After the International Symposium

This is Son who has been volunteering at APFS from the end of last year. At this time, I had the most important role ever since I had started volunteering because I speak Korean. We invited the guest from Korea for this symposium, and I worked as her language assistant. I’m going to introduce about how the symposium was held as a volunteer.

On May 1^st, we held the international symposium, “Support the Lives of Foreign Citizens-from Viewpoint of the Experience of Japanese and Korean Support for  “undocumented foreigners” (foreigners who live in Japan without residential status) -“. We invited the guest from Korean NGO, ”Asia Chang”, which supports the undocumented foreigners and reported the current situation of the supporting activity in both countries. First of all, the lawyer, Genichi Yamaguchi, traced the history of special permission for residence from viewpoint of the law. Secondly, the representative of APFS, Jotaro Kato, reported how APFS had been consulted on difficult problems and drew their road map. I keenly realized that there were so many problems that needs to be solved even if “The Guideline of the Special Permission for Residence” had been revised. The separation of family, The refuse for special permission for residence even the children grew up in Japan, putting foreigners who entered Japan in the irregular way into the custody, and the prejudice against them…I acutely aware of the necessity of undertaking whatever I can do.

Thirdly, the member of Korean NGO, Young A. Lee, talked about their activities. Surprisingly, Korean supporting activity is much further than Japanese one. They supports immigrants actively such as holding language lessons for immigrant, running portal site and sustaining community. On the other hand, comparing to Japan, the number of undocumented foreigners in Korea is higher than Japan and children whose parents are undocumented can’t get graduation certificate. I felt that both countries should cooperate each other to solve their own problems and overcome them.

Lastly, the reporter, Yukiko Sazanami, reported the lives of children who were deported to Philippines from Japan. I noticed that the theory children can be accustomed to new environment because they have high adaptation ability is wrong. They face the obstacles of language, culture and making friends. Under such a hard environment, children strive toward comfortable niche. “I’m going to be a bridge between Japan and Philippines someday”. I felt chagrin and hope for the future at the same time.

After the panel discussion, Professor Watado gave chance to a girl who was struggling to gain special permission for residence. Ms. Mary Jane Parnes Garcia who gained special permission for residence at last cheered her up. “How hard it is, how long it takes, the day we all become happy must come. Hang on together by that day.” Everyone in the symposium must have gotten energy from her. 

It’s probably difficult to perfectly understand their pain. However, I’m going to face what I can do for them and do my best until the day everyone feels happy for real comes.

The article from one volunteer (Ms. Nagashima)

In A.P.F.S. , various volunteers join activities. Here is the article of one volunteer. 

It’s been passed 7 years since I knew the Immigration Bureau. I saw the letter which was written by the foreigner who had been deported in the eastern Japan entrance center. I read a few letters written in French, and I got shocked that there is such a place in the developed country. There are many people who are deported for a long time and get sick just because of overstay. They need to prepare for a lot of money and get through complicated procedure to get provisional release status. Even if they get provisional release status, they are not allowed to work. They might be put in custody again. 

At that time, I often saw the news about the ship which is filled with many African people arrived at the beach in Italy. Some people became a statistic. In Paris, there are often demonstrations by undocumented foreigners. However, in Japan, there are few people who know the Immigration Bureau even if there are many Foreigners . Therefore, probably most people don’t understand what I am talking about. 

However, in Suginami where I live, the consultations for foreigners was held for free. I feel the government starts getting involved in this problem little by little.

I live in Japan with NGO like APFS, so I'm going to try to listen to foreigners’ suffering who live in Japan to understand each other.

On the Provision of 500 Meals of Bangladeshi Curry (Hassan)

Shajahan Baitalik (Hassan) (Director, A. P. F. S. / Padma)

※This post is renewed with the link to Mr. Hassan's shop "Padma". You can see the link from →here← (Japanese).

