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News :: Miscellaneous |
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Okinawa: Another Base Incident |
Current rating: 0 |
by Okinawa times
(No verified email address) |
10 Jul 2001
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Article describes the transfer of an air force sergeant suspected of a sexual assault to local Okinawan authorities after foot-dragging by Pentagon; includes reactions of locals to the heavy military occupation of this tiny peaceful island by the American government. |
While splashing fireworks colored Kadena Air Base on Okinawa for the fourth of July celebrations, a political tug of war was played by the US and Japanese governments whether to turn over an alleged rape suspect, an Air Force sergeant, to the Japanese police before being indicted. After four days of negotiation, the US government finally agreed to a pre-indictment transfer of custody on Friday.
It is the first time that Okinawa prefectural police secured a military suspect before indictment.Sergeant Timothy Woodland, 24, was under investigation by Okinawan prefectural police on the allegation of raping a woman in her twenties in a parking lot in the Mihama shopping area of Chatan Town at 2am on the 29th of June. A female friend of the victim called the police after Woodland allegedly fled from the scene with three other servicemen in a Y license plate car. Police soon found the owner of the car and called Woodland in for questioning.
According to the police, he stated that he did have sexual intercourse with the woman, however he denied the rape allegation. On Monday, the police had an arrest warrant to claim the suspect from US military authorities in accordance to a special agreement set by both governments after a schoolgirl rape case by US servicemen in 1995. The US denied the Japanese police request because Woodland denied the allegation, and the pentagon considered the Japanese judicial system would offer little protection of suspects as in America.
They wanted to allow the suspect to be escorted by an attorney and a translator assigned by the US. The Japanese government, worried over Okinawan dissatisfaction of military bases, felt another quake straining US-Japan defense ties just like in 1995.
Governor Keiichi Inamine pushed for an early turnover of the suspect, and at the same time the prefectural assembly, and the councils of Chatan Town, Okinawa City, and Nago City filed protest statements against the US military, demanding force levels be cut on Okinawa. Keen to local feelings, Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka called Secretary of State Colin Powell to transfer custody of Woodland from the military to the Japanese police, and several Japanese cabinet members commented that the US should concede. On Friday afternoon, Ambassador Baker met Minister Tanaka to report the final US decision to turn over the suspect without translator or attorney.
Tanaka commented to the press that she is confident that the Japanese judicial system will prove to have human rights protection. The diplomatic dispute seemed solved, favorable to Japan, however, protest against the crime itself has just began.
On Friday afternoon a group of people gathered at the gate of Kadena Air Base, shouting "No more crime" and "No more base." The Chatan women's association scheduled a protest gathering this afternoon with a slogan calling "Give us back peaceful life." Chatan Town Mayor Chochi Hentona is demanding that the national government carry out crime prevention measures. He commented that the government put too much US military on Okinawa, and it should protect people around bases. |
See also:
http://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/index-e.html
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testing. Please remove. |
by Maiko
mink (nospam) tcp.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
12 Jul 2001
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HTML works, or not?
Hmm!
anyway, when this got rejected due to my not giving a
name, my browser got stuck in an evil "back" action loop.
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testing. Please remove. |
by Maiko
mink (nospam) tcp.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
12 Jul 2001
|
HTML works, or not?
Hmm!
anyway, when this got rejected due to my not giving a
name, my browser got stuck in an evil "back" action loop.
What gives? I can't seem to submit at all.
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See also:
http://www.tcp.com/~mink
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