Seven Oaks Magazine.

Thekla Lit is the founder and co-chair of the Canada Association for Learning and Preserving the History of World War II in Asia, and president of its B.C. chapter. Canada ALPHA supports redress for victims of Japanese war crimes during the second world war, and works to promote racial harmony.

Last Thursday, Lit joined Vancouver city councillor David Cadman, University of British Columbia professor Michael Wallace, and others supporters of the Canadian Coalition to Oppose Missile Defence in signing an open letter urging Prime Minister Paul Martin to “keep Canada out” of the United States’ ballistic missile defence program. A number of well-known Canadians, including authors Naomi Klein and Joy Kogawa, politicians Gilles Duceppe and Jack Layton, singers Susan Aglukark and Sarah McLachlan, and scientist David Suzuki have already signed the letter. Now, the Coalition is inviting all Canadians to sign the letter at Ceasefire.ca.

Seven Oaks spoke to Lit about the U.S. missile defence program and its potential impact on East Asia.

Seven Oaks: Why should Canadians oppose their government's involvement with the development of the United States' missile defence system?
Thekla Lit: Because Canada, as a country with its own sovereignty, should not just follow U.S. military or foreign policy. In fact, this ballistic missile defence system or project actually will not bring peace, but actually will bring about an arms race. So, as Canadians, we should be vigilant, and we should oppose this U.S. BMD program.

S.O.: Do you think that a letter signed by prominent Canadians and people across the country will convince Prime Minister Paul Martin to oppose the missile shield, and push for disarmament?
T.L.: I'm optimistic about this. Of course, this letter is just the first batch signed by some prominent Canadians. I believe the more Canadians that sign on this letter, then the effect will be much more great. So, I would like to call on all other Canadians to sign on this support letter. They can go to the web site, Ceasefire.ca, to sign on it, and send it over to Paul Martin.

S.O.: How might the U.S. missile defence program destabilise East Asia?
T.L.: In East Asia, there are already a lot of challenges that they need to face regarding the regional stability there, like the legacy of some unresolved issues relating to the widespread atrocities committed during World War II, and then Japan's re-emergence as a regional military power. All of this worries the people in East Asia. So, I think this BMD will just pose other difficulties for people there to overcome.

S.O.: How does East Asia fit into the U.S.-led, so-called war on terrorism?
T.L.: North Korea is regarded as one of the 'axis of evil' by the U.S. This has a lot of concern from people in East Asia, especially in South Korea, as well as in China. Because lots of people there are worried that the U.S. will use this as an excuse, or a pretext, to increase their militarism and to wage another war in East Asia. So, this really poses a really unstable element in the region.

S.O.: What's your take on the situation in North Korea? Do you think North Korea poses a threat to its neighbours?
T.L.: I think, of course, the people in East Asia, they have a fear of North Korea being a nuclear country. But then, if you look at the situation in North Korea, they would like to develop some kind of nuclear power and nuclear plants. And, if you look at the North Korean situation, actually what they need most is not really the development of nuclear weapons. Instead, they need to have more help from outside to build up their economic situation, and bring some economic development to the country. Unless they are forced to develop nuclear weapons, otherwise I would believe that they would like to deploy more resources in their own economic development.

S.O.: Why are you concerned about the militarisation of Japan, and where do you think it's headed?
T.L.: As a Canadian of Chinese descent, I have a deep understanding of the unresolved issues that have been brought over from World War II. I also have these grievances related to the forced labour, sexual slavery, biological weapons, atrocities against civilians, and abuses of prisoners of war by the Imperial Army. And then the very fact is that Japan, as a government, up to this moment, they have never really faced squarely with the atrocities they committed during World War II. And, what they did during the last war was so horrific. So, I am very worried to see the re-emergence of Japan's militarism. So I, being a Canadian of Chinese descent, am obliged to alert people that it's a very negative sign that Japan joined this BMD with the U.S. They will just develop this, and then use this with no bounds. So, I am very worried about this situation.

S.O.: Why should people support the redress movement for victims of atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II?
T.L.: Because I always believe: if you really want peace, there must be justice. But without redress, there will be no justice. And, without justice, there will be no reconciliation. Without reconciliation, there will be no trust between the perpetrating country and the victimised country. And, without trust, how can we achieve peace? So, redress is really the first step. And also, the other thing is with this redress, then people will learn that - even a country that's such a strong economic power - they have to back down, and then they have to apologise for what they have done wrong in the past. And so as to stop this impunity. If we don't stop the impunity, then these things will just happen again. So, we must all learn lessons from past history, and redress is one of the steps to learn about it.

S.O.: March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. What are your thoughts on the state of racism in Canada?
T.L.: In Canada, we all have this belief in multiculturalism. I think we must uphold this value. But human rights and anti-racism will not just come as we wish. We must be very vigilant in fighting racism.