○ My motivation to go to the disaster area

I wanted to do what I can. No matter how much we think “it must be horrible”, we do not understand what disaster victims feel. We cannot understand. How hard it is to have one’s family die. It is very hard. You cannot go home, take a bath and go to sleep. How can it be? For such people (disaster victims), I want to do something, anything, whatever I can to tell them “keep on fighting”. This is where I work (Padma: Italian & Bangladeshi restaurant), so this (providing meals) is what I can do the best. I wished that everyone had something warm to eat just for once so I can show my sympathy.

○ Not for the interviews, but for the disaster victims

First I thought to go (to the site) without even saying my country of origin or my religion. I did not want to say. I do not do this for publicity. I told to interviewers too that “I have not come for interview” and turned them down. I told them to ask questions while I kept on working. (I came to help disaster victims,) not for that (the interviews), but as a same human being.

○ Together with everyone

There are also people who say (to me) that I should leave Japan but we are in this together, so I only leave when all the Japanese (leave).

○ Happy, for the first time in my life

Happiness. I felt happiness for the first time in my life. I have not slept for about three days. I was very tense and the hard work was also a great deal. I drove (the car) all the way and back, so my body was in a messy condition. (After the project when I went home,) I took a bath and tried to drink a can of beer but I was so tired that I could not. My body was.

I slept for four hours and went back to work. The weariness of my body was all gone. Why? Because I am happy. I am happy, so I recovered from the fatigue in an instant. Usually when I drive for a long time, my feet start to hurt but this time I did not feel anything at all.

All the elderly people keep hanging on under such painful circumstances. It is cold. There is no food. They are in a situation where they cannot go outside. It is snowing. They are eating onigiri (rice balls) only, onigiri with no flavor, just plain rice. (Having seen that, at the disaster area) I could not eat from morning. At the same time, we are living in such luxury. Thinking of that, I could not eat. That (when we finished distributing meals) was the first time that I first ate the onigiri I got (from the disaster victims).

Preparing meals for 500 people was not difficult for me as a professional, what was different is that until now I cooked for customers. Customers eat, they pay. It is business, so if it sells I am lucky. If it does not, that is just the way it is. This time, if there is any kind of mistake, if something is late, there is no second chance. I promised 500 meals, I said I would do it and it is OK, I took responsibility. I was extremely tense; it was a huge pressure because it was such a situation that no failures were allowed whatever the reason of incapability. This kind of experience was for the first time. I could overcome this, so I am happy now. Until now, I have never thought of what happiness is but (this time) I could get a taste of happiness. I will definitely never forget that elderly people and children too asked for a second portion and were very happy.

○ My gratitude to Ms. Mega (prefectural employee coordinating for us locally) and the employees of the city hall

I think it is not strange if I say we owe it to Mr. Kato’s friend, Ms. Mega; she did the most important job. It really helped. If it was not for her, we could not find back roads, since it is not in the car navigation system and there was no one to ask. She provided us information and came at six o’clock (to the interchange); she did not sleep (too much for sure). I am grateful for that. I am also grateful for people at the local city hall for letting us come. Otherwise we could not have gone.

○ To the citizens of Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture

I think it is devastating without all kinds of goods, without family, without friends, so it is not uncommon to feel that there is nowhere to go or lose one’s desire to live.

We all have to keep on fighting not only for ourselves. Everybody is supporting you to give you strength. For everybody all over Japan, for everybody all over the world too, you have to start everything from zero again because I think you are strong. You can overcome it for sure. Believe it and work hard. Thank you very much.

○ Applauded at Matsusaki Elementary School

Thank you all. Being applauded was extremely embarrassing. It should be the other way around (normally, I should applaud to all of them), should not it? It was very embarrassing. They (disaster victims) can complain me (living in Tokyo), they can push me. While I live a luxurious life in Tokyo, they (disaster victims) have to face such horrors and (still) they applauded me. It was embarrassing.

○ About buying up things

People (in Tokyo) buy too much, they are in a panic. They (in the disaster area) get only one onigiri (to eat). People (in Tokyo) are buying things saying there is no this or that. Even if they do nothing (any supporting activities), I wish if they would just go (first) and see it (the disaster area) once. I think they would realize the wrong (buying up things) they do.

○ From now on

I would like to cook or help dismantling there.

If there was anyone to look after my business for me (in the meantime)…