Urgent protest statement concerning the non-prosecution decision

For the 10 Immigration officers who were under the threat of being prosecuted for the death of M. Suraj, a non-prosecution decision has been released. We, APFS and Suraj’s wife protest against this decision in the text below.

We also distributed this text in a press conference of the justice related matters journalists club. You can see the press conference in the picture below.

 

Urgent protest statement concerning the non-prosecution decision

2 years have passed since the incident, and we felt a deep indignation when we learned about the decision of non-prosecution.

About the cause of Suraj’s death, a re-examination of his heart revealed he had a tumor, so an irregular pulse was decided to be the main cause. Without asking the family at all about the conservation of the heart, to believe all of a sudden that, after 2 years that the heart has been stored, a tumor is the cause of the death is really difficult. We do have doubts about whether the heart is really Suraj’s one and whether the examination is really sure.

It was said that the oppressive acts of the Immigration Officers on M. Suraj are within justified acts, but they stopped the video, and without any kind of recording, what kind of justified acts were they doing, we have to judge only through the one-sided claim from the Immigration Bureau. During the deportations to come from now on, can they use any kind of coercive means and be judged as correct acts? We are appalled by this possibility.

Concerning the current trial claiming for State Compensation, the State being the defendant has released on the 20^th of June its preparatory papers. The content resembles a lot the claim for non-prosecution released by the prosecutor, and the fact that the timing matches too let us think that the State and the prosecutor are colluded.

Therefore, about the decision of non-prosecution, we protest strongly against what we think is collusion between the State and the Prosecutor, stomping over People’s rights.

4^th of July 2012

Suraj’s wife

Supporting organization APFS

Report on the venue of students from Ocha No Mizu Women’s University

16 students from Ocha No Mizu Women’s university and their professor, M. Keichi Kumagai visited APFS office on the morning of the 9^th of June.

The time was short but after Ms. G speech, there was a few questions. The students showed a good critical sense, and raised very pertinent problems.

Their venue was very fertile and we hope everybody enjoyed this rare occasion of discussing the problems related to the situation of the foreign residents in Japan.

After a brief presentation of APFS itself, the representative M. Kato explained through the help of statistics and distributions by nationality and type of visas of entry the global situation of the persons residing in Japan without a proper visa. Where does the immigration phenomenon from developing countries to Japan come from? What is the position of the State itself? What are, in a few words, the immigration policies in Japan? Those were some of the matters that M. Kato presented. Finally, he talked about the way that APFS had a leading role in the creation of the Special Permit of Residence.

Then, Ms. Garcia from the Philippines, coming as a guest speaker, took the time to explain concretely her present situation. She is currently left without a visa, and has lots of troubles. Her speech was very emotional, and probably everybody was moved by her story. If you lose your visa, there is the possibility of facing a forced deportation, which would mean that her 17 years old son would have to live by himself.

Everybody felt sympathy and compassion towards Ms. Garcia, and got a concrete glance at the kind of trouble that the foreign residents in Japan can face.

It is very important that many people feel concerned by the activities of our association.

We hope to be able to set up such occasions again.

About the informational meeting on the trial for state compensation for M. Suraj of the 21st of May

  During the Informational meeting that took place after the fourth hearing of the trial for compensation for Mr. Suraj, about information about the evolution of the case so far and the perspectives from now on, we looked at pictures of the reproduction of the situation of Mr. Suraj’s deportation (presented by the Ministry of Justice).
　
　M. Suraj was made to lay face down and was carried into the airplane, with metal handcuffs on the legs, and through the use of personal items that belonged to the Immigration officers, this is the kind of scene displayed in the pictures of the reproduction of the incident. After they made M. Suraj seat in the airplane seat, several Immigration officers were retaining M. Suraj (this is why the back of the chair fell), while his mouth was getting stuffed with a towel. Moreover, he was made to bend down forward when he was seated, which even in amateur’s eyes seems like an exaggerated pressure.

  Thinking that M. Suraj died in the middle of such an inhumane treatment, I felt a cruel indignation. The pictures shocked all the persons that participated to the informational meeting, and I think we all shared the same feeling. It was the occasion to dig into the real matter and to strengthen the determination towards making the truth become clear.

