The enclosed document is the copy of ‘the verdict’ concerning the present dreadful situation in the Philippines issued by ‘Permanent People’s Tribunal’ (PPT) in which I participated as one of the juries at The Hague in March. I enclose the copy of the verdict because too little is known about the present situation in the Philippines. ‘PPT’, an independent, a non-governmental international organization, is not known in Japan at all, however, it is very much known in Europe and ‘the Third World’. I joined this Rome-based organization at the beginning of the process of establishment, in 1978.
The ‘PPT’, which inherits the concept of ‘Bertrand Russell Tribunal’ at the time of Vietnam War, is aimed to prosecute and judge a crime committed by a government from the ‘people’s’ (ethnic groups’, common people’s) side, and to show the evidence of the partiality, injustice or oppression. In 1978, when Mr. Basso came to Japan, I was asked to participate in the tribunal. I approved to his idea and said that I would take my part based on my common sense as one of the common people and my human wisdom as one of the human beings.
From then, I attended the inauguration ceremony at Bologna, Italy in 1979, and in the following year, I participated in the first session on the Philippines under the Marcos’ regime as a jury at Antwerp, Belgium. As I was in the very first session on the Philippines’ case, I thought I am responsible to attend at the second one which was in this March. So I decided to go to The Hague even I had a bad health condition which I write in the last part of this letter. In the session in March, it turned out that I did not know almost anything about the present situation in the Philippines. However, this should be the same to most of people in the world – so I decided to send this to you.
In the Philippines, now the Arroyo regime ,conspired and supported by United States which Bush administration leads with ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom’ by claiming ‘9.11’, attempts to exterminate the opponents or protestants by means of numerous crimes of ‘impunity’ (to torture, suppress or kill illegally, disguising as if it is legal ). This is why our verdict is addressed to U.S. President Bush and Filipino President Arroyo.
The session lasted for 5 days, and I heard testimonies by Filipinos from various positions. (The details of the testimonies are shown in the verdict.)
United States of America seems to wield its enormous power with this ‘impunity’ not only in the Philippines but also in Columbia. Just same as the Philippines, Columbia has been under the United States’ control, and is very important for U.S. to expand its military control over the world. For this purpose, United States perpetrates ‘impunity’, while it claims democracy and freedom.
Attending the 5-days-‘PPT’ session, I reconsidered what is ‘democracy and freedom’, and also importance of Japanese philosophical and political importance to have the ‘article 9’ based on ‘pacifism’. I shall stop here to write about the ‘tribunal’.
Including myself, we know too little about these impending situation in the world. In the ‘PPT’ session, I said that I was ashamed of my ignorance. I said to the Filipino people that at least, I would like to organize an investigation group and go to the Philippines to find out the facts just like Hong Kong citizens did. Yet, it is no longer possible to do so in my health condition.
As I mentioned that I was not well at The Hague, the bad health condition did not change when I moved to travel around Turkey after that.When I had precise checkups at the hospital after that, it turned out that my bad health was because I had cancer at the terminal stage, or near terminal stage.
In English, there is a saying, ‘his days are numbered’. This is just what I am, and I am thinking that if I could live 3 more months, 6 more months, 9 more months, hopefully 1 more year – ( I will be 75 years old on the 2nd of June – if I were alive - I feel as if I came back around after the journey of life.)
I cannot walk in the demonstrations, nor talk in the assemblies anymore. However, even if I only have a short time, I can write. I would like to write as long as I could. From the beginning of May, I will start "chemical treatment", but I will stay at home as much as possible. (I am writing this letter at home after I temporary got out of the hospital.)
It might be strange way to say, but let us stay well as long as we are alive.
”Makoto ODA”
April 21, 2007
(Translated into English by Nara ODA, on May 2, 2007)
Oda Makoto is a novelist and social activist. He is one of Japan’s most celebrated postwar authors, an activist against the US war on Vietnam, an advocate for disaster victims neglected by the Japanese government, a voice for peace in the wake of 11 September 2001, an uncompromising critic of racial and ethnic discrimination. Oda served as juror in the 1st and 2nd Sessions on the Philippines of the Permanent People’s Tribunal.
