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Description of CFIR
The Center For Internee Rights, Inc.
6060 La Gorce Drive, Miami Beach, Fl 33140-2117
The History of the Center for Internee Rights, Inc.
The Center for Internee Rights, Inc. (CFIR) was founded in 1990 by Gilbert M. Hair and several other former POWs and internees who were captured and interned by the Japanese in the Pacific in World War II. Its purpose was to seek justice for Japan's World War II victims and to seek recognition for these people who were so brutalized and so forgotten in our history. In 1991, CFIR was incorporated in California in 1991 as a non-profit, tax-exempt public benefit corporation. It later received its 501 (c)(3) exemption from the Internal Revenue Service. CFIR is registered in both California and Florida as a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation for the advocacy of former military POWs, civilian internees, those in hiding, or their next of kin of those who were captured and brutalized by Japanese Forces in World War II. CFIR's Federal ID is: number now withheld. Dues, donations and contributions are tax deductible under applicable rules of the IRS.
CFIR, Inc. from its inception has been working with Military, Veterans, and Human Rights Organizations both in the United States and throughout the World. It is actively involved with the Asian-American community throughout the World on the similar issue of atrocities committed by Japan against its Asian neighbors.
CFIR is one of the six organizations that filed a claim against the Japanese Government seeking an official Japanese apology and individual compensation of US$ 20,000 (net) for victims of Japanese World War II transgressions. This landmark case was filed in Tokyo District Court on January 30th 1995 and after numerous briefs and witnesses the Tokyo District Court rendered a negative decision in November 1998. We filed the Appeal in the Tokyo Appellate Court the following day. After numerous hearings, submissions, and testimonies, the court will render a decision in mid 2001. If the decision is negative, we will immediately file an appeal to the Tokyo Supreme Court. CFIR Inc. is represented in this suit by the lawyers of KOGA & Partners (Tokyo) and Leigh, Day & Co. (London).
The Organizations that joined CFIR in this landmark case represent military POWs and civilian internees or their next of kin from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand. CFIR and its Lawyers, Historians, and Researchers are actively involved in seeking the declassification of documents pertaining to World War II Pacific Theater. CFIR is actively involved in curtailing the trend toward historical revisionism that exists in the world today.
The Center for Internee Rights is also actively involved in seeking justice for World War II victims of Japan in the Sub-Commission on Human Rights in the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The Center, working with numerous other Veterans and Military Groups, is seeking passage of various Legislation in the US Congress to benefit its members and bring justice and recognition for their WWII experiences.
From its meager beginnings, CFIR has grown to over 8,000 paid members and is in communication with an additional 10,000 other former POW and civilian internees. Its massive database contains an abundant amount of material on some 22,000 American POWs and civilian internees captured and interned by Japan in the Pacific in World War II. It communicates with its members via its quarterly newsletter, Internee Affairs. This newsletter is distributed to some 10,000 people interested in the goals and objectives of CFIR. We represent 33,260 US Military, 13,996 US civilian internees, 200 Canadian civilian internees, 225 Filipino POWs, 300 assorted WWII Allied POWs/internees, their next of kin and those in hiding.
Membership in The Center for Internee Rights is open to anyone who is interested in seeing that justice is done and that accurate history is maintained and that historical revisionism is stopped and that perpetrators of crimes against humanity are held responsible for their actions.
Membership and other information can be obtained by contacting:
Speech by Gil Hair
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
GILBERT (GIL) M. HAIR
Executrve Director COL. MELVIN H. ROSEN
Vice Presiclent
DENIS S. HUDSON Vice Preswe"t The HonoraWe DAN WINN. Esq.
Vice PresWent MIGen. ROBERT A. GOODBARY Vice Preswent DANIEL W. MILES
Vice Preswent TERRENCE H. KNEEBONE
Vice Presiclent Mrs. JANE JANTZEN
Secretarv
LINDSAY NIELSON. Esq.
CAR Corporate Atromev PETER R. WYGLE Vice PresidWt CHARLES R. HILTY Vice President Public Relations
DIRECTORS FRED VI. HOLMES ~'rot. LESTER 1. TENNEY rHOMAS TIMBERMAN, Esq. :. WILLIAM HEROLD LIDY WINSLOW MCBRIDE iEORGE C.MORA OBERT ALLEN 1ARCIA FEE ACHENBACH
DVISORS rot. WILLIAM A. HARVEY. Esq. DBERT J. BAKER. CPA AURY N. HERMAN. Esq. kVID S. CASEY, Esq. )U REDA UART LIPPE Gen. 7HOMAS T RAPNELL 4DR.',VILLIAM J. HOPWOOD
)NSULTANTS kRTYN DAY. Esq, VAN DAWS IDA GOETZ HOLMES 4ATIUS Y. DING MI SUZUKI. Esq. ~ASHI NIIMI, Esq. ZEN PARKER. Esq. CHANG
The Center For Internee Rights, Inc.
