ボードを掲げ石垣市への陸上自衛隊配備阻止を訴える市民ら＝２９日、石垣市総合体育館
【石垣】石垣市への陸上自衛隊配備に反対する市民集会が２９日、市総合体育館で開かれ、市内全域からこれまでで最大規模の約８００人が集結した。中山義隆市長の陸自受け入れ表明を糾弾し配備阻止を訴える決議を採択して、最後に「ミサイル」「基地」の文字に×印を付けたボードを掲げ配備反対をアピールした。
中山市長は配備の可否を判断する前に配備候補地周辺４地区から「意見を聞く」と発言しながら面談せずに、昨年１２月２６日に突然配備受け入れを表明した。
これを受け、４地区も加入する「石垣島に軍事基地をつくらせない市民連絡会」が主催し、市民集会を開催した。４地区の住民や戦争体験者、高校生ら１０人が登壇し意見を発表した。
４地区代表で発言した嵩田地区の中辻敦子さん（３７）は「市長は自分の子どもが通う学校横への配備を受け入れるのか。私たちの地域にも人は住み、学校もある。話し合いもできなかったのはとても残念だ」と市長の対応を批判し「今まで通り静かで穏やかに農作業できる地域であってほしい」と求めた。
戦争体験者で４地区内の川原に住む上原重次郎さん（７９）は自身の体験から「基地があると必ず標的にされる。絶対に造らせてはならない」と語気を強めた。八重山農林高校３年の野原心さんも「勝手に配備計画を進めることは疑問だ。将来も安心して暮らせる島であってほしい」と願いを込めた。
英文へ→800 people protest self-defense force deployment in Ishigaki
石垣陸自配備、８００人抗議集会 市長の受け入れ糾弾
2017年1月30日 琉球新報
800 people protest self-defense force deployment in Ishigaki
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January 30, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
A public meeting against deployment of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) to Ishigaki Island was held in Ishigaki City gymnastic hall on January 29, and approximately 800 people from around the city attended the meeting. The group adopted a resolution to oppose the city mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama’s announcement to accept the JGSDF. They concluded the protest while holding picket signs with the words “missile” and “base” crossed out.
Mayor Nakayama had said he would “to listen to opinions” from the four districts around the planned area before making any decisions on the deployment, yet the announcement of his approval was suddenly made public on December 26.
Opposing the announcement, the “residents’ liaison association to oppose militarization of Ishigaki” including the four districts held the public meeting. Ten residents from the four districts, war survivors and high school students spoke on stage.
Thirty-seven-year old representative of the four districts, Atsuko Nakatsuji, from Takeda district criticized the mayor, saying; “The mayor is going to allow the JGSDF to be stationed right next to schools where we send our children. There are residents and schools in our districts. It is really disappointing that we could not even have a talk.” She further demanded; “I hope our communities will be quiet and peaceful places where we can continue our farming.”
Seventy-nine-year old war survivor, Shigejiro Uehara who lives in Kawahara stressed the lessons from own experience.
“A place becomes a target of attack if there is a military base. We must not let them build a base.”
A senior student from Yaeyama Norin High School, Kokoro Nohara also shared her wishes.
“It is questionable how the government proceeds with the deployment plan without proper consideration. I hope the island will be a peaceful place to live in future.”
(English translation by T&CT and Sayaka Sakuma)
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