International Workshop & Symposium for
Hansen’s Disease/Leprosy Issue, March 2009, Taiwan:
Ensuring the Rights of the Older Generation Affected by Hansen's Disease/Leprosy. Memorizing Human Rights, History,
Strategy for Registration of World Heritages.
I . THEMED
The Right to Home, The Right to Family, The Right to be Part of History(Strategy for Registration of World Heritages).The Role of Sdates,Medical and Social Work
II. SUMMARIZING
An international conference is being convened by the residents of Lo Sheng in Taiwan in order to promote the discussion of "Ensuring the Rights of the Older Generation of Persons Affected b
y Hansen's Disease/Leprosy throughout the World". Participants from at least 10 countries are being invited to come to Taiwan to discuss the most basic human rights of individuals around the world who were forcibly taken from home and family decades ago and are now being forced to relocate once again from the places they regard at home. The workshop will discuss ways by which some countries have creatively come up with solutions to enable the older generation to remain in the places that have become their homes. It will also discuss the importance of restoring family ties for the older generation and what is being done in some countries to bring families together after decades of separation.
Finally, the workshop will look at the importance of preserving historic sites related to the history of leprosy and how places like Lo Sheng can be promoted as important national historic monuments or world heritage sites to ensure that this most important history is preserved in Taiwan and throughout the world.
III. BACKGTOUND
Since the earlier years of last century, Hansen’s disease patients had been segregated due to Colonialism and Imperialism, such as in the United States, England, Spain, Portugal, Japan, France, and other places. At that time, some countries in order to eliminate this disease, patients were drifted away in the ocean. In the United States, patients once sent to Kalaupapa, Hawaii and Culion Islands, Philippines and these islands were turned into Leprosy Communities segregated with the rest of the countries. Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlements was built in 1930 by British Government in Malaysia. Japanese Colonial Government also built several sanatoriums in Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and other places to segregate patients.
These segregation policies made the public in the world panic and discriminate against leprosy patience’s and their families and affected hundreds of thousands people for over a century, many people lived in stigma without human rights and dignity. This is a dark page in human history.
We discovered that some kinds of those segregation sites even more early than Nazi's concentration camp which UNESCO have designated to be the World Heritage for educating the next generations.
A fames historian, Michel. Foucault had talking about the background and symbolisms of such segregation policies for leprosy in” Madness & Civilization”. It was indicating that the global leprosy segregated sites are very important for the development of human civilization to thinking one more and more again.” What his words also indicating the history and the memory sites are very worth to be appointed to be the World Heritages.
In the 17th world leprosy congress 2008 in India, many Countries reported were engaged in cultural heritages preservation with their segregation sites for Hansen’s Disease, such as Brazil, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Portugal etc. These segregation sites once like Nazi's concentration camp but now people there always force evictions because of the developments with economics.
From 2004 the residents who lived in Lo-Sheng Sanatorium more over one-half scenery in Taiwan, started campaign for save their Sanatorium and Appeal to human rights. One more and more times fight the force evictions from Taipei MRT Company and government, event appeal to social people and international NGOs, the ex-patients, lawyers, communions and members in IDEA all over the world to help to Protect the Sanatorium, which was built in 1930 by Japan colonial government in Taiwan.
We believed Lo-Sheng like other HD segregation sites all over the World are all worth to be appointed as World Heritages left to posterity, but unfortunately, at the end of 2008, December 3, there were almost 500 polices began to force to evict the left residents . The two sides deadlocked for 1 hour to exhaust all efforts, at the end, the left residents , about 40 elder persons, had been related to another area at the top edge of the hill slope angle, MAT company made Residents and the left 34 monuments buildings was surrounded by layers of barbed wire. This case is a serious persecution for the leprosy ex-patients, all leprosy elders’ human rights and the right of residence.
Before April,2009 It will be in urgent once again, the authorities of central and local governments remain will build MRT on our sanatorium and continue to destroyed 9 buildings, Lo-Sheng maybe will disappear at that time.
Moreover, there are also have more and more eviction cases happened in other countries with HD ex-patients all over the world, such as Sudan and Sungai Buloh, Leprosy Settlement in Malaysia from 2007.
We think just through” International Workshop & Symposium “we can appeal to more of the international social supports and let UNESCO, WHO, ICOMOS to note those crisis recently.
IV. OBJECTIVES
1、 Invite HD ex-patients who continued engaged the topics, such as Brazil, India, the Philippines, Malaysia ,South Korea, Japan, Hawaii US,UK, Norway, Portugal, Nigeria, Sudan,etc as we know to exchange experiences.
2、 Invite international organization who concerned the topics, such asWHO, UNESCO, ICOMOS, NIPPON FOUNDATION, ILA, IDEA, ILEP, CHORE.etc to be the participators and to be the organizers of this program.
