A MOURNING AFTERNOON

MOVING afternoon, yesterday, at Onoyama Koen, few steps from my home. Around 65.000 people, under a crazy hot sun, gathered at the athletics field to mourn the loss of Rina Shimabukuro, a 20-year-old office worker from the city of Uruma, raped and killed at the end of April by Kenneth Franklin Shinzato, a 32-year-old former U.S. Marine employed by Kadena Air Base. Several personalities, including Governor Onaga, spoke to the mass dressed in black, accompanied by traditional, beautiful Okinawan songs. Here's what I photographed.

Una jornada CONMOVEDORA la del domingo 19/6 en Onoyama Koen, Naha. Cerca de 65.000 personas, bajo un sol calcitrante, se congregaron en el campo deportivo para conmemorar la pérdida Rina Shimabukuro, una chica de 20 años de la ciudad de Uruma, violada y asesinada a fines de abril por Kenneth Franklin Gadson, un ex Marine de 32 años, que trabajaba en la Base aérea de Kadena. Varias personalidades, incluyendo al gobernador Onaga, se dirigieron al público vestidas de negro, acompañados por hermosas canciones tradicionales okinawenses.

The usual four Nazis, a constant decorative presence of all the protest rallies in Okinawa, this time made their noisy carousel along a road quite distant from the event

 

The dugong, animal symbol of the protest against the bases in Okinawa, especially the one in Henoko

WHY at 2 p.m. and not at 6 p.m.??? Many aged people fainted under the heat

The mourning necklace (lei) sent from Hawai‘i to show solidarity to Okinawa, on Governor Onaga

Susumu Inamine, mayor of Nago, famous for his opposition against the expansion of the American base in Henoko

The victim: Rina Shimabukuro, a 20-year-old office worker from the city of Uruma

The rapist and murderer: Kenneth Franklin Shinzato, a 32-year-old former U.S. Marine employed by Kadena Air Base

Catherine Jane Fisher, an Australian woman raped in 2002 by Bloke T. Deans in a parking lot near Yokosuka Naval Base

A DIFFERENT SUNDAY

https://vimeo.com/184745315

Yesterday I drove an Italian-Austrian friend documentarist to Henoko and Takae. She's making an interesting documentary on the very peculiar situation of Okinawa that will be shown in Europe soon. Yesterday both places were very quiet. On Sundays the workers that are destroying Henoko Bay take a rest, and so police and protesters. We could enjoy a smoky lunch - more cigarettes than food - at my favorite restaurant in Henoko village, the 'Italian Restaurant', which has no Italian food whatsoever but A LOT of atmosphere. As dessert yummy Mozart chocolates directly from Wien!!

The director could interview some of the activists that peacefully fight against the destrucion of the bay's precious ecosystem, including a young woman so moved to cry during the interview (WHO said that Japanese people don't show their emotions??). Maybe a new girlfriend for Goya-san... Some cute neko accompained the interviews. 

http://nobasehenoko.chakin.com/

After Henoko we drove to Takae, where the situation at the moment is incredibly quiet - all the attention of people and media in this period is focused on Henoko. Our friend Chie-san could give us a good update on the actual situation - Yanbaru forest under destruction to build four more heliports. The road up there is wonderful - almost deserted, with a smooth asphalt that goes through the forest -, perfect for... bikers! Even if the speed limit is of 40 km/h, a huge tribe of Harley Davidson(ers) dickheads every Sunday ruuuuuuns along that road at the triple of that speed, putting in serious danger the Yanbaru Kuina, an endemic (ex)bird that cannot fly, turtles and people. Some smart tourism office's moron recently made and put a huge sign promoting the road as a races circuit between... the (run over) nature! These days I speak to Gossh, asking Him one, just one thing: "Please, Lord, give me the absolute power on Okinawa only for 24 hours. I'll transform it into a REAL Paradise, ok?".

No answers yet.

At the end, on the way back to Naha, we stopped for a drink at the Lequio Resort. A chotto decadent place, but watta view!