The Democratic Party of Japan's Interim Policies for Iraq Reconstruction Aid Toward an Alliance with Civil Society 13 October 2004 Project Team on Iraq and Related Issues Foreign Policy and Defence Section Democratic Party of Japan I. Basic Stance Despite President Bush's declaration of the end of major combat operations, the Democratic Party of Japan (hereafter DPJ) believes that the situation in Iraq makes it impossible to distinguish between 'combat zones' and 'non-combat zones' within Iraq, and that conditions for the dispatch of Japanese Self Defense Forces (hereafter SDF) set forth in the Constitution and the Iraq Special Measures Law have not been fulfilled. We continue to call for the withdrawal of SDF troops from Iraq. The legitimacy of the Iraq war has totally collapsed following public admissions, first by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, and then in the final report of the US weapons inspection team, that weapons of mass destruction did not exist in Iraq. Prime Minister Koizumi has refused to listen to the serious concerns expressed by the DPJ. Moreover, he should fully explain to the Japanese people why he neglected to carry out independent intelligence gathering and analysis and unquestioningly supported the US attack on Iraq based on inaccurate and arbitrary information. Even following the transfer of sovereignty to Iraq on June 28 of this year, the security situation in Iraq has shown no signs of improvement, and reconstruction efforts are not making progress. Furthermore, many problems remain in reconstructing a broad international framework of cooperation, and conditions have not sufficiently developed to enable participation by many countries; these include not only permanent UN Security Council members such as France, Russia and China, but also Germany, India, and Arab nations. Prime Minister Koizumi should take some responsibility for the current situation in Iraq, which has been created by a war waged under false pretexts. However, if we look at the security situation in Iraq, which shows no signs of improvement, it is clear that there are problems with the way in which Iraq reconstruction aid has been carried out by the US-UK led coalition. Japan should reconsider the reconstruction aid being carried out by the SDF. It is vital for her to fully utilise alliances with 'civil society', including corporations, NGOs and international organisations, and implement the kind of Iraq reconstruction aid appropriate for Japan, from the viewpoint of 'human security'. II. Reconstruction Aid Policy 1. Preconditions for Aid Basic Stance: Emergency humanitarian aid such as the provision of food and medical supplies has been partially realised through distribution carried out by the World Food Project and other organisations, and aid from the international community. Moreover, electric power facilities and other critical infrastructure are also targeted by aid programs organised by the World Bank and by our country and others. Iraq was already a country with abundant oil reserves and a nation equipped with an infrastructure comparative to that of a developed nation. In addition, its people are well-educated and have a high-level of technological know-how. Japanese corporations should participate in assisting with rebuilding efforts so that Iraq is returned to a state where these existing resources and wealth can be used effectively. Dealing with Japanese NGOs etc: Security has not yet been restored to any part of Iraq, and with government evacuation advice warnings still in place and the threat of hostage-taking still unabated, we have not yet reached a state where civilian NGOs and corporations can operate. However, it is still possible to make a contribution through the efforts of local staff. As far as the activities of Japanese staff are concerned, after taking the security situation into account, we should give as much assistance as possible to those NGOs etc that have been judged to be operating under clear principles of self-responsibility and to have taken crisis management measures. How Assistance Should Take Place: The DPJ needs to take the opportunity presented by Iraq reconstruction aid to further study ?禰ow assistance should take place during conflicts?? In particular, when it is envisaged that sending Japanese citizens to the locality to participate in relief efforts would be difficult due to worsening security conditions, it would seem beneficial to strengthen the self-sufficiency and independence of the Iraqi people by using aid methods other than the usual paternalistic ones. We should make full use of modern technologies such as teleconferencing, and construct a system where we provide assistance by ?把lose monitoring? from neighbouring countries or regions. Furthermore, it is vital that we call for aid donations, and widen participation in aid efforts within Japan. 2. Detailed Reconstruction Aid Policies A framework for Iraq reconstruction aid, including bilateral assistance and multilateral assistance, has been established by the international community, and the Japanese government has pledged assistance (totaling 5 billion US dollars). Bearing this in mind, the DPJ should search for ways to make a more effective and tangible contribution to the aid effort. We would like to propose the following detailed interim policies for dealing with the current situation in Iraq. These are based on the DPJ's Iraq reconstruction aid policies formulated in June of 2003. (1) Sharing Information - Establishment of an 'Iraq Information Centre' (Preliminary name) The Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs possess information on the movements of various countries, the Defence Agency have information on the security situation in Samawa, and NGOs and corporations based in the region also possess a great variety of information seen from an independent viewpoint. However, the