Satoru Nakamura, Senior Researcher of iRICH, had a NGO speech on 55th UN Human Rights Coucils in Geneva. He had speech about Recommendations of Okinawan Indigenous People.
Thank you. Mr. Vice-President. This Council and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination have recommended six times that the Japanese government must recognize the Okinawans as indigenous people and protect their rights. However, most Okinawans are unaware that they are considered indigenous by the UN and have been repeatedly recommended to do so. Even Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, who addressed at the last Council meeting, has repeatedly stated that they have never been declared indigenous or even discussed by the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly or Okinawan society. The fact that such recommendations are being issued when the Okinawans have neither discussed nor demanded them is clearly an effort by a specific government to divide the Japanese people and weaken them by making them fight each other. The UN should not issue recommendations based on a purposely manipulated and separatist report by those specific groups. We call on this Council to dispatch the Special Rapporteur to Okinawa to meet with Okinawans to learn about the real situation in Okinawa without prejudice. We then ask the Council to revisit these recommendations. Thank you very much.
In March 2024, Mr. Shunichi Fujiki, Senior Researcher of iRICH, had attended on 55th UN Human Rights Councils in Geneva. He had 3 NGO speeches about human rights issues in Eastern Asia.
Speech about: Tibet Issue
We call for your attention to express our grave concern about ongoing human rights violations in China-controlled Tibet.
As a cultural and religious minority, the Tibetan people continue to face systematic oppression and violation of their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Tibetan monks died in custody due to torture and ill-treatment. Tibetan nomads are forced to move into urban areas for migration and assimilation.
This policy is destroying traditional livelihoods and weakening the cultural identity of the Tibetan people.
Widespread surveillance, restrictions on freedom of movement, and systematic suppression of Tibetan language and culture in education.
Tibetan Buddhism faced severe restrictions, monasteries are closed, language and education marginalized in favor of Chinese, and nature destroyed for economic gain.
Independent access to Tibet is restricted, making it difficult to verify official claims.
However, consistent reports from human rights groups, journalists, and former Tibetan residents paint a very different picture.
We ask this Council for following 3 recommendations to China.
1．Allow press and UN members free access to Tibet.
2．Release all political prisoners and end the arbitrary detention of peace activists.
3．Respect Tibetan people's freedom of religion and belief.
Even at this moment, they are suffering. We need to take a decisive action. Silence is not our choice.
Speech about: Uygur Issue
We call for your attention to express our grave concern about ongoing human rights violations in China-controlled Tibet.
As a cultural and religious minority, the Tibetan people continue to face systematic oppression and violation of their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Tibetan monks died in custody due to torture and ill-treatment. Tibetan nomads are forced to move into urban areas for migration and assimilation.
This policy is destroying traditional livelihoods and weakening the cultural identity of the Tibetan people.
Widespread surveillance, restrictions on freedom of movement, and systematic suppression of Tibetan language and culture in education.
Tibetan Buddhism faced severe restrictions, monasteries are closed, language and education marginalized in favor of Chinese, and nature destroyed for economic gain.
Independent access to Tibet is restricted, making it difficult to verify official claims.
However, consistent reports from human rights groups, journalists, and former Tibetan residents paint a very different picture.
We ask this Council for following 3 recommendations to China.
1．Allow press and UN members free access to Tibet.
2．Release all political prisoners and end the arbitrary detention of peace activists.
3．Respect Tibetan people's freedom of religion and belief.
Even at this moment, they are suffering. We need to take a decisive action. Silence is not our choice.
Speech about: Freedom of speech in China
Thank you, Chairperson,
The COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan revealed the bravery of individuals whose commitment to truth and human rights resulted in persecution by the Chinese government. Their reporting highlighted the severity of the situation in Wuhan, yet they faced unjust imprisonment and espionage charges for advocating for freedom of speech.
These cases illuminate the broader issue of press freedom in China.
The government's crackdown on independent journalism not only violates human rights but also obstructs the free flow of information and stifles public discourse.
Anti-Spy Law is used to target journalists and businessmen, damaging international trust and cooperation.
These human rights violations by the China contradict the principles of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. It is vital for the international community to raise awareness of these abuses and hold the China accountable.
As the PRC serves on the United Nations Human Rights Council member from 2024 to 2027, there is an opportunity for change and accountability. We urge the PRC to fulfill its responsibilities and demonstrate a genuine commitment to respecting human rights.
We hope that this Council will recommend China to protect their own people's human rights as a member of this Council, before making any comments on the human rights of other countries.
