Buraku Problem Q&A
Many journalists, researchers and students from abroad come to visit us at the BLHRRI. Although they come from different parts of the world, they come to us to learn more about Buraku problems and ask for much information. Among the many questions asked us, we picked out those most frequently asked in these occasions, and will try to answer them as a new series of"Q&A"in this news letter. We hope this will be a help in understanding Buraku problems.
Q What is Denunciation?
A When someone discriminates against another person, there are not enough legal means to prevent that person from discrimination again, or not help victims of discrimination. Even among those who are in charge of protecting human right at the Human Right bureau of the Ministry of Justice and the Human Right Defense committee of the Legal Affairs Bureau, only a few actually understand Buraku problems very well.
A majority of them just preach about the issues to satisfy their duties. The offices do not function to prevent people from discriminatory behavior or to make them reflect on their actions, or not occur again. The Japanese Constitution includes statements about respect for human rights. In reality, however, there is not control over discriminatory behavior by law or institutions. Buraku people would have to put up with discrimination practices against them, if there were no Buraku Liberation Movement.
Denunciation allows Buraku people to accuse persons who discriminate against them. It seeks to have them reflect and apologize. Through this process, both the discriminating person and Buraku people discover the background in society which produce discrimination. The ultimate aim of denunciation is to educate the person who was discriminated against, to help probe why discrimination still exists and to awaken the dignity of humanity.
Denunciation meetings are held as an organizational activity. One of the reason for this is that even through a discriminatory incident may be a very individual matter, it arouses the anger of the whole Buraku community. Various types of discrimination related to marriage and employment occur just because the people involved are from the Buraku.
Secondly, people who do not have power are in the weak position, and cannot protect themselves without a group action.
Thirdly, it is almost impossible in the present social situation to get an individual who discriminates to frankly admit his deed, apologize for it, and change him/her into a person who does not tolerate discrimination, if the victim takes only an individual action.
This can be easily understood when one learns the attitude of the persons who discriminated before the Suiheisha (National Leveler's Association) was established. Protests from victims had no effect on those who discriminated, and in communities where the Liberation Movement had not been well promoted, the victims were compelled to put up with the situation as it was1 Fourthly, prejudice is not an individual consciousness. It exist in a lot of people's minds. In other words, it is a social group consciousness. For example, some individuals know that discrimination is wrong but worry about how other people think of them when they got involved with Buraku. They also think that it is no use to protest against discrimination by themselves, and so they follow the prejudice of others. Therefore, an individual's efforts has to go beyond the individual level and cooperate with organization which fight against discrimination in order to conquer prejudice in society.
Fifthly, individual protests against discrimination sometimes can get out of control. When people who discriminate do not honestly admit what they have done and do not apologize, the anger on the part of the persons who were discriminated can sometimes lead them to act violently, possibly even commit murder. There are some who want to solve such incidents with money, taking advantage of the implanted image that the Buraku is something to be feared and the lack of understanding of Buraku problems among people at large.
Denunciation should be done orderly and systematically. It can be recognized in society as a means to urge people who discriminate to reflect on their attitude. At the same time, it should encourage people who are discriminated against to become aware of discrimination. The Buraku Liberation League clearly states the basic principle of denunciation in its struggle against discrimination:"Denunciation does not accompany violence threat, or banter. It should be done with a certain modesty depending on the attitude of the person who discriminates. The struggle against the violation of human right has to hold the position that the human right of the opponents should not be violated as well."How the denunciation is performed systematically should be decided on by analyzing the nature of the individual case: who or what kind of group or organization is involved; and whether it was done intentionally or not. Denunciations are not always done by a large group of people.
The history of the Liberation Movement it also the history of denunciation: the Movement has made a big progress through denunciation. It discouraged deep-rooted discrimination in society, including any carried out in the name of the law.
Without denunciation, discrimination could have become rampant. Various circles including education, mass media, corporations, and religious group could not have noticed Buraku discrimination.
Denunciation has greatly contributed to the improvement, not only of the Buraku community, but also of Japanese society. It reformed the employment exam system for the junior national civil servants, which used to be influenced by the occupations of applicants' parents. It has also brought about other significant results, including the inhibition of free reference on birth certificates.