reality is that the majority of this information is not used effectively, and is not shared with the people carrying out actual reconstruction aid in the region. Furthermore, aid that has been undertaken for the Iraqi people may not answer essential reconstruction needs, due to a lack of coordination between the various bodies implementing the aid. We will establish an 'Iraq Information Centre' (Preliminary name), which can be easily utilised by both government and civilian bodies, exchange a variety of information including security information, performance reports for the various aid organisations, progress reports, procurement, planning etc, thereby assisting with humanitarian reconstruction efforts in Iraq. (2) Employment - Recognition of Local Needs - Establishment of a 'Japan Fund' According to some surveys, more than 50% of the Iraqi population is still unemployed. In particular, there is a danger that the instability caused to the livelihoods of the ex-government officials and ex-military and security personnel who are included amongst the some hundreds of thousands of unemployed will increase anti-American sentiment and lead to further security problems. Consequently, the restoration of security to Iraq is not progressing as planned, which hampers essential civilian aid efforts. Establishment of a Japan Fund (Employment Promotion Foundation): We will establish a 'Japan Fund' (Employment Promotion Foundation) (preliminary name) in order to provide assistance to Iraqis who are attempting to set up businesses in Iraq (venture corporations and small businesses), to Iraqis who are aiming to acquire skills through the 'Work Training Center' described below, and to Iraqis who are working for the empowerment of women. Establishment of a NGO Work Training Center (preliminary name): The NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq (NCCI), which is based in Iraq and Jordan, is a body that assists with communication and coordination efforts for around 100 NGOs. We will actively liaise with such NGO associations, and establish and operate a 'Work Training Centre' in Amman, in neighbouring Jordan. Using the know-how and information accumulated by Japanese corporations and NGOs, we will recognise local needs, and based on these, implement a program whereby technicians, medical practitioners and teachers and the like can be trained and then returned to their localities. Creating an Environment for Participation by Japanese Corporations: In order to increase employment in a sustainable way, it is vital to implement policies that encourage participation by Japanese corporations, as can be seen from the example of South-East Asian development. Accordingly, we will consider allowing use of the Japan Fund and reducing the risks of investment in Iraq for corporations that cooperate with employment expansion. (3) Restoring Security - Introducing a Policing System that Respects Civic Life Terrorist attacks, robbery and looting are still continuing, making the Iraqi people extremely uneasy. Restoring security is essential, in order to enable our country and the international community to carry out economic activity, and in order that businesses can actually be set up and reconstruction efforts sustained. Iraq was a police state that monitored its citizens' movements. In order to promote the democratisation of the policing and administrative systems, and to restore security as soon as possible, we will implement guidance and training for a policing system that uses advanced technology and to instill police morals that respect the civic life. In doing so, we will also form a close alliance with NATO countries. It is also important to consider how to prevent newly established businesses from becoming the target of armed forces, by liaising and cooperating with Japanese corporations and NGOs (for example by appointing a neutral person with authority in the local community to a senior management position) (4) Rebuilding Critical Infrastructure - Forming Alliances with Neighbouring Countries It is necessary for electricity, water, sewage, broadcasting and communication installations to be rebuilt as speedily as possible. Such projects will not only help to create jobs for the Iraqi people, but also at the same time, undertaking joint projects with Arab and Asian nations will help to strengthen diplomatic cooperation with these nations. (5) Helping Children - Establishing 'Children's Homes', Providing Advanced Emergency Medical Assistance The provision of indirect assistance to help future generations of Iraqis to construct a healthy society based on self-sufficiency and cooperation is essential for the stability and development, not just of Iraq, but of the whole region. We will widely promote the establishment and operation of facilities focusing on the care of children orphaned or injured by the Iraq war. We will construct a system to make medical treatment readily available to children like Mohammad Haytham Saleh, who came to Japan to receive advanced medical treatment (eye surgery) in a developed country, and to children who are suffering from the effects of depleted uranium and need treatment. (6) Preparing for Elections - Forming Alliances with the United Nations and the International Community The worsening security situation has put the elections scheduled to be held by the Iraqi people by January 2005 at risk. Establishing an Iraqi government by means of peaceful and fair elections is also extremely important from the point of view of ensuring the legitimacy of the administration. We will cooperate with election preparations, responding to the movements of the UN and European nations who have considerable experience in monitoring elections, and keep in mind the possibility of dispatching a Japanese election monitoring team to Iraq, depending on the security situation.

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