Something New and Far Different
by Carl Renan Estrellan*

It was certainly a privilege to be selected as one of the participants for the United Nations University-Joint Graduate Courses (UNU-JGC). The courses offered under the program were: 1) Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance; 2) Conflict Studies: Prevention and Peace-building; and 3) International Development: Human Security and Poverty Reduction. As a student from the southern island of Mindanao, the Philippines, I found it insightful to be participating in lectures and discussions on conflict studies.

Lectures concerning peace missions to conflict-stricken places such as Afghanistan, Timor Leste, and Sierra Leone gave some parallelisms to the disputes being experienced in my home country. Competent lecturers on the topic of peace-building shared their first-hand experiences in conducting peace negotiations among warring factions in a certain country. They are considered the best of the best in their field of expertise, as they have been involved in actual peace missions around the world. The video presentations featuring the activities being carried out by peace keepers, which included the lecturers themselves, from different contributing nations showed how the international community, under the auspices of the United Nations, work for achieving peace in war-torn territories.

The role of mass media in the midst of conflict such as war was also tackled. We were reminded to be discerning consumers of information, being able to sort out “the fact from the many truths”. As public opinion can be effectively shaped by mass media, it is imperative to know the information, but equally important to know who delivers the information and what their motives are for disseminating such information.

Peace as a major pre-requisite to development was discussed in the context of overseas development assistance by donor countries such as Japan. Finally, a lecture on Japan’s role in peace building in the global society was given with reference to Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, which prohibits the use of military force as means of settling international disputes.

by Jayson S. Lamchek

Imelda (not her real name[1]) has myoma in her left uterus.  It has gotten so serious, the doctor said, it could become cancer if she is not operated upon as soon as possible.  The problem, however, is that she needs 1.2 million yen for the operation, a huge amount which she can’t afford to raise with her salary.

That’s because she is a Filipino with no residence status in Japan and no health insurance coverage.  Despite having worked in a packing company in Tokyo continuously for five years, she has only earned a fraction of the medical costs she’s required to raise.  Moreover, since she has fallen ill, she’s currently unable to work in her usual job at a packing company which involves a lot of physical exertion.  She turned to baby-sitting for her friends’ children from which she earns a very meager amount of about 30,000 yen a month. 

At any time, she could be deported by immigration authorities; hence, she could be sent home seriously ill.  In fact, the very doctor she consulted offered to simply give her a medical certificate and advised her to come home to the Philippines.   To Imelda, these possibilities (to obtain an operation in Japan at the rate of 1.2 million yen, or to be sent back home seriously ill) are just as bad.  In desperation, she might simply ignore her medical condition (which she has done for a year since her myoma was detected), try to continue earning, and expend herself to death.