6060 La Gorce Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33140‑-2117 Telephone: (305) 864‑-2558 + Fax: (305) 861‑-8550 E‑-mail: expows(gbigfbotcom # Website: wwwnetcom.coinl‑-expows
TOKYO CONFERENCE ON JAPANESE WAR CRIMES AND REDRESS Tokyo,Jqpan. December 10 ‑- 12, 1999
Presentation by Gilbert M. Hair, Executive Director, The Center for Internee Rights, Inc. and claimant in Allied POWlInternee Law suit against the Japanese Government filed January 30', 1999 and now in the Tokyo Appeals Court. CFIR, Inc. represents some 47,000 American POWs and Civilian Internees who were captured and brutalized by Japan in WWII.
The Center for Internee Rights, Inc. a non‑-profit, tax exempt 501 (c)(3) Corporation was formed in 1990 to represent the plight of the Allied POWs, Civilian Internees and those InHiding who suffered untold depravation by the Imperial Japanese Forces in World War Il.
CFIR, Inc.'s primary agenda was and is to seek an apology and compensation for our members and other victims from the Japanese Government. We also seek to provide meaningful US Government benefits for these groups. We advocate truth and justice and we fight against any form of historical revisionism. We promote educational programs and research on WWII Pacific History. The Center works very closely with Organizations in the United States, Great Britain, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada and Australia in these specific objectiues.
CFIR, Inc. also works closely with the Asian ‑- American Community in the US and victims groups in the Pacific Region.
We provide information and research data to victims seeking legal claims for stave labor, forced labor and loss of personal property and assets. We provide speakers and materials for educational forums and symposiums.
CFIR, Inc. is one of the six Organizations representing the US, Great Britain, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia in a Claim against the Japanese Government. This Claim was filed in Tokyo in January 1995 and is now in the Japanese Appellate Court. This Lawsuit seeks an official apology and $20,000 USD net per Claimant. To qualify as a Claimant, one must have been a national of a WWII Allied country interned by Japanese Forces in WWII or an heir or descendant of such and you need to be a member of CFIR, Inc.
You might be asking yourself, why are we doing this now? As you know the United States had two principle enemies in World War 11 ‑- Japan and Germany. Germany has atoned for its transgressions in WWII by paying compensation to its victims, returning stolen property and land as well as bank accounts, national treasures and intellectual property. JRan has done nothing to atone. Worse yet, they deny their history of brutality in the Pacific in the 1930's and 1940's and remain unrepentant to this day. Many of the documents pertaining to Japan's brutalities and atrocities have been kept secret until very recently and most are still classified and unavailable to researchers, historians and victims.
A jVON PROFIr rAX F_rEMPT OR64NIZ4 770VV
You no doubt are familiar with such issues as the Sack of Manila, the Comfort Women, Unit 73 1, the Rape of Nanking, the Hell Ships and Japan's use of Chemical and Biological Warfare. Many of these events were kept out of the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal in order to make Japan a friend and ally against the encroachment of communism in the Pacific after World War II. Japan was so convinced that they were going to win the War that they abandoned the Agreements they had signed relating to the Conduct of War. Treaties and Agreements such as The Hague and the Geneva Conventions ‑- and all accepted International Legal precepts pertaining to the Conduct of War and the treatment of Prisoners of War, Civilian Internees, and other non‑-combatants were abandoned and ignored by Japan.
The result was that those who were captured and interned by the Japanese had a dramatically higher rate of mortality and morbidity than those captured and interned by the Germans. The following information is provided for you to understand how brutal the treatment was, if you were captured by Japanese forces:
INFORMATION ON U.S POWs HELD IN WWII MILITARY
There were 130,201 US Military captured and interned in WWII. As of January I ` 1998, 52,531 were still alive (40.3116). Of the total count of U.S POWs in WWII 36,260 were captured and interned by the Japanese. On January Is' 1998, 7,195 were still alive (209/6). Here is the grim news; the comparison of those military held by Germany and Japan.
