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July 31, 2006

Blind, disabled passengers can't fly alone on Thai AirAsia

The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.

Blind, disabled passengers can't fly alone on Thai AirAsia

Bangkok, July. 19 (AP): Southeast Asia's largest low-cost carrier AirAsia will not allow blind, deaf and other disabled passengers to travel alone on flights in Thailand because the airline does not have the ground staff to help them, officials said Wednesday.

Thai AirAsia's chief executive officer, Tassapon Bijleveld, defended the company against accusations that the policy was discriminatory, saying that as a budget carrier it did not have enough staff to help the disabled.

The comments came after Thailand's Association for the Blind accused AirAsia of discrimination after the carrier refused to allow a blind American traveler aboard a flight Saturday.

The passenger, Frederic Schroeder, a former U.S. official under the Clinton administration, had booked a flight from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia but was told at the check-in counter he could not board because he was traveling alone, said Monthien Bunton, head of the association.

``This is a very basic service that an airline has to provide for blind passengers,'' Monthien said. ``This is discrimination, and it should not have happened.''

Monthien said the association had sent a letter of complaint to Thai AirAsia and was waiting for a reply.

Tassapon said the airline wished to convey an apology to Schroeder for the inconvenience he experienced but defended the ground staff that turned him away.

``Thai AirAsia has no discriminatory policies,'' Tassapon said in a telephone interview. ``But we are not a full-service airline and cannot take blind, deaf and other disabled passengers onto our flights if they are unaccompanied.''

AirAsia, which is the region's biggest low cost carrier in terms of fleet size and the only publicly listed one, is based in Malaysia and has subsidiaries in Thailand and Indonesia. The carrier now serves routes between Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and Macau.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200607191553.htm

Posted by jicafriends at 03:34 PM | Comments (3)

July 28, 2006

Police arrest nearly two-dozen disabled people

We found the following news from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" published by Mr. Soya Mori.
We think most of you still remember our Blog, "Disability Movement in Nepal" on July 25, 2006.

Police arrest nearly two-dozen disabled people
　
Police arrested nearly two dozen physically challenged people from the protest programme organized by the Federation of Disabled People in front of Singha Durbar, the main administrative hub of the country demanding their representation in the Interim Constitution Drafting Committee.
Disabled people from various organizations blocking the road in front of Singha Durbar...
Police detained 14 physically challenged people at Mahendra Police Club and the rest at the Ward Police Office Tinkune.
Physically challenged people have been continuing their protests saying that the democratic government had neglected their demands. One of their demands is reservation for disabled people in all sectors.
They are scheduled to join the protest organized by Citizens Movement for Peace and Democracy at 4 p.m. in the afternoon.
Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, the National Human Rights Commission said that it is closely monitoring the demonstration.
The Commission has also urged the protestors to conduct their protest programmes peacefully respecting rights of others while enjoying their own constitutional rights.
It has also urged the government not to use unnecessary force that may suppress people's fundamental rights. nepalnews.com pb July 26 06

http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/jul/jul26/news09.php

Posted by jicafriends at 10:16 AM | Comments (0)

July 25, 2006

Event report of Sports festival

The 14th All Pakistan Sports Festival for Special Persons 2006 is the festival for the disabled persons of Pakistan. The Milestone Society for the Special Persons is the largest and well reputed organization working for the disabled persons and organized this event in collaboration with the district sports office Abbottabad and NWFP sports. The Milestone Society for the Special Persons has been working on Independent Living for the earthquake victims in general and spinal cord injury patients in the different hospitals of Islamabad for the last eight months. So in view of the present healthy condition of these victims the Milestone decided to make these victims participate in the sport games so that they can also enjoy such healthy activities with full confidence and zest, Mercy Corps was kind enough to provide the transportation facilities for these earthquake victims and made this dream reality. So the sports event became a unique event in a sense that the earthquake victims participated in these games and won prize as well. The Milestone Society for the Special Persons is highly thankful and appreciates the other organizations which helped the society to make this event happen, The Sight Savers International, Handicap International, Mercy Corps, HOAP and Qarshi organizations donated generously to facilitate this event. The Milestone made repeated visits of Abbottabad city and arranged several meetings with District Sports Officer Mr. Tariq Mehmood so that the event is managed well and no mismanagement takes place.

