News

IMADR delivered its oral statement on “Buraku discrimination in Japan” at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues on “Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status” .  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 31st session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on minority issues 15 March 2016 Thank you Mr. President, We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s thematic report on “Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status”. We echo the Madam Rapporteur’s emphasis on the existence of discrimination based on caste and similar systems […]

In celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Elimination of Racial Discrimination NGO Network (ERD-Net) will hold the event titled “Stop Racism, Stop Hate Speech”, to demand the Japanese government to adopt a basic law against racial discrimination which has been in negotiation at the Parliament. The event will take place at 3 pm to 4:30 pm on 17th March at a Hall of Members’ office building of House of Councilors of Japan. For further information, visit our event page in Japanese.  IMADR created a 3 minute video “Is there racial discrimination in Japan?” to capture the situation of racial discrimination in Japan against Zainichi Koreans, […]

IMADR delivered its joint oral statement with Shimin Gaikou Centre (Citizens’ Diplomatic Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples)  on “Human Rights Violations in Okinawa, Japan” at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 31st session of the Human Rights Council Item 4: General Debate[1] 15 March 2016 Thank you Mr. President, We would like to share our concerns on the situation in Okinawa, Japan. Okinawa hosts 74% of all U.S. military facilities in Japan, while it only constitutes 0.6% of the total land area. Due to the heavy militarisation, Okinawan people’s rights have been infringed since the World War […]

IMADR delivered its joint oral statement with Franciscans International  on “High Commissioner’s visit and transitional justice in Sri Lanka” at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 31st session of the Human Rights Council Item 2: Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 10 March 2016 Thank you Mr. President, IMADR and Franciscans International welcome the High Commissioner’s visit to Sri Lanka last month, in which he oversaw the progress in implementing the consensus resolution “Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka (A/HRC/RES/30/1)”. We appreciate that his visit was received in a friendly and cooperative environment, […]

Together with Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and Franciscans International, IMADR is holding a side event on “Challenges of Transitional Justice in Sri Lanka” at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council from 4:30 pm, Thursday 17 March at Room XXIII in Palais des Nations. For further information, click on the flyer below.    

On behalf of the Human Rights Centre Clinic at the University of Essex and the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice, IMADR submitted a written statement on “Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka (January 2015-Present)” at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here. ——— Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka (January 2015-Present)[1] During the conflict in Sri Lanka human rights defenders’ freedom of expression was subject to systematic interferences by the Government, resulting in widespread violations, including numerous enforced disappearances. The new Government, which came into power in January 2015, has pledged to address these issues.[2] To date, certain progress has […]

On behalf of the Human Rights Centre Clinic at the University of Essex and the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice, IMADR submitted a written statement on “Freedom of assembly in Sri Lanka: limitations through use of force and intimidation (January 2015-Present)” at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here. ——— Freedom of assembly in Sri Lanka: limitations through use of force and intimidation (January 2015-Present)[1] The establishment of a new Sri Lankan Government in January 2015 was accompanied by a commitment to promote and implement human rights obligations with respect to freedom of assembly. Recent events, however, indicate that the […]

Together with Shimin Gaikou Centre and Citizens’ Network for Biodiversity in Okinawa, IMADR submitted a written statement on “Human Rights Violations in Okinawa, Japan” at the 31sth session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here. ——— Human Rights Violations in Okinawa, Japan In September 2015, Takeshi Onaga, the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, made an oral statement at the 30th session of Human Rights Council, claiming its people’s right to self-determination has been neglected by the Government of Japan in regard to the construction of a new U.S. military base in Oura bay, Henoko. He stepped forward to revoke the land reclamation approval for […]

At the consideration of periodic reports of Japan on 16th February, UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)  expressed concern on the situation of indigenous and minority women such as Ainu, Buraku and Zainichi Korean women, especially their participation in public and political life as well as limited access to health, education and employment. It was also concerned by multiple/ intersecting forms of discrimination against these women including hate speech and violence. Against this backdrop, the Committee issued nine recommendations to Japan in order to protect and promote the rights of indigenous and minority women in its concluding observations .  Two recommendations on sexist/ racist speech and propaganda and negative stereotypes and prejudices […]

On 27th January, civil society activists and organisations, including IMADR Asia Committee, issued a joint statement to express serious concerns on President Maithripala Sirisena’s statements  in rejecting the inclusion of foreign personnel in justice mechanisms to address human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law. Activists urge the Government of Sri Lanka to fulfill its commitment to the UN Human Rights Council resolution 30/L.29 on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka , which affirmed the importance of the participation of Commonwealth and other foreign judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators the processes. Read the statement below or download here in English, Shinhala or Tamil. . ——— 27th January 2016 We, the undersigned activists and organisations from Sri Lanka, are […]

On the occasion of the consideration of State party’s reports of Japan by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), indigenous Ainu, Buraku and Zainichi Korean women submitted the report to the Committee in the aim to include their issues in the discussion. Japan will be reviewed by the CEDAW Committee on 16th February during its 63rd session. For further information, visit the CEDAW webpage.  The public discussion between Japan and CEDAW Committee will be webcasted live at the UN Treaty Body Webcast page.  To read the report “Situations and Challenges of Minority Women in Japan”, click the image below.

On 8th January 2016, civil society activists and organisations in Sri Lanka issued the Statement on Accountability, Reconciliation and Human Rights in Sri Lanka, urging the Government to implement the UN Human Rights Council resolution 30/L.29 on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka .  Read the statement below or download here . ——— 8th January, 2016 Statement on Accountability, Reconciliation and Human Rights in Sri Lanka We the undersigned civil society activists and organisations from Sri Lanka, wish to place on record the following observations on human rights, accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the presidential election of 8th January 2015, we note […]