Fuwa: Struggle against international terrorism needs wisdom and effective efforts

Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Fuwa Tetsuzo used his
speech at the JCP Central Committee 3rd plenary meeting on October 19 to
emphasize the need to use wisdom and efforts to effectively fight
international terrorism.

In the speech, Fuwa also expounded on other key issues raised by the
Executive Committee report, including the struggle against corporate
restructuring and social service cuts.

Wisdom and universal efforts should be summoned to effectively deal with
international terrorism

Fuwa said it is necessary to summon universal wisdom and efforts to deal
with the question that has a bearing on the survival of humanity in the 21st
century. He said, "This is the standpoint from which Executive Committee
Chair Shii and I together sent two letters to national government leaders."


Fuwa expanded on the following two points:

(1) The world is confronting terrorist groups, and no country has the
right to force the people of a country that is suspected of harboring
terrorists to fall victim to war.

The present Afghan situation shows the people suffering not only from the
immediate damage of air strikes but also from hunger and land mines placed
during the 20-years of foreign invasion and civil war.

The war has suspended international aid work. A U.N official responsible
for international aid work criticized the U.S. for carrying out air strikes
while dropping food bags, which makes people suspicious about the neutrality
of all organizations in the world engaged in food aid and impairs people's
trust in them.

(2) The international struggle to end terrorism is aimed at capturing the
suspect terrorist group and bringing them to justice. This cannot be
achieved by overthrowing a regime, by waging military attacks, or by seizing
a few terrorist leaders.

Fuwa said it is imperative to build up a unity in public opinion
including the Islamic community to isolate the terrorist forces, using the
strength of international public opinion. He stressed the importance of
giving the United Nations a role to play in behalf of reason and the unity
of the international community.

Steps beyond economic measures may have to be adopted to corner the
terrorist forces and the government protecting them, but even if that is the
case, they should be a kind of police work, he pointed out.

Fuwa said that Japan is not in a position to take part in (U.N.) military
activities. Japan with Article 9 of the Constitution can be the most
appropriate country to take the initiative in calling for U.N.-led measures.
He stressed that this should be the centerpiece of Japan's international
contribution and criticized the Koizumi Cabinet for taking the opposite
course of tying to send the Self-Defense Forces abroad without restrictions.

JCP view on the Middle East question shows foresight

Fuwa referred to the Middle East question. He stressed that the JCP is
not of the opinion that the terrorist issue cannot be settled unless the
political question in the Middle East is settled. He said that from the
early stages of the Palestine question, the JCP has maintained that no
terrorist activity can be tolerated, that the Palestinian people have the
right to establish an independent state, and that Israel as a nation state
has the right to exist. Fuwa explained this by referring to his talks with
PLO leader Yasser Arafat in 1981. (end)