U.S. MILITARY HELD BY NAZIS BY JAPANESE Captured & Interned 93,941 36,260 Died While POW 1,121 (1.10/0) 13,851 (38.201o) AliveonJanuary Ist 1999 42,035 (44016) 5,695 (15.7%) CIVILIANS
There were 18,745 US Civilians captured and interned in WWII. As of January 1" 1998, 3,621 were still alive (17%). Of the total civilian POWs in WWII 13,996 were captured and interned bg the Japanese. On January I 't 1999, only 1,602 were still alive (11.4016). Again, here are the grim statistics; the comparison of U.S. civilians interned by Germany versus those held by Japan.
U.S. CIVILIANS HELD BY NAZIS
Captured & Interned 4,749
Died While Interned 16 8 (3. 5 016)
Alive on January 1", 19 9 9 1,591 (36.2016)
BY JAPANESE 13,996 1,536 (1 101o) 1,602 (11.4016)
(These are the official figures provided by the AXPOW Association on April 17', 1999.)
ACCOMPiLSHMENTS TO DATE
1. CFIR and other Victims of Japanese Atrocities Organizations have filed suit in the Sub‑-Commission on Human Rights at the United Nations in Geneva.
2. The POW / Civilian Internee Groups received the endorsement in March of 1996 of the Commonwealth ExServicemen League in our endeavors for compensation.
3. In 1997, we were instrumental in getting House Concurrent Resolution 126 (HCR 126) introduced in the US Congress. This Bill expresses a sense to the House that the Japanese Government should immediately issue a formal apology, pay reparations to American Military and Civilians POWs.
4. In December 1996, the US Department of Justice created the Japanese War Criminals Watch List.
5. Between 1994 and the present various members of the CFIR Board of Directors have been speakers at various Symposiums and Conferences held around the US and Canada.
6. We have been successful in our work with other Civilian and Veteran Organizations in securing benefits for POWs or their widows, civilian internees and those in‑-hiding.
7. Our Claim against the Japanese Government is now in the Appeals Process in the Japanese Courts. The Decision should be made sometime late in 2000.
8. Participated in the introduction and successful passage of S.1245 and AJR 27 in the California Legislature. S. 1245 was chartered into Law in California on July 27, 19.99. This Law now allows those used as slave or forced labor during WWII to sue for compensation. Those eligible or their next of kin can file in California Superior Court. AJR 2 7, passed by the California Legislature on August 2 5, 1999, asks Japan to apologize and pay compensation for atrocities committed by Japanese wartime troops. This Resolution was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and sent to President Clinton and the US Congress asking them to support this Legislation on a national level.
9. CFIR, Inc. has promoted the publication and sales of over 25 books and videos focusing on the Pacific War in WWII.
10. CFIR, Inc. developed a series of speakers and programs on "Japanese Transgressions in the 1930's and 1940's" at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. This series kicked off in early 1998 and will continue into the year 2000.
11. We are currently getting Legislation introduced and passed by the US Congress to declassify documents pertaining to WWII Pacific Theater and to update the benefits provided by the War Claims Act of 1948.
12. Current Legislation in the US Congress that CFIR, Inc. has helped to introduce:
a) S. 1902 ‑- Introduced by Senator Feinstein of California on November I I ' 1999. This Bill will
declassify documents relating to WWII Pacific and the Japanese imperial Army.
b) S. 1856 ‑- Introduced by Senators Schumer and Torricelli on November 4' 1999. This Bill calls for the codification of WWII War Crimes by amending the US Code to authorize Federal District Courts to hear Civil Actions to recover damages
to persons and property resulting from the activities of Germany and Japan in WWII.
c) S. 1356 ‑- Introduced by Senators Leahy and Kohl on July 15' 1999. Also known as The Anti
Atrocity Alien Deportation Act. Provides that Aliens who commit acts of torture abroad are inadmissible or are to be removed immediately if found in the US.
d) H. R. 5 1 ‑- This Resolution was introduced in the Spring of 1999 and recognizes the suffering and
hardship of American Civilian Internees in WWII.
e) H. R. 304 ‑- Introduced by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher on September 29'h 199, this Resolution expresses the sense of the house of representatives concerning War crimes committed by Japan in WWII. It also calls for the declassification of documents concerning Japan's medical, chemical and biological experiments on POWs and Civilians.
Last week on December 6', senator Orrin Hatch, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Secretary of state Madeleine Albright requesting her to open dialogue with the Japanese Government concerning brutal treatment of American POWs.
There have been I I cases filed thus far in the US against Japanese corporations who unlawfully used slave and forced labor in WWII. Many more are to follow. I will leave this subject for my fellow panelist Attorney, Barry Fisher. As you can see from what I have told you today, there is growing interest and concern in the United States regarding Japanese transgressions in WWII.
As with the German Holocaust issues, more people and more members of our Government are focusing their attention on Japan's failure to address their responsibilities for their war crimes, crimes against humanity, human rights violations and their continued efforts to revise the history of WWII.
