Petition #264: Integrity of the UNESCO.

Petition #264: Integrity of the UNESCO.

His Excellency Shinzo ABE
Prime Minister of Japan

The Hague, 8 November 2016
Petition: 264
Subject: Integrity of the UNESCO.

Excellency,
We are disgusted that Japan criticizes the UNESCO for lacking transparency. It demonstrates Japan’s total disrespect for the careful reviews UNESCO makes before admitting historically based documents to the World Register. That these facts are politically unwelcome for Japan does not mean that they should not be submitted. Apparently Japan’s political view must prevail. In accordance with this view historic documents which substantiate and show without any doubt the war-crimes committed by the Japanese military during World War II must be at all costs removed. Thus Japan withholds its annual contribution to UNESCO. In doing so Japan shows its true colors and disrespect for the UN. For the UNESCO is the withholding of contributions by Japan a serious operational matter; for the United Nations it is a signal that Japan ignores the rules and customs of the United Nations and that Japan cannot be trusted.

Prime Minister,
The Foundation of Japanese Honorary Debts has first-hand experience in submitting documents to be enlisted on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. In preparing for this Register we collected, together with Dutch institutions, original documents which were carefully screened on authenticity and relevance of the content. In this process we are impressed by the integrity, transparency and objectively of UNESCO in assessing the lasting historical value of the documents submitted. We are glad that the Dutch government pays its annual contribution to UNESCO.

Prime Minister,
The UNESCO documents about the 1937 Nanking Massacre make it very clear that the Japanse military conducted war crimes at a large scale. In my previous petition: I pointed out that during the occupation of Dutch East Indies the Japanese military conducted war crimes which cannot be limited by a peace treaty. In accordance of the The Hague convention of 1907 Japan is liable and responsible for all acts committed by its armed forces.

Prime Minister,
We are still awaiting receipt of our petitions.

On behalf of the Foundation of Japanese Honorary Debts.

J.F. van Wagtendonk
President