Canada on Friday pledged $4.3 billion in a landmark deal with native Indian and northern Inuit communities to help lift them from the poverty and disease that has plagued their neglected reserves for more than a century.
(AP Photo/CP, Adrian Wyld)
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WITH GOD |
FRAN - GLO - GIBWÉ | RENCONTRER
DIEU |
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Canada on Friday pledged $4.3 billion in a landmark deal with native Indian and northern Inuit communities to help lift them from the poverty and disease that has plagued their neglected reserves for more than a century. (AP Photo/CP, Adrian Wyld) |
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Objectifs et financement
Pourtant, ces objectifs sont fort ambitieux. Une somme de 1,8 milliard
$, en cinq ans, ira à l'éducation. On veut notamment
accroître de 22 000 le nombre d'autochtones qui réussissent
leur cours secondaire et de 15 000 ceux qui obtiennent des diplômes
collégiaux ou universitaires. En santé, les nouveaux
investissements totaliseront 1,3 milliard $ sur cinq ans. On ambitionne
ainsi de réduire de 20 pour cent en cinq ans, et de 50 pour cent
en 10 ans, les disparités qui existent entre les autochtones et
les autres Canadiens en matière de mortalité infantile, de
suicide chez les jeunes, d'obésité des enfants et de diabète.
A l'heure actuelle, le taux de mortalité infantile chez les Premières
nations dépasse de près de 20 pour cent la moyenne canadienne.
Sur le plan du logement, le gouvernement fédéral s'engage
à verser 1,6 milliard de plus. Ottawa et les provinces croient pouvoir
réduire la pénurie actuelle de 40 pour cent d'ici cinq ans
et de 80 pour cent d'ici 10 ans. A l'extérieur des réserves,
les gouvernements, en partenariat avec les autochtones, comptent fournir
des logements à pas moins de 18 200 ménages au cours des
cinq prochaines années. Enfin, 200 millions $ seront affectés
au développement économique des Premières nations
et 170 millions $ aux associations autochtones.
Les leaders autochtones se sont réjouis du déroulement de
la conférence. Le chef national de l'Assemblée des Premières
nations, Phil Fontaine,
ne s'est pas montré inquiet du sort du plan fédéral
à la veille de la chute du gouvernement Martin. "Les
engagements sont significatifs et il va être très difficile,
pour n'importe quel gouvernement, de s'y soustraire",
a-t-il commenté.
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Andrew
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JAPAN'S NEW MILITARY ROLE REQUIRES DIPLOMATIC TACT (2005-Nov-15)
The Issue:
Beijing is playing a deft three- stroke political strategy to ascend as
the dominant power throughout the Pacific. China's strategy:
1.using the sophisticated weapons of former rival, Russia to achieve an
unprecedented naval, air and strategic expansion;
2.provoking domestic and regional fear of a resurgent militaristic Japan,
by threatening Tokyo into a more aggressive independent military posture,
made worse by Tokyo’s lack of willingness to deal openly with past historical
tragedy;
3.and luring regional dictators into alliances based on the perceived decline
of a naive United States, and militarily humiliated in the Middle East.
Above all, the "Japan card" may be Beijing’s strongest ploy. Japan has
legitimate reasons to fear for national survival in face of Chinese, Russian
and North Korean weapons of mass destruction. However, an arrogant lack
of diplomacy and tact by both Tokyo and Washington hinders their ability
to explain Japan’s vulnerability to skeptical Asian neighbors with long
historical memories. This is also compounded by Japan’s failure to openly
come to terms with its imperialist past. American officials should also
think carefully about what type of explosive Pandora’s Box may be opened.
South Korean officials have warned that the US may not be able to moderate
Japanese military behavior if Tokyo no longer respects Washington. In the
November 9, 2005 Singapore Straits Times, Japan’s recent Deputy Foreign
Minister Hitoshi Tanaka told reporters he does not believe the United States
should be invited to inaugural East Asia Summit. He stated, "I do not
think the United States is committed to East Asia community building--I
do not think that the United States is a member of the East Asia Community."
The Growing China-Russia Threat to Japan:
Japan, with its lack of natural resources and vast sea lanes of communication
to defend, is as vulnerable as any country in East Asia. Almost all of
Japan’s energy imports must come past the sea lanes alongside the Philippines
and Taiwan, where Beijing is increasing its air and naval superiority.
On the other hand, our allies in Manila and Taipei have fallen further
behind in airborne and seaborne defense capabilities. China has repeatedly
threatened Japan over Taiwan, as a, “life or death issue.” A growing flash
point for conflict is being caused by disputed territorial claims in the
East China Sea, where both China and Japan have been drilling for natural
gas.
Associated Press reported on October 28, 2005, “in a muscular display of
its rising military and economic might China deployed a fleet of five warships
near the Chunxiao gas field in the East China Sea.” More recently, the
Japan Times reported that between April and October, 2005 Japanese fighter
planes have scrambled 30 times to turn away Chinese war planes approaching
Japanese airspace, more than twice the number of incidents that occurred
in 2004. Many of these flights were near the natural gas sites in the East
China Sea. In addition, another 72 scramblings of Japanese fighter planes
during that same period were caused by Russian military planes approaching
Japanese air space. Japan and Russia also have disputed island claims off
Hokkaido.