Outside pressure from the world community and internal pressure by the good and honorable people of Japan will eventually force the Japanese government to face these important responsibilities.
I urge all of you here today to spread this information so the victims of Japan can receive justice and true reconciliation can be achieve and there can be an honorable closure in this matter.
Thank you for being here.
c) S. 1356 ‑- Introduced by Senators Leahy and Kohl on July 15' 1999. Also known as The AntiAtrocity Alien Deportation Act. Provides that Aliens who commit acts of torture abroad are inadmissible or are to be removed immediately if found in the US.
H. R. 5 1 ‑- This Resolution was introduced in the Spring of 1999 and recognizes the suffering and
hardship of American Civilian Internees in WWII.
e) H. R. 304 ‑- Introduced by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher on September 29' 199, this Resolution expresses the sense of the house of representatives concerning War crimes committed by Japan in WWII. It also calls for the declassification of documents concerning Japan's medical, chemical and biological experiments on POWs and Civilians.
Last week on December 6', senator Orrin Hatch, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Secretary of state Madeleine Albright requesting her to open dialogue with the Japanese Government concerning brutal treatment of American POWs.
There have been I I cases filed thus far in the US against Japanese corporations who unlawfully used slave and forced labor in WWII. Many more are to follow. I will leave this subject for my fellow panelist Attorney, Barry Fisher. As you can see from what I have told you today, there is growing interest and concern in the United States regarding Japanese transgressions in WWII.
As with the German Holocaust issues, more people and more members of our Government are focusing their attention on Japan's failure to address their responsibilities for their war crimes, crimes against humanity, human rights violations and their continued efforts to revise the history of WWII.
Outside pressure from the world community and internal pressure by the good and honorable people of Japan will eventually force the Japanese government to face these important responsibilities.
I urge all of you here today to spread this information so the victims of Japan can receive justice and true reconciliation can be achieve and there can be an honorable closure in this matter.
Thank you for being here.
Board of Directors/Officers/Advisors/Consultants ‑- 1999 Officers
Gilbert ‑-(Gil) M. Hair ‑- Founder and Executive Director of CFIR, Inc. Santo Tomas Internee. Retired Airline Executive & Investment Banker/Stockbroker. Miami Beach, FL. Phone: (305) 864 ‑- 2558. Fax: (305) 8618550.
Col. Melvin H. Rosen, USA Met) ‑- Vice President Bataan Death March, Cabanatuan, Hell Ships, Slave Labor Survivor. Falls Church, VA. Phone: (703) 560 ‑- 5557. Fax: (703) 560 ‑- 0327.
Denis S. Hudson ‑- Vice‑-President. Business Consultant. Yuyuen Road and Yangtse‑-Poo Camps. San Francisco, CA. Phone: (415) 831‑- 0419. Fax: (415) 597 ‑- 6729.
The Honorable Dan Winn, Esq. ‑- Vice President. Senior Judge, State of Georgia. Member World Assn. Of Judges and World Jurist Assn. Cedartown, GA. Phone: (770) 748 ‑- 3227. Fax: (770) 749 ‑- 2123.
M/Gen. Robert A. Goodbary USA (Ret.) ‑- Vice President. Former Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense. Dir. Military Relations ‑- Oklahoma St. Univ. Eamond, OK. Phone: (405) 359 ‑- 1490. Fax: (405) 744 ‑- 8158.
Daniel W. Miles ‑- Vice President. Los Banos Internee. Consulting Engineer. Brockton, MA. Phone (508) 583 3721, Fax: (508) 583 ‑- 4402.
Terrance Kneebone ‑- Vice President Camp Holmes Internee. Retired FSO. Cedaredge, CO. Phone: (970) 856 ‑-6142, Fax: (970) 856 ‑- 3918.
Peter R. WyQle ‑- Vice President Santo Tomas Internment Camp. Engineer & Author. Colonel, US Army (Ret.) Ventura, CA. Phone: (805) 642 ‑- 6602 / 2998.
Mrs. Jane M. Jantzen ‑- Co‑-founder and Secretary. Santo Tomas Internment Camp. Widow of Senior CIA Official. Miami Beach, k. Phone: (305) 866‑-9935. Fax: (305) 861 ‑- 8550.
Lindsay Nielson, Esg. ‑- CFIR Corporate Attorney. Santo Tomas Internment Camp. Attorney & Senior Partner. Ventura, CA. Phone: (805) 658 ‑- 0977. Fax: (805) 658 ‑- 2801.
