Buraku Liberation League Holds 60th National Convention

The Buraku Liberation League (BLL) held its 60th National Convention from May 9th to 10th in Tokyo. More than nine hundreds people including executive members of the Central Committee and other representatives participated.

At the Convention, three Working Groups of the Human Rights Policy Examination Committee presented reports outlined the following policies in accordance with the changing circumstances of the new era:

1. To establish a new "Dowa" administration
   
2. To promote community building with neighboring communities to ensure human rights
   
3. To establish human rights legislation
   

Movement policy was also submitted for discussion.

Following the two-day discussion the Convention decided upon a number of resolutions including the following items:

1. To seek comprehensive revision of the Human Rights Protection Bill
   
2. To strengthen the long-standing campaign for a retrial of the Sayama case, with special focus on creating new laws for disclosure of evidence held by the Public Prosecutors Office
   
3. To ensure the fifth successive term of MP Matsumoto, BLL Vice President, at the next General Election, which will be held after the anticipated dissolution of the Diet by the ruling coalition government this fall.
   
4. To ensure BLL Secretary-General Matsuoka's standing for the Upper House in July next year to regain a seat that used to be held by a Buraku liberation movement-supported lawmaker.