On October 20, the official Chinese Xinhua news agency reported at the
Second Sino-Russian Security Talks in Beijing, both sides agreed to, “strengthen
coordination in major strategic security issues.” And, “to give stronger
support to each other in major issues involving state sovereignty and national
security.” In a November, 2005, research paper, “China’s Quiet Juggernaut.”
for the Hudson Institute, Mary Fitzgerald quoted a Russian official who
warned the Chinese foresee a time when they can push American military
power out of Asia. “[Beijing believes] all of Asia belongs to China --
and not only Asia.” Japanese officials also see North Korea’s nuclear weapons
program as an extension of Chinese power projection. The 1998 launching
of a North Korean ballistic missile that flew over Japan, is believed to
be the event that triggered Japan’s military resurgence among most politicians
and a growing number of the public. This duplicity by Beijing in the North
Korean weapons of mass destruction was identified in the 2005 annual report
of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The report cited
recent testimony by US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lowell Jacoby,
who stated Chinese companies continue to provide North Korea and Pakistan
with weapons of mass destruction and related hardware. He added that in
the past, the Chinese government had assisted North Korean ships and planes
involved in arms proliferation.
Japan’s In-Your-Face New Leaders:
The perilous security threat to Japan has led to the rise of in-your-face
nationalist political leaders vying to replace Prime Minister Koizumi in
the September 2006 national election. The front runner is Shinzo Abe, the
current Chief of Cabinet to Junichiro Koizumi. The articulate and outspoken
Abe has vowed to keep up the controversial visits to Yazukuni Shrine, for
Japan's war dead, without removal of the 14 Class A War Criminals memorialized
there. The November 10, 2005 Japan Times reports, Abe’s popularity rose
through his no-nonsense handling of North Korea over the nuclear missiles
and kidnapped Japanese civilians issues. While Mr. Abe has admitted publicly
that Japan, “caused tremendous suffering and damage to the people of Asia,”
during World War II, he has led no effort to remove the 14 war criminals
from Yazukuni.
The second most prominent candidate to replace Koizumi is current Foreign
Minister Taro Aso. The divisive Mr. Aso is famous for his many controversial
statements supporting discrimination against outcast people in Japanese
society and homeless people. He infuriated all Koreans by defending Japan’s
brutal occupation of Korea where military occupiers forced Koreans to adopt
Japanese names. It is curious that US officials and other allies of Japan
did not more assertively question how a man with Aso’s sharp-tongue and
profound biases could be appointed the country’s Chief Diplomat.
China’s anti- Japanese Psychological Warfare:
Beijing has combined military threats with government-orchestrated and
internationally publicized anti-Japanese demonstrations that have infuriated
all Japanese. Beijing, as part of its regional strategy, has whipped up
painful memories of World War II across the region. The Chinese leaders’
skillful anti-Japanese campaign is rooted in nationalistic manipulation
of a domestic population who loathe corrupt Communist officials. It is
also geared toward forming anti-democratic political and military alliances
with countries in North and South Asia who suffered under 19th and 20th
Century Japanese military domination. The political move to abandon the
“pacifism” clause in the Japanese Constitution and the adoption of new
national military plan has caused fear in key strategic countries. Beijing
also has buttered the palms of regional leaders who support its policies
and have threatened others with economic penalties who resist Beijing’s
emerging imperial wishes.
On November 13, 2005, the Washington Post quoted Ms. Yang Soon Im, Chairwoman
of the Seoul-based Association of Pacific War Victims and Bereaved Families,
an organization suing Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi over his visits to
the Yakasuni Shrine for Japanese soldiers who died in battle. “The far
right is taking over in Japan,” she stated. “They are trying to justify
and beautify Japan’s past invasions. They do not understand how this is
isolating Japan from world opinion.” The fear of Japan’s racial xenophobia
was underscored by a visit to Tokyo and Hokkaido by United Nations Special
rapporteur, Doudou Diene. The Kyodo news service reported on November 8,
2005, Diene publicly raised then issue of Japan’s traditional Ainu people,
who are treated as outcasts. He also raised discrimination against ethnic
minorities, such Korean and Chinese immigrants, and new guest workers from
other regions of the world.
US Policy:
The US, on the other hand, has not worked with Tokyo to adequately consult
with and educate Asian neighbors on the legitimate needs for Japan’s defense
modernization. Prominent Japanese politicians backed by culturally and
historically insensitive American diplomats and defense officials – and
politicians influenced by Big Business -- have not adequately articulated
the lack of human or social decency inside of China, much less the growing
military threat. The new US-Japan Defense Agreement was announced before
the international media in Tokyo on October 30, 2005. It sent shivers of
Imperial resurgence throughout the region. The presiding American official,
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, added to the fire. He is seen as a boisterous
bully – or worse – in many areas of the world. Regional fear of a resurgent
Imperial Japan, combined with ongoing loss of respect
for US leaders caused by Iraq, has turned Korea and increasing numbers
of Southeast Asian countries to begin leaning politically and economically
toward China.
What Can be Done?
The US and Japan must impress upon Asia the need for a strong defense against
the growing threat of nuclear war or a conventional war that would devastate
the region socially and economically. Japan, especially the rising generation
of aggressive political leaders, must be more attuned to the strength that
comes from showing one’s neighbors some meaningful accountability for past
transgressions. There must be a regional consensus – even if that excludes
the political manipulators in Beijing -- that World War II is finally over.
Necessary apologies should be made and textbooks should be honest. Japanese
leaders should either visit other shrines to the war dead, or remove the
14 Class A war criminals from Yasukuni Shrine. American leaders must speak
with one voice about the threat to international security caused by the
Beijing-Moscow-North Korean military alliance. The charade of the “6-Party
Talks,” where Beijing has duplicitously backed North Korea, must be ended.
The massive violations of human rights in China must be consistently addressed
by the entire Free World.
Although Japan’s military preparedness is essential and legitimate, the
Bush Administration should not be perceived as “dumping” Asian regional
security into the hands of a xenophobic Japan because we are being drained
in the Middle East conflict. On the others hand, US and Japanese government
agencies and non-governmental organizations should work together as leaders
in economic and social development throughout the Pacific region.
Editor: Al Santoli
email: administrator@asiaamerica.org
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