"Don't Pollute the Water of Life!" Okinawans tell U.S. military

Kin Town, Okinawa - Uchinanchu (Indigenous Okinawans) wave signs in front of U.S. Camp Hansen saying "Don't Pollute the Water of Life!", "Don't Pollute Our Water," "Stop PFOS", "No PFOAS, PFOA," and "We life in this water."

It was recently announced that the U.S. military has again poisoned Okinawa's drinking water. The amount of toxic chemicals found in the tap water in Kin Town, Okinawa in July 2020 was found to be at dangerously high levels. However, this information was only made available to the public recently. Citizens are outraged at the long delay.

The chemicals used by the U.S. military, PFOS and PFOA, are known as "forever chemicals" since they do not break down and can over time accumulate in living organisms, including humans. According to the CDC and EPA, these chemicals can cause a large array of debilitating health problems, including cancer. 

"I told my children not to drink the tap water," said Ayaka Shimabuku of Kin Town. "Even if the toxins were under the recommended guidelines, I'm afraid that it will accumulate in our bodies little-by-little."

* English translation done by the Peace For Okinawa Coalition.

Link to original story in Ryukyu Shimpo:
https://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/entry-1401658.html