September 11, 2001, the multiple simultaneous acts of terrorism that
took the lives of several thousand people in an instant brought an
immeasurable shock to the whole world. We express our deepest
condolences and sympathy to the victims and we denounce those groups and
individuals who planned or executed the terrorist act.
We will never tolerate such actions of indiscriminate terrorism that
kill so many ordinary people as means to attain any aim. Such terrorism
is an anti-humanistic act and an international crime against the whole
of humanity. Those who planned or acted must be strictly punished. There
is a peaceful and internationally recognized means to address and pass
judgement on these kinds of crime; specifically, there is the
International Court based on the UN Charter and international laws. It
has already been functioning for some time now. We seek the impeachment
of the planners,organizers, actors and supporters of the recent act of
terrorism according to the procedures based on international law, to be
heard at the International Court so as to reach a fair verdict and stern
punishment of the guilty.
At the time immediately following the attack, the US government declared
“This is a war against the USA” and began to prepare for a retaliatory
war against the terrorist groups, their individual members and
supporting organizations, and it demanded that other nations act in
concert with its policy.
Looking back at what has been happening in the past ten years, it is
undeniable that the US and its allied nations have damaged the lives of
a tremendous number of non-combatant people or ordinary citizens by
either directly or indirectly waging military actions in Palestine,
Iraq, the Sudan, and states of the former Yugoslavia, causing the
increase of anti-US emotions among the public in those areas, and
fostering such fanatic consciousness leading to the belief that the
suicidal attacks of indiscriminate terrorism would deliver supreme
salvation. Although we have no time here to offer specific reasons why
these conditions exist, we can see clearly the vicious cycle of military
actions and indiscriminate terrorism. It seems apparent that the recent
acts indiscriminate terrorism is a part of such a vicious cycle.
Do not such formidable acts of indiscriminate terrorism demand of us,
all individuals and all states of the world, to act rationally? With
this in mind, we ask the people of the US and the world neither for a
retaliatory war, nor for a request to support it, but instead ask for
rational action of people and of states to eradicate such vicious cycles
as seen in Palestine, the Middle East,Yugoslavia, and all over the
world.
Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi expressed support for the retaliatory
war policy of the US government even earlier than the NATO nations did.
The ruling parties of Japan, by taking advantage of the shock in the
minds of the Japanese people who had watched closely the large-scale act
of terrorism, are seeking to strengthen the contents of existing laws to
make it possible for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to go abroad and
participate in military actions which would violate the peace article of
the Japanese Constitution even further than, we believe, it already has
been. We ask the Japanese government to make appeals to the public and
the states of the world to cut off the horrifying vicious cycle of
military actions and terrorism by engaging in non-military, rational
behavior. We desire that Japan act on it’s own to furnish a good
example. Now is the time for Japan, as one of the so-called economic
giants, to build hospitals and schools, dispatch medical doctors,
educators and agriculturists to mitigate with all its power the inhuman
conditions of the people in different parts of world which have been the
hotbeds of indiscriminate terrorism. We ask the Japanese government to
act in this direction.
President Bush in his speech at the US Congress on Sept. 22 urged the
people and states of the world to make the choice between standing with
the US for“justice”and defence of“freedom”or going with“evil”and
terrorism.Those who were present all stood applauding him. To urge that
people choose between the two - with military power behind - is nothing
but a threat without allowing room for rational thought. By this speech,
the people and states of the world are made to face an oppressive force
which would deny the freedom to criticize the President’s policy. We
foster the hope of human society to overcome this kind of oppressive
power over the consciousness. We hope for action to consolidate all
human beings, such as is being shown by the people in New York in the
midst of such devastation, and also in the demonstrations in that same
city, in which people courageously expressed opposition to a retaliatory
war.
We demand of all states in the world that they take rational action to
eradicate the vicious cycle of indiscriminate terrorism and military
conflict. Hearing of the news on the beginning of the strikes, we demand
of the United States and its allied forces to stop the military action
immediately.
We must create such a world system that would make it possible to
overcome the severe poverty and inhuman living conditions which become
seed-beds for indiscriminate terrorism. We call on all working
individuals of the world, and especially of the advanced nations, to
make such a world system possible.
We now declare determination to do our best to eliminate such social
bases as bear wars among nations and indiscriminate terrorism.
Concerned individuals among the members of the Japan Society of
Political Economy
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