ACTION IDEA #8:
CONTACT THE
UNITED NATIONS

Urge them to help protect the rights of the Uchinanchu people of Okinawa

Via Kaiya Y, August 2018

INTERNATIONAL ACTION ITEMS:

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ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS

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Action #1: Tag the UN and UNESCO on social media posts on the dugong's threatened species status.

• Time needed to complete: 5 minutes 

• DO:

  • Click HERE to go to the "Red List of Threatened Species" by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). The organization lists the dugong as critically endangered species whose natural habitat is the Oura Bay.

  • Post and share the link. 

    • OR post the screenshot images at bottom of page of dugong on the threatened species list. Add a message in support of protecting them.

  • Tag the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on your post. Also tag "#riseforhenoko" when posting to spread messages.

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Action #2: Tag the UN and UNESCO on social media posts on lawsuit by environmental groups against the Department of Defense. 

• Time needed to complete: 5 minutes 

• DO:

  • Click HERE to go to the letter by the Center for Biological Diversity and more than a dozen American conservation and animal protection groups to the House Armed Services Committee.

  • Post and share the link. ​

    • OR post the screenshot images at bottom of page of significant quotes from the link. The screenshot images are in pink/purpose at the bottom of this page. 

  • Tag the UNEP and UNESCO. Also tag "#riseforhenoko" when posting to spread messages.

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Action #3: Write/email to the UNEP and UNESCO and advocate for the protection of the dugong habitat.

• Time needed to complete: 10 minutes 

• DO:

  • Send an email/letter to UNEP and UNESCO calling on international attention to Henoko. Include the entire letter by the Center for Biological Diversity and the American conversation and animal protection groups from above or parts of the letter (listed in the Action #2 of this page.) Ask them to actively monitor and intervene in the environmental destruction of Oura Bay.  

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• For UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme):​ 

  • Email: 

    • Inger Andersen, Executive Director - unenvironment-executiveoffice@un.org

    • Dechen Tsering, Director of Asia and the Pacific Office -  Dechen.Tsering@un.org ​

  • Mail: Division of Environmental Law and Conventions
    P.O Box 30552, 00100
    Nairobi, Kenya

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• For UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)

  • Click HERE to fill out contact form

  • Mail: UNESCO World Heritage Centre
    7, Place de Fontenoy
    75352 Paris CEDEX 07 SP France

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HUMAN RIGHTS

Action #4: Tag the UN Human Rights Council on social media posts on the need of UN protection.

• Time needed to complete: 5 minutes 

• DO:

  • Click HERE for the the article by Truthout.org about local activists in their fight for human rights and self determination after the February referendum.

    • Post and share the link. ​

    • OR post the screenshot images at bottom of page of significant quotes from the link (the screenshot images are in yellow/orange). 

  • Add a message in support of protecting Okinawan people's human rights in upholding the democratic process of the 2/24/2019 referendum opposing the new base in Henoko and ending the burden of U.S. military base occupation of Okinawan people's land.  

  • Tag the UN Human Rights Council. Also tag "#riseforhenoko" when spreading.

Action #5: Write/email the UN Human Rights Council and advocate for UN protection.

• Time needed to complete: 15 minutes 

• DO:​

  • Send a letter or email to the UN Human Rights Council supporting the demands for human rights protection. Ask them to actively monitor and intervene in the human rights violations against Okinawan people.

  • For UN Human Rights Council:​ 

    • ​Email: ccpr@ohchr.org

    • Mail: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 
      Palais des Nations 
      CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S RIGHTS

Action #6: Tag the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on social media posts on the need of UN protection.

• Time needed to complete: 5 minutes 

• DO: 

  • Click HERE to go to the statement by Professor Masaki Tomochi of Okinawa International University on Okinawan people's indigenous status.

  • Post and share the link. ​

  • OR post the screenshot images at bottom of page of significant quotes from the link (he screenshot images  are in coral-color).  

  • Add a message in support of protecting Okinawan people's indigenous rights in self-determination, maintaining of land and culture as well as environmental protection of native land and sea. 

  • Tag the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

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Action #7: Write/email the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and advocate for UN protection.

• Time needed to complete: 15 minutes 

• DO: ​

  • Send a letter or email to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues supporting the demands for indigenous rights protection. Ask them to actively monitor and intervene in the indigenous rights violations against Okinawan/Uchinanchu people.

  • For UN - Indigenous People (at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs):​   

    • Email: indigenous_un@un.org

    • Write to: Indigenous Peoples in Development Branch/Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (IPDB/SPFII)
      Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)
      Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
      United Nations Secretariat (29th Floor)
      405 E 42nd Street
      New York, NY 10017