Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga told a United Nations human rights body on Monday that the central government has closed its ears to local voices in the battle over U.S. military bases in the prefecture.

In a speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Onaga said the world must pay attention to the situation at Henoko, where a U.S. base is being expanded against local will.

He said it is part of a pattern of neglect dating back to World War II.