Amnesty International Japan has been organizing
a post card campaign about the problem of the detention of Afghani asylum-seekers
in Japan. To cope with the campaign, I ask you to send your e-mail or fax
to Japanese Justice Ministry. How to do it? It is very easy. Here I explain
how to do it.
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The Explanation about the Postcard
Campaign of Amnesty International
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The current crackdown by the Japanese government is discriminatory, as it targets specific social groups, such as religions and ethnic groups. In addition, these actions encourage prejudice and discrimination within Japan against specific religions and ethnic groups. The Immigration Bureau has stated that it intends to further strengthen these actions. We are concerned that people who have come to Japan to ask for protection may be placed in the dangerous position of being repatriated. We ask for your cooperation in our campaign to prevent further violations of human rights, by demanding that the Japanese government guarantee that people of Afghani nationality who are in Japan, as well as those who will come in the future, the right to file proper applications for recognition as refugees, and that, considering the current situation, that it not forcibly repatriate people who have fled from Afghanistan. |
Model Letter (translated by Japan
Observer Staff)
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Forget to Write here
The Honorable Mayumi Moriyama
Dear Ms. Minister: On October 3 of this year, the Tokyo Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice carried out full-scale raids in areas centered around Tokyo. A dozen people or so had their homes searched on charges of violating the Immigration Control and Refugees Recognition Act, and they were forcibly detained. Of them, nine were people who had fled Afghanistan and had already filed applications to be recognized as refugees, asking for protection from the Japanese government. However, these people remain in custody. Since the attacks of September 11 in the United
States, people around the world have been subjected to increasing prejudice
and discrimination. As part of Japan's emergency measures toward the current
crisis, crackdowns by the Immigration Bureau have been strengthened.
Consequently, I call on the Japanese government to ensure that Afghani people who are currently asking for protection from the Japanese government be guaranteed access to proper application procedures, and that, considering the current situation in Afghanistan, that they not be repatriated to a country where they may face human rights violations. In addition, in order to prevent more people from being subjected to human rights violations as a result of discriminatory policies, I call upon the Japanese government to act cautiously in the future, and to provide appropriate protection, based on international human rights standards, to people of Afghani nationality who are asking for protection. Very truly yours, [NAME] [MESSAGE]
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