The dates of the sports were decided 4th to 6th July, the Milestone members reached Abbottabad on 1st July so that they can arrange the accommodation and other facilities for the players they had to reach on 3rd July evening. On 3rd July more than 500 participants reached Abbottabad from all over the Pakistan. Their accommodation was provided in the PIPS (Pakistan International Public School) as before. The whole school was colored with banners and lights and the atmosphere was quite energetic and healthy. All teams were filled with ambition and excitements for the sports. The night of 3rd July was passed in greetings, all the organizations were greeting each other, sharing their whole year waiting, how they missed this event, its worth mentioning here that the Abbottabad sports event has its spell for the disabled persons of Pakistan, They wait whole year for this event because the lack such opportunities, where they can get together to share their ideas and work. So this event provides them a healthy opportunity where they collect memories to remember for one year. At midnight after sharing their excitement and kidding each other, the sleep captured them and all the players started going to their rooms to sleep as they had to reach to stadium for sports opening ceremony. On 4th July the opening of the sports event took place in the stadium of Blouch Regiment. The Chief Guest Mr. Kamil Ali Agha, Federal Minister, Chief Organizer Mr. Nisar Tanoli S.P Abbottabd, Mr. Tariq Mehmood District Sports Officer graced the occasion. The chief guest declared the sports event open and the sports event was started. The Sports consisted of different games including Wheelchair Race, Wheelchair Cricket, Table Tennis, Javelin, Disc Throw, Badminton, Brace Race, Crutches Race, Body Building, Power Lifting, M.R Race, Blind Race, Blind Cricket and the special events were the Wheelchair race of the Earthquake Victims and Wheelchair Cricket of the Earthquake Victims. The Handicap International donated 350 T-Shirts for all the participants and distributed among the participants by the Milestone Society and they looked united and uniformed in the ground. We are very thankful to the Handicap International for this favor. All the players played with full zest and excitement. The stadium was full of winning slogans. All the players were exhausted till the evening fall. The next day of 5th July was sponsored by the Sight Savers. They helped out the event a lot with their precious time and collaboration. The day started with the excited games of Wheelchair Cricket of the earthquake victims and the Wheelchair Race of the earthquake victims and spinal cord injured girls that participated from NIHd Islamabad. Their excitement knew no bounds, they were feeling quite relax and enthusiastic because they never thought that they will able to enjoy their life in this way again after getting spinal injury, but they were very thankful to the milestone society for giving them Independent Living Training and providing them with such a healthy and excited opportunity. The Wheelchair Race was won by The NIHd Team and the Wheelchair Cricket Match was won by Chandelle organization. The day was hub of activities and different games were in process and heading towards their conclusion with pertinent commentary by Mr. Asif Zaigham, The Sports In charge, The Army Band colored the occasion with National Anthem full of passion and unity. Another day ended with lot of playing memories but it’s not the end of ceremony because Welcome Dinner by the Light Savers was waiting for the participants in the PIPS School with sweet musical, melodious night, we are thankful to the Light Savers for their cooperation for this noble cause. The 400 participants enjoyed the Welcome Dinner in PIPS School with musical band playing songs in regional languages representing all the colors of Pakistan. The music was irresistible for the youth and there started Party Night and the dance became the order of the time.

