Thank you! Dugongs Win Against US Defense Department

Dear friends for peace and environment!

Enormously good news today.

Some of you came to Okinawa with me to see the beautiful coral reef where Dugongs, an endangered sea mammal, dear to the Okinawan people, live. The US military proposed the building of a new airbase exactly where the Dugongs are living. Of course, we wanted them to change their plan. Well, on January 24th, a federal judge ruled against U.S. Defense Department plans for the airbase that would have encroached on the habitat of Okinawa Dugong.

Click here to read the full story.

I know some of you have lobbied and worked towards resolving this issue in favor of the dugongs. Well, we have won the first stage! Thank you. Now, those of you who are hearing this for the first time, please send letters (emails) to your representatives so that we can continue to pass on our beautiful nature and the precious species left to next generations to come. Only Americans can do this effectively! (American politicians do not care at all about what we Japanese say...)

The Ruling can be read here. (46 pages, PDF)

Yumi Kikuchi
founder, Global Peace Campaign, JUMP (Japan United for Ministry of Peace)