3、 Collaborative partnerships in favors of World Heritage conservation, talking about what will we do to follow-up after the workshop & Symposiums to connect a Global Network in future.
III. Conference Agenda (The draft)
Time：6-11, Marcn,2009, Taiwan .(need to make shure date again.)
Tursday, 5th, March, 2009 site：Lo-Sheng Sanatorium
1300-1500 Hrs Pre Congress Workshop for The Participators
Friday, 6th, March , 2009
900-1030Hur Congress Inauguration Hall-1
Moderator:
Lee, Ten-Pei, President of IDEA.Taiwan
Chiu, Y.L. Fred, Co-host, IHRMT
Suggested Presenters:
a) Preventatives from government, Taiwan,R.O.C
b) Yukio Nishimura, ICOMOS former Vice-President.
c) Lim Doo-sung, Members of Parliament, Soth Korea.
d) Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii members of Congress, US.
e) Shyu Jong-shyoung, Lin Shu-fen and Tien Chiu-chin, Legislator.Taiwan..
f) Lei Qian, the former Legislators.
g) Chou,fu-tzu,lyrics Poet singer, resident in losheng, Taiwan.
h) Other inviting…
1030-1230 Hur The Right to Home Hall-1
Discussion of the right of the older generation of people affected by leprosy to remain in the places that have become their homes. The right not to be uprooted yet again from home.
Suggested Presentaers:
a) Lee, Ten-Pei, director of IDEA.Taiwan– Resisting Closure of Losheng Sanatorium in Taiwan.
b) Michihiro Koh – General Secretary, Zen Ryo Kyo, Japan – speaking about what they are doing in Japan to ensure they can remain in the places that have become their homes
c) S.K. Jung – South Korea – speaking about the situation at Sorok Island, which probably has the largest population of elderly people affected by leprosy in the world
d) Malavika Vartak – COHRE- The right to housing in United Nations Convention.
e) Dr. Razvan Va siliu, director of Tichilesti Leprosy Hospital, Romania(he has worked hard to create a situation where the people at this hospital can live out their lives there)
f) Mahmud Mahmudov – Poet, Azerbaijan
1400-1700 Hrs The Right to Family Hall-1
The Restoration of Family Ties: Discussion of how it is important to try and encourage the restoration of family ties with the elderly residents of leprosy communities around the world. How the preservation of history can also result in the restoration of family ties, which is an important component of getting rid of stigma.
Moderator:
Suggested Presenters:
a) Miyoji Morimoto, IDEA Japan – discussing his experience with his family and the challenge facing people in Japan
b) Valersie Monson, Hawaii – Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa – a non-profit organization made up of Kalaupapa residents, family members and other interested persons. Founded to ensure that the people of Kalaupapa could live out their lives at Kalaupapa and that the history of Kalaupapa is preserved through the words and lives of the people who lived there.
c) Lu Johnson,resident in losheng,Taiwan
d) Shulinlin& Lee minin –Families in Lo-Sheng past, now and future.
e) Anwei Law – The restoration of family ties in different parts of the world as an important means of getting rid of stigma and ensuring the right to family.
f) Sigurd Sandmo, Norway – Curator, The Leprosy Museum, Bergen, Norway – how they are preserving the history of leprosy in Norway and how this is also helping with the restoration of family ties.
1030-1700 Hrs The Role from Medical, Social works Hall-2
open secessions/ Call for Papers
Moderator:
Suggested Presenters:
States
a) Takuda, representative of Japan Lawyer’s Group for Leprosy.—States have a legal obligation to protect the ex-patients affected from Hansen’s disease.
b) Doo-Sung Lim, South Korea –Ensuring Human Rights through Legislation.
c) Xuzhong Xiong, Qiu Jin Tian,Taiwan,–About the significance and practice in Taiwan from Hansen’s Disease Human Rights Protection and Compensation Ordinance.
d) X,Hawaii members of Congress, US.
e) Others inviting or Call for Papers
Medical
Religions engaged in care of leprosy ex-patients in the near future direction of reform
f) Dr. Michel chan,IDEA China – Future of the last leprosy communities in China
g) Inviting….
Social works
Youth union for HD Human Rights in Japan, Taiwan, China-What social education we did for discrimination and stigma
h) Inviting….
Saturday ,7th, March , 2009
0900-1600 Hrs The Right to be a Part of One’s Own History Hall-1
Discussing the possibilities with regard to preserving different leprosy communities/facilities around the world as part of the history of leprosy and the history of social justice in general. Discussion of how a movement can be created to ensure that some leprosy sites become World Heritage Sites.