The different regional dances including Bhangra, Khattak dance charmed the sight and won the soul. It was really a memorable and sweet night for all the participants. Then the wheelchair ceremony was held, the JIL with Sakura organization donated 25 wheelchairs for the needy participants. We are thankful to JIL for their cooperation and concern for this task, they have been a great help in this journey. The participants who received wheelchairs were really excited and full of joy and satisfaction because of wheelchair matters a lot for them in terms of mobility. The musical night ended with lot of twist memories and tiredness as well. The next day 6th July was full of games including Tug of War, Long Jump, Table Tennis etc. But most excited and the focus of the audience and organizations was the Cricket Final as ever, it has always been the most important event since the games started. After hard competition, the Milestone Society for the Special Person and an organization from Islamabad won their Semi Finals and qualified for Final. Both the teams excited and inspired to win the cricket Final. The Milestone won the toss and decided to bat. The stadium was full of slogans and encouraging claps. The players from Islamabad bowled well but the Milestone players had shot for the every ball and scored 57 runs in six over. Though it was not a hard chase but the Milestone bowlers and fielders played well. The batsmen from Islamabad were playing well heading towards chase. They scored 54 runs in 5.5 over and at the last boll they required just 2 runs to win and only one run to draw. Those were the tense moments for both the Teams and for all the participants, Mr. Goshi from Milestone delivered the last ball that was missed by the batsmen from Islamabad and the Milestone won the cricket Final by 2 runs on the last ball of the last over, it was really an interesting and hard match, both the teams played well. The Milestone members excited with this victory started dancing in the ground with the Army Band playing Bhangra tone. All the players greeted and encouraged each other. Its not competition in fact, its just an encouraging event where all the disabled persons from all over Pakistan get together to play and share their problems, it is a platform where everybody can raise his voice which becomes a collective task to work out. After these days full of excited games of the Abbottabad Sports ended with lot of cherish memories. It is worth mentioning here that Qarshi donated Banners, Shields and Prizes for the Abbottabad Sports Festival, we are highly thankful to Qarshi for their kindness and concern for disability issues. Then in the evening the Chief Guest Mr.General distributed the prizes among the players. This prize distribution was a ray of hope for the disabled persons that if they work hard then they can face any challenge and become triumph.

The Milestone Society for Special Persons had a dream to organize a sports festival of magnitude that disabled persons from all over Pakistan can participate and enjoy the sports fever like ordinary people. This was an ambitious plan to meet but with the struggle and commitment by the society people and collaborated effort by the financers to provide the crucial money for this ambitious plan came to reality, it is worth mentioning here that this was made possible by the collaborated help of Sight Savers, Mercy Corps, Handicap International, HOAP, Qarshi, Balouch Regiment, District Sports Office Abbottabad NWFP and the commitment showed by the disabled persons form all over Pakistan.

Posted by jicafriends at 03:23 PM | Comments (1)

Negros paralympics

The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.

Negros paralympics

Bacolod City, Philippines Friday, July 21, 2006

Negros paralympics
fires off at USLS today
BY CHRISTIAN IRL TAN
Differently-abled athletes take the limelight at 8:30 a.m. today when the 1stProvincial Sportsfest for Persons with Disabilities fires off at theUniversity of St. La Salle in Bacolod City.

Bacolod City hopes to retain its overall championships against teams from thecities of Talisay, Silay, Cadiz, Kabankalan, Sagay, San Carlos, La Carlota and Bago.

Also challenging the Bacolenos, who have always been favored because of its school-based players from the Special Education Center, are differently - abled athletes from the towns of Ilog,
Pontevedra, Murcia, La Castellana andHinigaran.

Gold medals in the swimming, 100-meter sprint, running long jump, discus throw and shotput competitions will be disputed by athletes that are mentallyretarded, visually impaired, hearing impaired, amputees and orthopedically handicapped.

Goalball, a volleyball event for the blind, will also be played during the one-day event as well as sitting volleyball for the OH, mixed volleyball for theHI, and chess, table tennis and wheelchair race for the OH.

Lowell Raner, president of the Association of Disabled Persons-Negros chapter,said the hostilities that aim to develop camaraderie among differently-abled athletes in the province and will serve as a training ground for theNegrenses who will earn the right to banner Negros Occidental in theNational Para Games next year.

