November 2004 No.133

Buraku Liberation and Human Rights College Course Celebrates 30th Anniversary

The Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute opened the Buraku Liberation and Human Rights College Course in 1974 to provide future leaders of the Buraku liberation movement with lectures regarding discrimination and human rights. Local governmental officials, officials from the business sector and people engaged in Dowa education were also invited to the college. Over the past 30 years, a total of 3,800 people have taken the course. To celebrate the course's anniversary, BLHRRI held an assembly on November 2, 2004, at the Naniwa Human Rights Culture Center in Osaka. Approximately 700 graduates of the course participated in the assembly.

The assembly was also attended by several guests including Mr. Kajimoto, the Vice Governor of Osaka Prefecture, and Ms. Ohira, the Vice Mayor of Osaka City. Mr. Kitaguchi, the Secretary-General of the Osaka Prefectural Association of the BLL, gave an address in celebration of the anniversary, stating, "The Buraku Liberation and Human Rights College has made a great contribution to the training of human resources for human rights. We hope the College will continue long into the future." Mr. Tanaka from the Industrial Federation for Dowa and Human Rights Issues, an organization composed of private companies, delivered an address on behalf of graduates, saying, "the Buraku Liberation and Human Rights College has helped us be more sensitive to discrimination. Let us walk hand in hand towards the elimination of Buraku discrimination." Mr. Murakoshi, the Executive Director of BLHRRI, said that BLHRRI was very proud that the College has sent out more than 3,800 human rights experts to different sectors of the experts to fferenccommunitdiy.

The ceremony was followed by a lecture given by journalist Mr. Takao Saito. In his lecture, "Establishing Human Rights in Our Society through Participation," he provided acute insight into the critical problems currently being faced within Japan that are demonstrated by the expanding gaps between different social classes, the planned reform of the fundamental educational policy, and Japan's progress towards militarization.

Concluding the rally, Mr. Tomonaga, the director of BLHRRI, gave an address saying, "We are proud of the quality human rights education offered by our College. We are thankful for the people who have been long involved in the College as lecturers and those who have sent students to the College such as local governments, companies and the BLL."

For the next year starting in April 2005, BLHRRI will provide four different 5-month courses, with classes running once a week from morning to evening and accommo- dating 50 students. Each course consists of lectures relating to the Buraku problem and other human rights issues including those concerning women, children, migrant workers, homeless people and people with disabilities. They also include field work and training for human rights trainers in the workplace. About 80 people will be involved in the College as lecturers or facilitators in the coming year.