Various militant groups protest signing of RAA with Japan
Various progressive groups on Monday protested in front of the Japanese embassy to oppose the signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the Philippines and Japan.
Thirty members of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), Gabriela, Lila Pilipina, and other groups gathered in front of the embassy urging the government to scrap its deal, saying that it is a ploy of the United States to militarize the whole region and that it will worsen the conflict between the country and China.
“The conclusion of the RAA will further develop the Philippines-Japan military collaboration. Japanese ruling class also intend to expand its military muscle in the region, using the Philippines as a foothold for it,” BAYAN said in a statement.
“At the same time, strengthening security cooperation between the Philippines and Japan is part of the US-led "Indo-Pacific strategy" which aims to contain China,” it added.
“This provokes China and further incites conflict between the Philippines and China. We oppose such kind of the US-Japanese warmongering and military intervention in the Philippines,” it said.
Lila Pilipina Executive Director Sharon Cabusao-Silva expressed fear that allowing Japanese troops to freely enter the country would mean that they could possibly repeat sexual abuses that they have committed against comfort women during World War II.
“Firstly, the comfort women have not achieved justice. Then here comes another agreement called the RAA which will give Japanese soldiers the freedom or permission to once again enter and exit our country. And it is not clear in this agreement that if ever any Japanese soldier commits a crime, under which jurisdiction he will fall under,” Silva said in an interview with The Daily Manila Shimbun.
“That’s why we are afraid that the signing of the RAA would mean that those who could possibly become victims of Japanese soldiers could not obtain justice,” she added.
Silva also called on the Japanese government to “stop reverting to the path of war” and to apologize for their war crimes.
“There is a provision in the Japanese Constitution that upholds peace, that prohibits the deployment of Japanese troops overseas for purposes of war. So the current government of (Prime Minister Fumio Kishida) is circumventing that provision in the Constitution. So Japan should stop its path of war,” Silva said.
“Japan should apologize for the wartime crimes it committed during World War II and make sure that it never happens again,” she said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