Tournament organizers said that this is the first time the ProvincialGovernment, headed by Gov. Joseph Maranon, sponsored the tournament,which is also supported by the Provincial Sports and
DevelopmentOffice.

The event is part of the 28th National Disability Prevention and RehabilitationWeek celebration themed, "Kalikasan Pangalagaan,
KapansananMaiiwasan". *CIT

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/July/21/sportnews2.htm

Posted by jicafriends at 01:55 PM | Comments (0)

Disability Movement in Nepal

Dear All

Kathmandu, July 21, 2006, 4th, Independent Living Center Kathmandu, NFDN and
other disable people organization together announced the disability movement
(demonstration) demanding for the participation in the interim constitution
and to allocate the budget for the persons with disabilities. All types of
PWDs gathered at the Maitighar mandala , organized the demonstration to the
main south gate of Singhdarbar infront of the office of ministries. The
police tried to stop the demonstration but the PWDs break and success to
gather in front of the main gate. The police arrest more than 2 dozons of
PWDs from the demonstration. So many people injured by police during the
movement. Mr. Palsang Lama, Mr. Bhoj Raj Shrestha , IL members are injured
in this event.

During the movement the government called the representative from the group.
IL Coordinator Mr. Krishna Gautam was one of it. They put the strong demand
with Vice Prime minister. The prime minister tried to escape from the demand
and give sympathy to address the issues of disability in the cabinet
meeting. The movement will continue Sunday from 9 to 5 O'clock. The group
said the movement will continue until the full fill of demand.

Sincerely Yours

Ganesh KC
Member, IL Center Kathmandu

Posted by jicafriends at 01:51 PM | Comments (0)

July 21, 2006

Self-Advocacy

How many of you believe that persons with disabilities are able to express
their opinions or ideas?

I learned about self-advocacy for persons with intellectual disabilities
from a Malaysian participant of Vocational Rehabilitation Course this year.
I had heard of the word of "Self-Advocacy" before, however I realized that I
hadn't understood its real meaning.
I would like to share with you "Request to the Welfare Measures of Tokyo
Metropolitan Government" and "Self-Advocacy Resolution (tentative
version)"today. Mr. Kenjiro Yamada and members of Yuai-kai （Group of
persons with intellectual disabilities themselves) organized and wrote the
requests to the government.

I look forward to hearing your opinion.

keiko nakatani

http://www.jicafriends.jp/vocational/gi2006/material/resume/yuai/index.html

Posted by jicafriends at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)

Disability Movement in Katmandu

Dear all,

After the restoration of the democracy in Nepal, parliament and the
government are formed. The government brought the annual policy and programs
of the country and also announced the annual budget. The newly formed
government has announced the issues of different groups and communities but
did not address single issue of persons with disabilities so far. The
government also made 15 member interim constitution draft committee
including all the groups and regions but did not bring the single member
from the disability sector. So it proves that the interim constitution draft
committee will also not bring and address any issues of persons with
disabilities.

Therefore, the Independent Living Center Katmandu decided to run the
pressure movement from today demanding for the representation of the
disabled in the interim statue drafting panel and constituent assembly to
address the disabled rights and adopt disabled friendly policies to protect
and promote the participation in the state mechanism.

In the first day of the program, the personalities from the different
organizations, civil societies, human right activists have put their
solidarity for the program. This program is co -jointly organized by the IL
Center and other various types of disable people organizations. This
pressure program will continue until the fulfillment of the demand.

Sincerely Your's
Ganesh KC
Member- IL Center Kathmandu

Posted by jicafriends at 11:48 AM | Comments (0)

For your solidarity of the pressure movement.