Report on the Earth Festival Kanagawa 2012

    On the weekend of the 19 and 20th of May, the Earth Festival was organized in Yokohama-shi, in Kanagawa Prefecture. Putting under the spotlight the various ethnic groups and cultures of the people living in Japan, this very popular yearly event features food stalls, dances, music performances, a world bazaar and lots of fun.
   
    Starting from Saturday morning, and until Sunday evening, colorful and smiling artists followed one another on different stages offered by the organizers. Arriving from Hongo-dai station, a mere 10 minutes train ride from Kamakura, the festival starts with the world bazaar, a very calm and peaceful outdoor market with lots of handicraft, clothing, jewelry, and various hand-made items. Inside of the nearby Earth Plaza building was the main stage and many workshops and happenings in the different stairs.
   
    But the core of the festival was of course the busy, steamy and noisy food stalls village. Situated right under the bazaar, all around a little pool containing an island where musical performances and various talks were held, there was food from all over the world, from the Spanish Empanadas, Thai noodles, Bangladeshi curry and Nan, to Indonesian Lawar, Indian beer or Brazilian style churros. All the different smells, colors, faces made it a very enjoyable event.
APFS held a Bangladeshi food stall, featuring curry, tandoory chicken, kebab and lassi. The delicious coconuts chicken curry prepared by the team of Bangladeshi professional cook was a huge success! Thank you very much to all the people who came to the stand.

    Don’t hesitate to participate next year !

Fourth hearing of the trial for compensation for Mr. Suraj

Today from 4PM in the court room 705 was held the fourth hearing of the trial aiming at State compensation for the incident that led to M. Suraj’s death.

The seats for the public were full again, which has a great importance for the following of the trial.

The state didn’t hand out the documents explaining their objection by the designated deadline of the 14th of May, and will have to do it by the 20th of June.

Regarding the dishonesty of the State, the Judge also referred to the fact that the criminal case does have to progress in any way.

He strongly stated that the state has to present objections by the next hearing. The points at stake becoming clear, we will be able to make progress.

After today’s trial we moved to the LAwyers building where the Attorneys at law spoke about the progress of the trial up until now, perspectives from now on and such topics (as shown on the picture).

Many questions were asked by the participants, and we were able to share with each other the cruelty and the irrationality of the incident.

The next hearing will take place in the court room 705 of Tokyo District court from 11 :30AM on the 30th of July.

Please everyone, come as an observer to the hearing, every single person lends a great power to the case.

A message from volunteer

Hello,

My name is Theo. I am coming to APFS as a volunteer since April 2012.

I want to study about the migrations to Japan, so I came here as an exchange student. Spending time, talking, working together with the people of APFS, who try to find solutions for the foreigners living here, it is a very rich experience. Whether they have the right visa or not, foreigners are treated not as such but as human beings, and I feel it is a very good thing.

There are many legal regulations. But if you try to hold together with the foreigners that can be lost in the maze of the laws, regulations, and a sometimes very unfriendly society, we can make a better society !

If you don’t have the right paper, I realized daily life can become extremely difficult. I never had trouble with getting a cell phone, getting registered or daily life matters, thanks to my foreign student visa. But, listening to the stories of people in different situations, I realized that it was not so easy for other people. Finding an apartment, a job, divorce, cellphone, a lot a things of very difficult.

While I’m in Japan, I don’t want to do research in an office. I want to be on the field, to grasp the situation.

So, as much as I can, I want to participate in finding solutions with this association, and with the people living here.

The second trial on Mr. Suraj's case

 The second trial on Mr. Suraj's case (claim for damages against the Japanese government) was held on January 16 at 2 o'clock at courtroom 705 at Tokyo District Court.

 The response of the government was exactly the same as the last trial: the judgment should be suspended until the criminal punishment is decided. We were disappointed at the government's insincere attitude toward the case. To this statement, the chief justice stated that the government must consider the case along with criminal punishment. From the next trial, we expect that the government make clear the problems of the case, and that we see some progress.

 The next trial (the third trial) will be held on March 12 (Mon.) from 2 o'clock at courtroom 705.

 Please continue to support us by observing the trial at court!