Greenpeace Action Alert – Protestors Arrested In Japan
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Last Tuesday, four Greenpeace volunteers were put in jail after taking action to end toxic pollution from the world's
largest incinerator in Tokyo. In addition on Thursday, the police raided the Greenpeace office in Tokyo and our flagship
"The Rainbow Warrior".
You can let Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori of Japan know that you want the four activists released immediately. Not only
because they were campaigning for a cleaner environment, but also because the Japanese police are contravening
internationally agreed upon human rights by holding the activists for more than 10 days without charge. Following is
some background information about the issue and action, and also a letter you can email to the Japanese Prime Minister
and Japanese Ambassador to NZ.
BACKGROUND The Rainbow Warrior has been undertaking a 5 month long toxics tour of SE Asia and is currently in Japan. The
focus of the tour has primarily been persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxin and PCBs. In Japan, the tour
has focussed on incineration - a major source of dioxin emission, especially given that Japan has a higher number of
incinerators than any other country. (For more information please have a look at the Toxic Free Asia Tour at:
http://www.greenpeace.org )The last day of the tour was to be last Tuesday.
On that Tuesday, 4 Greenpeace volunteers climbed an incinerator and hung a banner from it proclaiming Tokyo the "dioxin
capital of the world". The 4 were arrested and have been in jail ever since. The Japanese Greenpeace office and the
Rainbow Warrior have been raided by police, and computers, banners, ships log, information leaflets etc have been
confiscated. The authorities also confiscated the database of Greenpeace supporters in Japan.
You may remember last year when 3 Greenpeace volunteers, including one from NZ, spent 12 days in jail in Tokyo following
a similar protest banner hang highlighting the dangers of PVC toys. On that occasion, the office was raided by 100
police and the homes of the executive director and campaigners were searched as well.
The Japanese system allows for the police to keep suspects for 48hrs with no charges or hearing whatsoever. The so
called "substitute prison system" (daiyo kanguko) allows for suspects to be held for a further 10 days without any
formal charges being laid. This can sometimes be followed by a further 10 day extension. Amnesty International and other
human rights organisations have repeatedly argued that this system is a clear violation of the universal right of each
individual to be considered innocent unless proven guilty.
Last year's protest , in the eyes of local Japanese NGO's, advanced the boundaries of public protest. They are generally
pretty stifled by the system and these limitations prevent the public from demanding accountability for environmental
and social crimes. This most recent protest has been supported by the local community that have fought the construction
and operation of this incinerator for years, and by incinerator workers who have been diagnosed with high concentrations
of dioxin in their blood but have had no success when asking for the government to address the issue. The real crime
here is not the actions of our volunteers, but the continued polluting of the Japanese and global environment.
Greenpeace is trying to free its activists. There is a real danger that they could face some lengthy time in custody.
Tuesday 16th is an international day of action with activities happening in at least 25 countries around the world.
Please copy and paste the letter below and send to:
1. the Japanese Prime Minister from the following website.
http://www.iijnet.or.jp/sorifu/kantei/foreign/comment.html
2. the Japanese Ambassador to NZ at the email address below
jpnemb2@ihug.co.nz
Thank you for your help. Malcolm Wren Actions & Communications Co-ordinator - Greenpeace New Zealand
LETTER To: Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori
Dear Prime Minister Mori,
Undoubtedly you have already been informed about the arrest of 4 Greenpeace activists on May 9. It is because of their
arrest that I am calling on you to use all means at your disposal to ensure that these non- violent activists are
released from custody immediately. In addition to this I call your attention to the 11th of May when, in an
unjustifiable action by the police, the Greenpeace flagship "The Rainbow Warrior" and the Greenpeace office in Tokyo
were raided.
Greenpeace campaigns on behalf of its supporters and the values of the public all over the world for a cleaner
environment. The four Greenpeace activists from China, Belgium, The Netherlands and UK were arrested after climbing the
tower of an incinerator complex in Toshima Ward in Tokyo, where they later unfurled a banner proclaiming Tokyo as the
world's Dioxin Capital. As you undoubtedly will know as well Japan has the highest levels of dioxin emissions in the
world today, primarily a consequence of having the highest number of waste incinerators than any other country on the
planet.
You are aware of the substantial environmental problems Japan is already facing from these dioxin emissions especially
the ongoing pollution of the environment with toxic chemicals like PCB's and other Persistent Organic Pollutants. I find
it very strange to accept that these activists; the people who give all they have to fight pollution of the Japanese
environment are now being detained in a Tokyo prison cell.
I am also very concerned as the activists will be held in custody under the so called "substitute prison system" (daiyo
kanguko). As you will know, under this system a suspect can be held for 48 hours with a 10 day extension, sometimes even
followed by a further 10 day extension. International human rights organisations like Amnesty International have
repeatedly argued that this system is a clear violation of the universal right of each individual to be considered
innocent unless proven guilty.
I personally believe that the Greenpeace activists did not commit a crime but acted in the best interest possible for
both me, and people in Japan, by fighting global environmental pollution from a dirty technology like incineration. I am
also shocked to find that in a modern country as Japan the universality of human rights is not respected by still
holding prisoners under the "daiyo kanguko" system.
Recalling the universality of human rights, and in light of the global and just cause the arrested activists campaign
for, I call upon you to use all possible channels of communication at your disposal to ensure the immediate release of
these activists.
Yours Sincerely,
(your name here)