Fort
Lewis, Washington (June 22, 2006) –
U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren K. Watada reported to duty at 2:00
a.m. early this morning, Thursday, June 22nd and refused orders
to move to the adjacent McChord Air Force Base to prepare to fly to
Iraq. Lt. Watada believes that the war and occupation in Iraq are
illegal, and thus participation in the war is also illegal. At this
time he has been restricted to base and has been ordered to have no
communication with non-military personnel.
Lt. Watada’s attorney Eric Seitz said, ‘This morning Lt. Watada has
been restricted to base without any actual charges or proper process.
By placing a complete gag order on Lt. Watada, the military has again
shown that their first concern is silencing Lt. Watada’s speech in
opposition to the illegal war in Iraq. We will immediately challenge
these highly questionable and improper restrictions.” Mr. Seitz is
currently the only non-military person authorized to have any contact
with Lt. Watada.
Lt. Watada is the first commissioned
officer to publicly refuse deployment to the war in Iraq. By refusing
to participate in the on-going Iraq war and occupation, Lt. Watada
joins a growing number of high ranking military officers, West Point
graduates, and current and former members of the armed services who
have expressed their opposition to the actions of the United States in
Iraq. Lieutenant Watada’s refusal comes in the wake of a series of
charges and convictions against lower ranking soldiers for
participation in war-related crimes: 9 Marines charged with
premeditated murder yesterday, charges of a massacre in Haditha, Iraq
and convictions at Abu Ghraib Prison.
Lt. Watada faces possible court-martial
charges for refusing to participate in the Iraq war and occupation and
intends to defend himself based on the illegality of the Iraq war and
occupation. Lt. Watada, age 28, was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii
where he enlisted in the Army and was obligated to serve on active duty
as an Army officer for a term of three years concluding on December 3,
2006. Lt. Watada was stationed at Ft. Lewis in January 2006, when he
first asked to resign his commission because as he stated, “I am
whole-heartedly opposed to the continued war in Iraq, the deception
used to wage this war, and the lawlessness that has pervaded every
aspect of our civilian leadership.”
On June 27, a national day of action in
support of Lt. Watada and coordinated through the website
www.ThankYouLt.org will take place in dozens of US cities, including:
Ft. Lewis, WA; Tacoma, WA; Honolulu, HI; Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH;
Harrisburg, PA; San Francisco, CA; Oklahoma City, OK; Atlanta, GA;
Corvallis, OR; Medford, OR; New York City, NY; and Pittsburgh, PA.
Lt. Watada’s mother, Carolyn Ho, who
flew in from Honolulu, Hawaii to support her son, said today, ‘My son’s
decision to refrain from deploying to Iraq comes through much soul
searching. It is an act of patriotism. It is a statement to all
Americans, to men and women in uniform, that they need not remain
silent out of fear, that that they have the power to turn the tide of
history: to stop the destruction of a country and the killing of untold
numbers of innocent men, women, and children. It is a message that
states unequivocally that blindly following orders is no longer an
option. My son, Lt. Watada’s stance is clear. He will stay the
course. I urge you to join him in this effort.’
Judy Linehan, of Military Families
Speak Out said, ‘As the mother of an officer who deployed to Iraq with
Lt Ehren Watada’s Stryker Brigade in their first mission, I know the
human cost of war intimately. I stand in solidarity with Lt Watada as
he breaks ranks with a Commander-in-Chief who has flouted international
law with impunity in the prosecution of this illegal war and occupation
of an unarmed country. The lieutenant’s quiet resolve and quest for
truth facing into our government’s fabricated deceptions carry hope to
a world that trusts in the rule of law. Thank you, Lt Watada, for your
courageous stand.’