Sincerely Your's
Ganesh KC
Member- IL Center Kathmandu

Posted by jicafriends at 11:29 AM | Comments (1)

July 13, 2006

TRAINING REPORT : June 22, 2006 (Morning) : Visit : Akita Rehabilitation and Training Center for Persons with Disabilities

Akita Rehabilitation and Training Center for Persons with Disabilities provides vocational training, daily living skill training and a variety of other rehabilitation services to help those with physical disabilities recover the abilities needed to participate in the society. Mr. Hanegawa, Director gave us a brief outline of the center and showed us around the training rooms. The center aims to help persons with physical disabilities reintegrate into society in accordance with individual goals such as returning home or being employed.

After that we visited Sports Center for Workers with Disabilities since we could not observe any sports facilities for persons with disabilities in Tokyo. The building is designed accessible. The entrance and exits are equipped with slope and automatic doors, all the corridors in the building have handrails, the locker rooms are equipped with showers and the toilets are accessible for the wheelchair users. The entire building is also facilitated with heaters so that the users can safely enjoy sports throughout a year, even in the winter

http://www.jicafriends.jp/vocational/gi2006/

Posted by jicafriends at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)

July 11, 2006

TRAINING REPORT : June 21, 2006 : Local Visit (Day 2) Visit to Prefectural Office

In the morning we visited "Welview Izumi", welfare facility complex where various different facilities are located in one building, such as a nursery, a sheltered workshop for persons with intellectual disabilities, a day care center for elderly people as well as residential facility for elderly people. Director of the complex explained on the outline of "Welview Izumi" and showed us from the 1st to the 3rd floor. This complex enables children, elderly people and persons with disabilities interact with each other and produces a friendly atmosphere. After observation we could enjoy Japanese traditional dancing's performed by community volunteers. A reporter from TV Akita came to film and interview seven guest from Asian countries and they were broadcasted the news on TV twice.

In the afternoon we visited Akita Prefectual Office to pay a courtesy call to Governor of Akita Prefecture. We were quite nervous to see the Governor at the beginning, however he warmly welcomed us and made us relax. A participant from Malaysia expressed appreciation words.

After the courtesy visit we moved to the conference room to have a lecture on the Basic Plans for "Akita Wakasugi Taikai", the 7th National Sports Games for Persons with Disabilities which is going to be held during October 13 (Sat) - 15 (Mon), 2007. This Sports Games are not only for persons with physical disabilities but also persons with intellectual disabilities, and from 2008 persons with psychiatric disabilities will take part in the Games. At the end a mascot for the Games "Sugitti" suddenly appeared in front of us and we were so happy to take photos together with "Sugitti". All of us would like to pray for success of Sprots Games in Akita 2007.

http://www.jicafriends.jp/vocational/gi2006/

Posted by jicafriends at 04:17 PM | Comments (0)

Dear Friends, colleagues and well wishers,

Greetings from YPSA ICT4D Unit.

It's a pleasure to inform you that YPSA IRCD (I CTs and Resource Centre for the Disabled) , ActionAid Bangladesh and HSBC Bank are jointly organizing a
4 month long intensive training program for 20 person with disabilities selected through a competitive process from all over Bangladesh.

All of these highly potential individuals (9 visually challenged + 11 physically challenged) have already proven their capacity through acquiring the highest
degrees from different Universities. It is expected that through this training they will acquire market driven skills on a range of subjects including
ICT applications, communicative English, adaptive technologies, Digital Talking Book production, management and administration, independent living etc.
followed by a job fair as a platform to demonstrate their capacity to potential employers representing Government, Non government and the corporate sector.

This will enable to reach the ultimate goal of employing every single trainee in their desired fields and thus establish that Person with Disabilities can
also be equally productive citizens of the Nation.

An informal inauguration will be held on 15th July at ActionAid office and the training will be held at YPSA Human Resource Development Centre (HRDC) Chittagong.

We would like to welcome you all to visit the training program and encourage the participants. Individuals and organisation with expertise in training are
highly encouraged to contact to provide voluntary input in the training. Your kind feedbacks and comments are always welcome.

