Feminist Peace Network

While the Japanese government has dropped rape charges against Staff Sergeant Tyrone Hadnott at the request of the 14 year old girl who had brought the charges, the fact remains that Hadnott, while denying the rape, did admit to forcing her to kiss him. Had this occurred on U.S. soil, it would surely be labeled as child molestation and he would be punished. It is not yet clear though whether the U.S. military will take any action against Hadnott. As Chalmers Johnson writes in the Asia Times,

“It all seemed deadly familiar: an adult, 38-year-old US Marine sergeant accused by the Okinawan police of sexually violating a 14-year-old Okinawanschoolgirl. He claims he did not actually rape her but only forcibly kissed her, as if knocking down an innocent child and slobbering all over her face is OK if you’re a representative of the American military forces.”

In a different case however, a Filopina rape victim  does intend to file charges against a U.S. serviceman in Okinawa.

“In a statement to reporters in Manila, the DFA said Philippine consul general in Okinawa, Sulpicio Confiado said the Philippine embassy in Tokyo is providing legal assistance to the Filipina who accused an American serviceman of sexual assault inside a hotel on February 18.”

Two Filipina groups, KAISAKA and the Gabriela Network, have issued statements about the latest incident, see below for the full texts of these statements.

But the unfortunate truth is that these cases are going to continue unless the U.S. military takes a much tougher stance against perpetrators.  Administrative  sanctions are never an acceptable substitution for criminal prosecution and political ass-kissing like Condoleezza Rice’s “regrets” are an insult to the Okinawan victims and to women everywhere.
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Statement of KAISAKA
February 23, 2008
Contact Person: Atty. Virginia Suarez-Pinlac, Spokesperson

On the rape of a Filipina in Japan Enough of Military Sexual Violence NO to US Bases of Insecurity

We rage over the reported rape of a Filipina in Okinawa by a sergeant of the US Army. We urge the victim and her family to file charges, push for the soldier’s arrest and fight for justice and retribution. We support the Japanese people’s demand for the withdrawal of US troops and the complete dismantling of the US military facilities.

The spate of rapes by US soldiers since last year in Japan is very alarming. It is becoming very clear that US military’s steps at curbing incidence of rape will never be enough to assure the Japanese public that their women and children will be safe. US Forces Japan spokesman Colonel Eric Schnaible claimed that ”the (US) Army does not tolerate sexual assault” but experience show that the US government has been shielding its erring soldiers from the hands of law of host countries.

This latest rape happened a few hours before the onset of a 24-hour curfew set by the US military for its personnel following the rape of a 14-year-old school girl. The soldiers seemed unmindful of the Article 32 hearing of a case of gang rape filed against four members of the US Marines based in Iwakuni near Hiroshima. This should have warned them against committing a crime that may lead them to a court martial.

Clearly, women in places where US bases are are not safe. In South Korea, this February, a Private First Class in Seoul raped a 19-year-old woman. Last year, in November, Korean authorities arrested six US soldiers that beat a female in a restaurant. In January 2007, Korean police held a US soldier for the rape of a 67- year-old woman in Seoul.

The rape in November 1, 2005 in the former military base in Subic, Zambales in the Philippines was also a crime along these that happened in Japan and in Korea. Although, officially the Military Bases Agreement with the United States ended in1991, the US military have reestablished their bases in several places Philippines, using the term “visiting forces” as their cover. Nicole’s rapists were in Subic for their rest and recreation (R and R).

We echo Mieko Hokama, a Japanese activist: “We have already had more than enough.”

The bases are sources of insecurity for the people of host countries. These bases make women and children more vulnerable to sexual harassment, rape, beatings and murder by alienated and drunken troops. As we in the Philippines demand that US troops get out, we in KAISA-KA (Unity of Women for Freedom-Philippines) and KPD (Movement for National Democracy-Philippines) support the Japanese people’s call for the dismantling of the US military bases and the complete withdrawal of US troops from Japanese territory. ###

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2) Statement of GABRIELA
23 February 2008
Source: Emmi de Jesus, Secretary General

GABRIELA CONDEMNS SEXUAL ASSAULT OF PINAY BY US SOLDIER IN JAPAN
DEMANDS PULL OUT OF US MILITARY IN ASIA

GABRIELA National Alliance of Women is outraged that yet another Filipina was sexually assaulted by a US soldier, this time in Okinawa, Japan. Following the arrest of a US Marine on suspicion of raping a 14-year old Japanese girl in Okinawa, it is high time that the United States government ceases its military interventionist policy and pulls its troops out of sovereign nations.

The presence of US troops in foreign countries clearly undermines and infringes on the affairs of sovereign nations across the world. In particular, Asian women are not safe with chauvinist and sexually violent US soldiers roaming the continent. Armed with the belief that the US is the world’s super cop, coupled with the military’s culture of sexism and violence, it is not unexpected that US soldiers would sexually assault Asian women with impunity. This is compounded by the seeming immunity of US soldiers from punishment.

One of the most celebrated cases of US military atrocities was the rape of 22-year old “Nicole” and her courageous fight against the four US> servicemen who violated her. But despite the Makati Regional Trial Court’s decision finding Lance Corporal Daniel Smith guilty, justice for Nicole was virtually nullified when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo turned over Lance Corporal Daniel Smith’s custody over to the US Embassy. President Arroyo’s action sends the message to all US< servicemen that they can violate any woman and yet go unpunished.

To date in the Philippines, there have been 17 to 24 joint US-RP military exercises (otherwise known as Balikatan Exercises) and has resulted to innumerable damages on the lives of Filipinos. Despite this, President Arroyo maintains her US subservient stance, further putting Filipinos easy prey for abuse and exploitation of US troops.
Thus, GABRIELA enjoins all women in all nations, especially those who
suffer from U.S. military intervention and consequent abuses of U.S. soldiers to voice out our protest and demand: US Troops, Out Now! End
U.S. military intervention!

Filed under: Uncategorized, Atrocities, Militarism, Feminism, U.S. Politics, Gender-Based Violence