148th INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE of UNAFEI
Cirilo, Yokwe Thomas
Probation OfficerProbation Department, Southern Sudan Prison ServiceSudanOn behalf of my fellow participants, allow me to express our most profound andsincere gratitude for having been granted the opportunity to participate in this 148th
International Training course.
Now we have finally come to the end of our training after six weeks of gaining agreat deal of knowledge, sharing our experiences, and discussing ways to overcome thechallenges posed by drug offences and drug-dependent offenders. The main theme ofthe Course, “Drug Offender Treatment: New Approaches to an Old Problem”, wasaddressed through individual presentations, lectures by both Japanese experts and aninternational visiting expert, and observation visits to related institutions andorganizations.
Indeed, on behalf of my fellow participants, we are very grateful to all lecturers,officials and organizations for their wisdom and insightful learning experiences
presented to us through their contributions and the various field visits, such as thebriefing and interaction at the Narcotics Control Department, the visits to Tokyo District
Court, the Supreme Court, Yokohama Prison and Tachikawa Probation Office, andinteraction with the Honourable Minister of Justice, the reception party hosted by theHonourable Vice Minister of Justice, and the discussions with the volunteer probation
officers of Japan.
Furthermore, the visits to Kyoto and Hiroshima were experiences of a lifetimefor us overseas participants, allowing us to have a first hand glimpse of Japan’s
historical and cultural heritage, and the earnest efforts of the Japanese people topreserve it for future generations. The visits during the trip to Hiroshima Probation
Office, Chugoku Regional Parole Board, Shimane Asahi Rehabilitation ProgrammeCentre, and a halfway house named “With Hiroshima” helped us to have deeper
understanding of Japanese criminal justice in actual practice.
Very special thanks go to JICA as well as to the Asia Crime Prevention
Foundation for their cooperation, which supported every activity. I would like toexpress gratitude to the ACPF for their hospitality in hosting special dinners for us in
the following cities: Tokyo, Yokohama, Hiroshima and here at UNAFEI.
We also enjoyed, and are very thankful for, interactions and parties in lounge Band lounge A that produced a strong bond of closeness among the participants and theUNAFEI personnel. The home visits and tea ceremony, organized by local volunteers,
were memorable experiences of Japanese culture.
My fellow participants and I would like to thank the people working behind thescenes who provided us with good accommodation, facilities and services to meet ourpersonal needs and requirements; you would absolutely agree with me that the people
who prepared our food for us deserve to be commended because of the delicious andnutritious meals we have had for the past six weeks.
Let me also thank our Japanese participants who have shared their time,treasures and talents in assisting us overseas participants studying in this foreigncountry; we felt as if we have been in our home countries because of your help. Here I
would like to confirm that this past six weeks established a natural bond of friendship,respect, understanding, and cooperation that will not end, but will surely serve to form a
network of practitioners in pursuit of the ideal of criminal justice. Let us coordinateand cooperate in order to achieve the goal.
I would like to be frank with you here.
When we heard of the enormous earthquake that struck Japan in March, most of
us doubted if the Course would be really held. All of the news coming from Japan wastragic. However, after arriving at UNAFEI, we could see that people here wereresilient, tenacious, and were serious in implementing the Course even at a time of great
difficulty.
So, last but certainly not least, I would like to thank all the UNAFEI faculty andstaff members for their commitment to the Course. Especially, many thanks go to Prof.
Wakimoto, Prof. Sakonji and Ms. Sasabe as the organizers of this training programme
and to Ms. Kita, JICA’s coordinater; you have worked hard, have always been busy, but
you were by our side all through the Course.
In conclusion, Sirs, Madams, and distinguished guests,
On behalf of my fellow participants, I would like to assure you that although thechallenges remain with us, we feel more empowered, equipped and therefore equal tothe challenges because of the training we received here. We will endeavour totranslate this rich learning experience into reality in our respective jurisdictions.
May God Almighty bless this wonderful country and its people and bless us all.
Thank you very much.