Charles R. Hilty ‑- Vice President. PR Exec. & Former Congressional Staffer & Asst. Secretary of Agriculture. NOK, Reston, VA Phone: (703) 904 ‑- 9317, Fax: (703) 481 ‑- 1596.
Directors
Lester 1. Tenney, Ph. D. ‑- Author and Financial Consultant. O'Donnell, Hell Ship, Slave Labor. Phoenix, AZ Phone: (619) 454‑-8310 (summer), Fax: (602) 598‑-0622. Wrote "My Hitch in Hell"
Thomas M.F. Timberman, Esq. ‑- Media Advisor. Retired Foreign Service Officer & Former U.S. Ambassador to Malabo. Attorney. Rock Hall, MA. Phone: (410) 639 ‑- 7840 Fax: (410) 639 ‑- 2256.
Fred Holmes ‑- Co‑-founder and Director. STIC Internee, Retired. Engineer with TRW Corp. Thousand Oaks, CA. Phone: (805) 492 ‑- 8888.
George C. Mora ‑- Drug & Alcohol Counselor. Los Banos, Internee, Foster City, CA. Phone: (650) 3494555, Fax: (415) 345 ‑- 5116. Robert Allen ‑- Hotel Owner/Developer, Los Banos Internee, Kaneohe, Hl. Phone/Fax: (808) 2473568.
Judy Winslow McBride ‑- Social & Pol. Events Planner. Santo Tomas Internee. Greenwich, CT. Phone: (203) 869 ‑-6612, Fax: (203) 622 ‑- 311 S.
Marcia Fee Achenbach ‑- Clinical Social Worker. STIC Internee. Evanston, IL. Phone: (312) 263‑- 5523. C. William Herold ‑- Engineer, Baguio Internee. Sylacauga. AL. Phone: (205) 249 ‑- 9472
Advisors
Professor William F. Harvey, Esq. ‑- POW, NOK, Professor of Law Emeritus, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN Phone: (317) 872 ‑- 4539.
Lt. General Thomas J.H. Trapnell, USA (Ret.1 ‑- Senior Surviving Officer ‑- Bataan Death March, Camp O'Donnell, 3 Hell Ships, Japan Slave Labor. Ft. Beivoir, VA.
Comdr. William J. Hopwood USNR (Ret.), ‑- USNR Retired. WWII Historian, Miami, FL. Phone: (305) 667 9815, Fax: (305) 740 ‑- 9425.
Robert J. Baker ‑- CPA. Husband of Philippine Internee, Norma Saunders Baker. Webb City, MO. Phone: (417)
673 ‑- 2432. Fax: (417) 673 ‑- 1837. Stuart Upe ‑- Retired FSO, Bethesda, MD. Phone: (202) 458 ‑- 4169. Fax: (202) 477 ‑- 3786.
Lou Reda ‑- CEO, Lou Reda Productions. History and Military Documentary Producer. Easton, PA. Phone (610) 258 ‑-2957. Fax: (610) 258 ‑- 5284. "Japanese War Crimes & Trials: Murder Under the Sun"
Iris Chang ‑- Author "Rape of Nanking", Sunnyvale, CA. Phone: (408) 736 ‑- 8679 Fax: (408) 746 ‑- 0941. Consultants
Marlyn ay, Esq. ‑- Leigh. Day & Co. Solicitor. Legal Coordinator for Allied Compensation Claim. London Phone: 011 ‑-44 ‑- 171‑- 650 ‑- 1200 Fax: 011 ‑- 44 ‑- 171 ‑- 253 ‑- 4433.
Takashi Nlimi, Esq. KOGA & Partners, Tokyo. Fax: 011 ‑- 81 ‑- 3 ‑- 3578 ‑- 8692. Isomi Suzuki, Esq. ‑- KOGA & Partners. Tokyo Phone: 011 ‑- 81 ‑- 3 ‑- 3578 ‑- 8681 Karen Parker, Esq. ‑- International Human Rights Attorney. SFO. Phone/Fax: (415) 668 ‑- 2752.
Gavan Daws ‑- Author/Historian, Wrote "Prisoners of the Japanese" Honolulu, HI P/F: (808) 988 ‑- 9613 Linda Goetz Holmes ‑- Joumalist/Author, Shelter Island, NY. Phone/Fax: (516) 749 ‑- 1202.
Ignatius Y. Ding ‑- Computer Engineer (Alliance) Cupertino, CA. Phone/Fax: (408) 446 ‑- 4641 Ao Wang_‑-_Sottware Engineer, Columbia, MD Phone: (410) 730 ‑- 5971 Fax: (410) 730 ‑- 3641.
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