Let's get united for survival! ～ 300 gather for Oct. 12 Anti-Poverty National Rally

The 2014 Anti-Poverty National Rally was held on Oct. 12 in Tokyo. The slogan for the rally this year was “Let's get connected for survival!”  The morning program was composed of a get-together for exchanges among affiliate groups of the anti-poverty national network and a film show of “Metro Ladies Blues Part 2” and “Occupy Wall Street 2011.”  In the afternoon, the participants shared views and opinions in a symposium and discussions held in the World Café style that followed. The venue was filled with some 300 people. (By Web Editorial Staff)

The preparatory committee for the Anti-Poverty Network organized the first rally in March, 2007. We organized the Tent City for the Jobless over the new year holidays of 2008-2009 in a park in the central Tokyo. Local branches of the Anti-Poverty Network were established all over the country later on. We realized that the anti-poverty movement was expanding across the country steadily, if not rapidly. We have to make more efforts to move forward. Though media coverage has decreased, it does not mean that the anti-poverty movement has stagnated. The reports presented in the rally clearly showed the expansion of the movement. I was encouraged to hear the enthusiastic discussions today. I felt a little uplifted and, in fact, was near to tears. (Tweets by KAWAZOE Makoto, a caretaker of the Anti-Poverty Network) 

* Photo: The venue was full of enthusiastic participants.

生きぬくためにつながろう！～10.12反貧困全国集会に300人が集う

東京で反貧困ネットワーク準備会が最初に集会を 開い たのは、2007年3月。2008年暮れには、年越し派遣村。その後、全国各地に反貧困ネットワークが結成さ れている。反貧困運動は、ジグザグがありながらも、着実に全国に広がってきているのを実感。次に何をつなげていくのか、ふんばりどこ ろ。その後、マスメディアには取り上げられなくなっていくが、それで全国的にも反貧 困運動が活動が落ち込んだかというとそうではないことが、今日の報告でもあきらかに。反貧困ネットワークがどんどん増えている。全国 のみなさんの熱心な意見交換を聴いて、励まされて、ちょっと元気が出て、涙がちょっ と出そうになる。（河添誠） 　
 ＊写真＝会場いっぱいの参加者で盛り上がる

No national borders for the right to live! ～ March against racism in Shinjuku, Tokyo

On Oct. 5, some 100 citizens marched in the Shinjuku and Shin-Okubo area in Tokyo as part of the 10.5 Action against Discrimination and Xenophobia.  The civic group that organized the action started anti-racism activities in 2009 when a Filipino family, then living in Warabi City, Satitama Prefecture and requesting the government to grant them a special permission to remain in Japan, was persistently harassed by Zaitoku-kai and other ultra-nationalist groups. They organized counter-actions to those right-wingers and, since then, have organized various activities against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia. The march was the fourth of their annual street demonstrations they have in autumn. ”Stop discrimination against foreign nationals!” “We are opposed to racial discrimination and xenophobia of any kind!” “We won't tolerate hate speeches or racism!” “The right to live is universal! Let's get united beyond national boundaries!” “Let's raise our voice against racism!” - The chants echoed in the heavy rain along the 3-km route the marchers walked. (By NISHINAKA Seiichiro)      

生きる権利に国境はない！～新宿で外国人差別に反対するデモ

 
10月5日、東京の新宿・新大久保界隈で「許すな！ 差別 排外主義 10．5 ACTION」が行われ、約100人の市民がデモ行進に参加した。同連絡会は、2009年当 時、埼玉県蕨市に在住し在留特別許可を求めていたフィリピン人家族への「在特会」等の嫌がらせ行為に対するカウンター行動の教訓から活動 を立ち上げ、差別•排外主義に反対する様々な取り組みを行ってきた。毎年秋に街 頭デモ行進を行い、今回が4回目。台風が迫る大雨の中、「外国人差別反対！」「あらゆる人種差別、排外主義反対！」「ヘイトスピーチも、 レイシズムも許さないぞ！」「生きる権利に国境はないぞ！ 国境を越えて連帯しよ う！」「みんなで声を上げよう」と道行く人たちに呼びかけ、約3キロの道程をデモ行進した。（西中誠一郎）

Lawsuit over exclusion of Korean schools from Tuition-Free High School Education System: 340 cue to enter court gallery in Tokyo

The third hearing was held at the Tokyo District Court on Oct. 1 for the lawsuit where high school students of Tokyo Korean Junior and Senior High School are claiming state compensation for the damages caused by the exclusion of their school from the national system of free high school education. Before the start of the hearing at 10 am, some 340 people including teachers and students of the school, parents of the students, and supporters lined up outside the courthouse in rain to get tickets to enter the courtroom. For the first time for the case, the hearing was held in the largest room in the courthouse. Korean high schools are not provided government financial assistance applied to other foreign and international high schools from the High School Tuition Support Fund. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern on this situation in the concluding observations document of the periodic review for Japan conducted in Geneva, Switzerland  late in August, by stating that the legislative provisions and government's actions in Japan including the exclusion from the High School Tuition Support Fund and the suspension or continued decrease of funding allocated by local governments to Korean schools hinder the right to education of children of Korean origin and recommended the Japanese government to revise its position.  The long cue outside the courthouse could have reflected a widespread interest in this issue in the society. (By NISHIHANA Seiichiro)      

傍聴券もとめて340人～関心広がる東京朝鮮学校「高校無償化」裁判

１０月１日、東京地裁１０３大法廷で、東京朝鮮中高 級学 校に在籍する高校生への就学支援金不支給を巡る国家賠償請求訴訟の第三回口頭弁論が開かれた。 午前１０時前小雨の裁判所前には、今回初めて大法廷で行われる公判の傍聴券を求めて、同校の教員や生徒、保護者、支援者ら約３４０人が列 を作った。８月下旬にジュネーブで開催された国連•人種差別撤廃委員会の日本審 査で、朝鮮学校の「高校授業料就学支援金」制度からの除外や、その影響による各地方自治体の朝鮮学校への補助金の凍結や継続的な縮減に対 して、教育権を妨げる差別的な行政措置として懸念表明され、是正勧告が出された こともあり、裁判への関心の広がりが感じられた。（西中誠一郎）