[2016.04.05] - Sugizo @ Visit Syrian Refugees

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5 апреля Сугизо на странице своего фейсбука опубликовал очень искренние и эмоциональные заметки о своем недавнем посещении лагерей сирийских беженцев в Иордании.
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(2016.04.05) - Sugizo @ Visit Syrian Refugees

Visit Syrian Refugees
Sugizo·5 апреля 2016 г.

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I went to Jordan to meet with Syrian refugees.

With extensive cooperation from UNHCR,
I paid sympathy calls and put on performances at the Azraq and Zaatari camps.
I also visited the homes of urban refugees in Amman,
which was arranged by the Association for Syria Sadaqa.

Since I committed myself to the refugee issue several years ago,
I have continually tried to help little by little.
This spring, I was finally able to take a big step forward.
For a long time I had hoped to directly interact with the refugees,
hear what they have to say, and be connected with them.

Being able to actually fulfill this long-held wish of mine was an amazingly intense feeling,
…I can’t describe it in words.

These people did not want to become refugees, nor did they choose their current situation.
They are the victims of war and the defense industry – the parties that are obsessed with wealth and power.
Behind the suffering of these refugees, vast amounts of money are flowing and some people are profiting.
I feel absolute rage when I think of these circumstances and the workings of the world.

There was a seriously injured man being treated at a hospital in Amman who had been shot and lost his family.
The government of Syria and arms companies should be responsible for taking care of these people for the rest of their lives. Yet this doesn’t seem even remotely likely, and these refugees are being made to suffer.
This is unpardonable.
Isn’t the indiscriminate killing and wounding of civilians a war crime?
I felt a great sense of helplessness since I can do nothing…
Still, I keenly wished to bring even a little light into their desperate lives…

In contrast, the children in the refugee camps have the most dazzling, innocent, beautiful eyes even though they are living in such agonizing circumstances.
It seemed to me that they possessed great dreams for the future beyond their despair.
They have chosen enjoyment, even though they are forced to live amongst the dust and unsanitary conditions.

As I performed for the refugees, I expressed my feelings.
I wanted them to be released from these painful circumstances, even for just a few moments.
But it turns out that this was a needless worry – they responded to my music with the greatest delight and enjoyment,
and I felt like we were joined by warm bonds in a way that I cannot put into words.
It was a fantastic experience.

I tussled and played with them.
Conversely, I received a pure, vast kind of energy, which I also sensed in the disaster-struck areas in Tohoku.
I wanted to give, but I ended up receiving something even more important.

Many of the people who have chosen to live in refugee camps, as well as those who are urban refugees,
are concerned about their home country of Syria and want to return to their hometowns some day.
The people of Syria are unbelievably kind and gentle;
they greatly affectionate and treasure a spirit of consideration for others.
They are economically very poor, but I shed tears to see how they still greet guests with kindness, tea, and sweets.

People in Japan, Europe, and the United States tend to think that the Middle East is dangerous,
but Jordan didn’t really feel that way.
These countries are home to devout Muslims who believe stealing is a serious crime and do not even drink alcohol.
They are incredibly kind and genial.
That’s why the public order is good, and I felt a great sense of security.
In Jordan, I keenly sensed, with my entire body,
that the real circumstances are quite different from the biased information reported by the media.
In fact, I think Tokyo and Japan today are probably more dangerous
since children cannot walk the streets with peace of mind like they can in Jordan.

I received a lot of help from the Japanese people in Jordan who are working devotedly to help refugees.
They are amazingly courageous, affectionate, and dynamic, and are making strenuous efforts in the distant Middle East.
But at the same time they love and enjoy their obligations and roles, which is wonderful.
I was intensely struck by this positive attitude.
I have heartfelt respect for these people and also great gratitude.

We Japanese must turn our eyes to the world more.
We must give more recognition to these Japanese people who are devoted to helping those across the world who have been put in difficult situations.
At the same time we should be proud of our country, which has maintained peace (at least on the surface)
and rejected all conflict for 70 years.
We should also feel heartfelt gratitude for living in this country where we have hometowns,
homes we can return to, enough food to eat tomorrow, money to spend on our hobbies,
and the ability to live without discomfort. I believe that keenly.

My first trip to the Middle East was truly wonderful.
There, I was able to encounter the energy of truly kind people and refugees that live with great persistence.

I will continue these activities for a long time,
believing that the word “refugee” will no longer be needed in this world some day.
Some day I definitely want to visit these refugees when peace has been restored
and they have returned to their hometowns in Syria.

From Tokyo with Love,
SGZ

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