米兵によるフィリピン女性レイプ事件の不起訴に抗議した、米大使館抗議行動での、ミグランテ・ジャパンの声明（英語）
JUSTICE NOT DIPLOMACY FOR THE FILIPINA RAPE VICTIM IN OKINAWA
MIGRANTE-Japan today denounces the outright dismissal of the rape charges against a US soldier accused of raping a fellow Filipino in Okinawa. We are outraged by the twin injustice committed against the poor victim in the name of foreign relations.
What happened is a clear miscarriage of justice. The victim was helpless and we are inclined to believe that the Japanese prosecutors were used and manipulated to kill the case in order to diffuse tension between Japan and the US in the light of recent spate of sexual assault and incidences of violence involving US military service personnel.
Our strong condemnation goes to the Philippine government for doing absolutely nothing to help the poor victim. It reminded us of the way the Arroyo government handled the case of another Filipina raped by four US marines in the Philippines in 2005. Even after one of the four accused got a conviction from the court, the Arroyo government patently surrendered to the wishes of the US government by turning over the convicted rapist to American authorities. The victim continues to suffer in pain while her perpetrator remains practically free.
We find the grounds for the dismissal of the case of the Filipina rape victim in Okinawa unacceptable. Even with the seemingly orchestrated news black out, reports had indicated that the victim suffered physical injuries caused by the assault, the reason why she was brought to and confined in a local hospital in Okinawa for about a week.
Lest the Japanese prosecutors forget, there is always two sides in every story. But in this particular case, obviously the side of the accused got the heavier weight. That’s why we ask: Is this the kind of justice we teach our young children? Do we teach them values that view rape and violence on women as normal, and therefore, acceptable especially when the victims are non-Japanese who happen to come from a poorer country?
We feel the pain of the victim and her family. We demand an impartial reinvestigation of the case and we want the victim to get access to all possible legal and material support to run after the accused.
We demand the US government to be true to its commitment to justice and the rule of law. We call on the Japanese government to side by the victim and not to cover up in the name of diplomacy and national security.
We likewise demand the Arroyo government to stop talking and instead do exactly what it has been mandated to do and protect the victim. She has suffered enough what she needs now is strong support in order to correct the wrongs done to her.
Lastly, we appeal to the Japanese and American people to put pressure on your governments and to help all victims of rape and sexual violence committed by abusive US soldiers the justice they all deserve..
MIGRANTE-Japan
May 23, 2008