Moderator:
Anwei Law
Alice Ru-hua Chiu,Co-host, IHRMT
Suggested Presenters:
a) Yukio Nishimura, ICOMOS former Vice-President–How a movement can be created to ensure that some leprosy sites become World Heritage.Sites.
b) Cristiano Torres, MORHAN, Brazil – The preservation of the sites of former colonies in Brazil
c) Henry Law, USA – First Superintendent, Kalaupapa National Historical Park
d) Dr. Arturo Cunanan, Philippines– Efforts regarding the preservation of the history of Culion
e) Yu, Chao-ching&Liu, John K. C–Efforts regarding the preservation of the history of last communities, Lo-Sheng Sanatorium, Taiwan.
f) Representative from Malaysia–the situation happened in Malaysia Sungai Buloh Hospital.
g) Professor Feng Fujino, Japan –Historical investigation for Human Rights.
h) Representative from Japan – Japan’s Museums related to leprosy
i) Rlene Santos Steffy, Guam – Efforts regarding the preservation of the history of leprosy in Guam, Tinian and Palau, including the importance of oral history
j) Deirdre Prins-Solani or other representative from Robben Island, South Africa
k) Pam Parlapiano – Preserving the history of the people through dignified photographs
Sunday,8th, March , 2009 site：Lo-Sheng Sanatorium
0900-12000 Hrs summation and recommendations
The Role of Leprosy-focused Organizations in Ensuring that the History of Leprosy is Preserved for the Education of Present and Future Generations.
Moderator:
Anwei Law
Lai, Tse Chun
Suggested Presenters:
a) Dr. Marcus Virmond, Brazil – President of the ILA (International Leprosy Association) – How the ILA can be involved in ensuring that the history of leprosy and those affected by the disease can be preserved
b) Douglas Soutar, U.K. – General Secretary, ILEP – how can ILEP be involved in ensuring that the history of leprosy and those affected by the disease can be preserved.
c) Kay Yamaguchi, Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation, Japan
d) David Hall, Executive Director, The Leprosy Mission New Zealand
e) S.K. Jung and Anwei Law, IDEA.
f) Othes Inviting…
1500-2000 Hrs A Memorial Concer
Monday 9th~10th, March , 2009
Visit Historical Sites (13-14, March, 2009)
Wensday11th , March , 2009
Have a press Conference for Hansen’s Human Rights Day In the Legislative Yuan.
Ending
Sunday1th-11 th, March , 2009
Exhibition
Wish you can bring your Photographs and Records about HD Human Rights movements happened in your country for us to exhibit in Lo-Sheng HD Human Rights Museum…
IV. ORGANIZERS
IDEA Taiwan & IDEA International
V. CONTACT PERSONS:
IDEA Taiwan office<idea.taiwan@gmail.com>
International coordinator：
Lai, Tse-Chun(賴澤君)<sawalai@gmail.com>
Soda Masato(宗田昌人)<changrenf.masato@gmail.com>
Tel：+886_968464099
Tel/Fax +886_86775887
Address：
Lo-Sheng Sanatorium
796 Jhong jheng Road
Sin jhuang City,Taipei County, Taiwan
http://blog.roodo.com/hansentaiwan
TYULR( Taiwan Youth Union for Leper's Rights)<happylosheng4@gmail.com>
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/happylosheng
VI. Call For Papers
Call for Papers include all topics
Sent to us<idea.taiwan@gmail.com>
VII. CO-HOST ORGANIZERS
Invite you to attend to be the Co-host organizer of this program
□Yes. □ No.
Organization：
Representative：
E-mail：
Tel/Fax
Contact：
Address：
Introduction：
VIII. PARTICIPANTS
We will invite HD ex-patients who continued engaged the topics, such as Brazil, India, the Philippines, Malaysia ,South Korea, Japan, Hawaii US,UK, Norway, Portugal, Nigeria, Sudan.etc we know. We also will invite international organization who concerned the topics, such as WHO, NIPPON Foundation, ILA, IDEA, CHORE.etc to be the participators and to be the organizers of this program.
The participants will also include site managers and experts from each State, as well as international experts in heritage management and new technology application.
You will attend:
□Yes. □No.
Organization：
Representative：
E-mail：
Tel/Fax
Contact：
Address：
Introduction:
IX. Fund-raising
About the fund-raising , we plan to if possible the air tickets and hotel findings will cost by the participants yourselves, except air tickets you also need about $50 U.S. dollar one day for hotel in Taiwan.
If couldn't, we will make fund-raising at least about US.$ 30000 from Taiwan or other sponsors to support the lectures , maybe 10 persons in workshop at that time.
□By myself □Need grants
Contact：idea.taiwan< idea.taiwan@gmail.com>
X. Reference
http://www.idealeprosydignity.org/
http://culion.net/
http://www.leprosyhistory.org/
http://www.leprosy-ila.org/aboutus.php
http://www2.pref.shimane.jp/ginzan/e/news/n160206.html
