JCBL Okinawa Declaration

Dear Members of the ICBL

JCBL held a Symposium on US Position Towards MBT at Okinawa on July 15, 2000.
Mr. Tun Channareth, the ICBL Internatinal Ambassador, joined in the symposium as a Keynote Speaker.
Another speakers were:
Ms.Kimi Hara, Ex-Rector of the Okinawa Christian Junior College Mr.Seiichi Sakugawa, Professor of the University of Okinawa Mr.Jai-Kook Cho, KCBL, Professr of Anyang University Ms.Motoko Mekata, JCBL
Mr.Toshihiro Shimizu, JCBL

The following is the "JCBL Okinawa Declaration" declared at the final session of the Symposium.
Best regards,

Yasuhiro Kitagawa
Japan Campaign to Ban Landmine

JCBL Okinawa Declaration

We, the Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines (JCBL), is a coalition of NGO's working together to promote the total ban of anti-personnel landmines, a series of weapons that is against the International Humanitarian Law. We are also workin g as a member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), a Nobel Peace Laureate of 1997, in cooperation with other 1,300 member organizations all over the world. The G-8 Summit will be held from 21-23 July 2000 in Okinawa, where civilian people suffered most severely of direct fighting durin g the World War II. We sincerely hope that the G-8 nations will adopt concrete measures towards building a peaceful world.
In advance to the Summit meeting, the JCBL has organized a symposium in Okinaw a to discuss landmine issues. Availing ourselves of this opportunity, we adopt the Okinawa declaration and urge the leaders of G-8 nations to realize the following three points.

15 July 2000
Yasuhiro Kitagawa, JCBL Coordinator

1. "Conflict Prevention" is one of the main agenda of the Okinawa Summit and specifically, it is scheduled to discuss transfer regulation of small arms and light weapons including anti-personnel landmines. Landmines may easily become sources of re-opening conflicts since they remain in the ground long after cease-fire, thus hampering the repatriation of refugees and community reconstruction. Therefore, we urge the leaders of G-8 nations to include into the final declaration of Okinawa Summit practical solutions to prevent further suffrage caused by landmines.
2. The Government of Japan has demonstrated its commitments to solve the landmine issue by joining the Ottawa Treaty and pledging to contribute 10 billion Japanese Yen for landmine-related programs in five years starting from 1998. We urge the Government of Japan to maintain its basic diplomatic policy to promote "Human Security" framed out by the late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi , and to further commit itself to continue implementation of the pledges already been made.
3. As of today, 137 countries in the world have joined the Ottawa Treaty, while
   the United Stated is not yet a part of it. As such, the anti-personnel landmines stockpiled in the U.S. Bases stationed in Japan, especially in Okinawa where 75% of bases are concentrated, will not be destructed, although Japan has already started its own destruction. Many of the U.S. allied countries in Europe and elsewhere share this contradiction. Therefore, we urge the U.S. government to join the Ottawa Treaty as soon as possible to sincerely commit itself to realize the world free of anti-personnel landmines. We furthe r urge the G-8 nations to exercise strong leadership to encourage other countr ies that have not yet done so to also join this Treaty.