Best Regards

Posted by jicafriends at 03:26 PM | Comments (0)

Blindman Jack

Three weeks ago, I was re assigned to handle Disabilities Information and
Resources Center DIRC.
It's gonna be the embrio of library for disabled and who ever interested in
empowering disabled. And last sunday, I just finished my "Advocacy writing
on mass media" training.
It a journalistic training that given to NGOs activists and I was the only
disabled who joined the training. In the future, one of my program is
writing the progress of disabled's movement in the local media in Aceh.

Please feel free to up-date my activities in JICA website and
I'll be more than glad to share it with everyone in this world.

Thanx a lot

Blindman Jack

Posted by jicafriends at 11:09 AM | Comments (0)

July 04, 2006

TRAINING REPORT : June 27, 2006 : Project Proposal Writing II

We were all happy to see Ms. Sarajean Rossitto again. Today was a half-day session on Proposal Writing and we learnt about the section on "BUDGET-expences and venues."

We brought our draft Action Plans and each of us had an opportunity to make a 5 minutes presentation on the summary of our Acton Plans. Then we exchanged comments to each other.

This session helped us greatly to make our plans more concrete and comprehensible.

TRAINING REPORT in Vocational Rehabilitation Course 2006

Posted by jicafriends at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)

TRAINING REPORT : June 16 & 19, 2006 : Individual Training Program

2 days individual training program were organized. Each participant had good opportunities to deepen their knowledge in the field of their specific interests. We could all get more concrete ideas for action plans on our return to home countries.

TRAINING REPORT in Vocational Rehabilitation Course 2006

Posted by jicafriends at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)

TRAINING REPORT : June 11 - 13, 2006 : "Workshop Management" – Group Visits to "WITH" and "Fukushino-Machi-Zukurino-Kai"

7 participants were divided into 2 groups and one visited WITH in Shizuoka Prefecture and the other visited Fukushino-Machi-Zukurino-Kai in Fukushima Prefecture. We travelled by a famous bullet train so-called Shinkansen and enjoyed a comfortable trip to outside Tokyo. Each group learnt about management of community based workshops.

"WITH"

3 participants from Bhutan, Cambodia and Sri Lanka visited Sheltered Workshop for Persons with Disabilities WITH in Shizuoka Prefecture. WITH is a small-scale workshop established by Mr. Chiaki Shiba in 1995.

July 12

- Orientation

- Introduction and meeting with WITH users and staff

- History and philosophy of WITH

- Persons with disabilities also have right to work (UN Declaration of Disabled Persons 1975)

- How persons with disabilities can work?

- Observation of working site

- Work of staff, activities of volunteers

- Subsidy system for workshop, workshop management

- Support system (supporting group and volunteers)

- Network with people in the community

- Oversea aid (e.g. WITH in Sri Lanka)

- Future action plan of WITH

July 13

- Observation: Lecture about social welfare in elementary school by Mr. Shiba

- Wrap-up session and conclusion of the three-days training

"Fukushino-Machi-Zukurino-Kai"

4 participants from Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan and Philippines visited Fukushino-Machi-Zukurino-Kai (literally meaning a "welfare-town building center) in Fukushima Prefecture. Right in the beginning, we were given an opportunity to make a coutesy visit to the City Hall with Ms. Suzuki, one of the founders of Fukushino-Machi-Zukurino-Kai, and we exchanged opinions with Mr. Akimoto who is in charge of welfare issues.

Ms. Watanabe, director of the center, kindly accompanied us throughout the program. We observed how they bake delicious cookies and cakes and deliver them to a local kindergarten and also souveniour shops at tourist sites.

They also collect various objects from the community and run a recycling shop "Machiko-chan." Some of participants also enjoyed their shopping here.

"Fukushino-Machi-Zukurino-Kai" has been supporting an Independent Living Center in Philippines by sharing their experiences and skills as well as by financing them. From the reports submitted by the center in Philippines, we could understand that it has been managed well.

TRAINING REPORT in Vocational Rehabilitation Course 2006

Posted by jicafriends at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)