Hello Everybody! I'm Thomas, a new French volunteer at APFS, coming from Manila (Philippines).
I will stay in Tokyo for the next few months, and I'm looking forward to work closely with APFS staff and all its members, for I believe they are doing altogether an amazing and very much needed job at helping immigrants who arrive and are living in Japan, and most of all, by bringing people together.
Last Sunday, March 31, a meeting was held to present the last news about Mr. Abubakar Awudu Suraj's case. Mr. Suraj was a Ghanian citizen and a long term resident in Japan, since he first arrived in Japan in 1988. He died during his deportation from Japan to Ghana on March 22, 2010, a procedure first engaged due to Mr. Suraj overstay on his visa. His family and friends, with the help of APFS, filed a complaint for excessive pressure exerced by the immigration officers in charge of Mr. Suraj's deportation that day.
Even though I don't speak Japanese well enough (especially when it comes to legal language) to understand all the ins and outs in about the case, Mr. Suraj's lawyer was able to review the case, give the informations about the last court hearing held on February 25, 2013, and present the arguments for future developments. After that, we've heard Mr. Suraj's wife tell her story with her husband. We've witnessed the sorrow caused by his death, but also the courage she shows by keeping on fighting to see one day the truth come out, and keep the memory of her husband alive.
Mr. Suraj's friends had also prepared a statement, full of dignity, and a concluding word by Mr. Katsuo Yoshinari, APFS Advisor, was a strong and determined call to intensify the mobilization for Mr. Suraj and his closed ones' sakes.
As a French citizen, such cases are unfortunately not unknown in France, especially those last years, with a strenghtening of the immigration policy, a strong increase of the number of deportations, and the multiplication of cases involving problems related to the deported rights and/or health. It is an unfortunate fact, but it is reassuring to see that people fight, either that is in France or here in Japan. Hoping for the best.
I will stay in Tokyo for the next few months, and I'm looking forward to work closely with APFS staff and all its members, for I believe they are doing altogether an amazing and very much needed job at helping immigrants who arrive and are living in Japan, and most of all, by bringing people together.
Last Sunday, March 31, a meeting was held to present the last news about Mr. Abubakar Awudu Suraj's case. Mr. Suraj was a Ghanian citizen and a long term resident in Japan, since he first arrived in Japan in 1988. He died during his deportation from Japan to Ghana on March 22, 2010, a procedure first engaged due to Mr. Suraj overstay on his visa. His family and friends, with the help of APFS, filed a complaint for excessive pressure exerced by the immigration officers in charge of Mr. Suraj's deportation that day.
Even though I don't speak Japanese well enough (especially when it comes to legal language) to understand all the ins and outs in about the case, Mr. Suraj's lawyer was able to review the case, give the informations about the last court hearing held on February 25, 2013, and present the arguments for future developments. After that, we've heard Mr. Suraj's wife tell her story with her husband. We've witnessed the sorrow caused by his death, but also the courage she shows by keeping on fighting to see one day the truth come out, and keep the memory of her husband alive.
Mr. Suraj's friends had also prepared a statement, full of dignity, and a concluding word by Mr. Katsuo Yoshinari, APFS Advisor, was a strong and determined call to intensify the mobilization for Mr. Suraj and his closed ones' sakes.
As a French citizen, such cases are unfortunately not unknown in France, especially those last years, with a strenghtening of the immigration policy, a strong increase of the number of deportations, and the multiplication of cases involving problems related to the deported rights and/or health. It is an unfortunate fact, but it is reassuring to see that people fight, either that is in France or here in Japan. Hoping for the best.
