Toshi Kazama, Asian Director
for Journey of Hope. January
16, 2020
I just read two
news article of Malaysian murder victim's family. I am extremely sorry and my
sincere condolences for their loss of love one. No one can even comprehend
these victims' family members what they have been going through. I am a victim
myself and know many other murder victims families as dear friends to me,
another victim’s story make my heart tearing.
I ask the public
and government to support victim’s families. We need many supports in mental
care and financial aid. This is universal regardless of the countries. The
victims’ family need as much as support and often the system does not provide
adequate support and often it only focus on punishment for the
perpetrator.
Once thing I know
for sure is that over the time, the majority of murder victim's families change
their opinions for punitive justice system, which solely focus on punishment
for the perpetrators. It does not focus on preventive majors. We all know
capital punishment does not work to prevent from murders. If it works, we never
had to become victims. We as the victims never want another person to go
through our suffering as murder victim. Once I learn about the restorative
justice system, which focuses on victims and prevention of the crime, I could
easily support of it. The restorative justice system instead of punitive
justice system is used at Norway. The countries abolished death penalty has
less homicide since the system forces to focus on preventive majors.
As my heart goes
out for the family members and friends of the victim, I truly hope that the
revenge and life for life will just make us more victimize and promote more
killing. I know these words may not reach to your heart now but only way for us
for healing path is love and compassion although an empty hole in our heart
never filled.
I hope that
public does not come to quick conclusion of all the victims' families doesn't change
their mind about seeking death penalty. There are many victims families does
not support death penalty and many has changed their mind often gradually over
time from for to against death penalty. When that change happens I hope the
public continue to support them. There is no "wrong and bad victims"
regardless of what their opinions are. The number of victims opposing
death penalty increases dramatically especially after the execution occurred as
the family learnt that justice system doesn't really focus the victims.
The below is the
link of one of my friend Bob Curley who's 10 years old son was raped and
murdered. He originally seek death penalty for the perpetrator and campaign
hard to reinstate death penalty in Massachusetts but after meeting with fellow
victims’ families, he slowly changed and now he work against death
penalty.
This is a recent
video interview of me by Thai actor.
Love,
Toshi
See earlier post that also have copies of the relevant media reports about some Malaysian murder victim's family calling for the retention of the death penalty:-
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