When she was walking in a refugee camp in Africa, Sadako Ogata was spoken to in Japanese. "Musume no namae wa 'Sadako Ogata' desu" (My daughter's name is "Sadako Ogata"). Ogata was then introduced to a 1-year-old girl with adorable eyes.
After assuming the post of U.N. high commissioner for refugees, there were twists and turns until Ogata was appreciated to that extent. During the civil war in Rwanda, militia members who committed genocide sneaked into refugee camps, and some nongovernmental organizations wanted to withdraw their assistance. It is said that Ogata had heated arguments with these organizations, demanding to know how they could abandon the women and children who make up the majority of refugees.
She did not wait for reports while sitting at UNHCR headquarters in Geneva. The international community was struck by the sight of this small woman wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest walking in conflict-affected areas.
Ogata has died at 92, having devoted herself to humanitarian assistance while sticking to a hands-on approach. On the issue of Kurdish refugees in Iraq who could not transcend borders, she made a decision to save these people by overturning the conventional principle of refugees as people leaving a country and changing the concept of what should be done to protect refugees. There likely has not been another Japanese person so revered as Ogata, who involved herself in the lives of countless people with courage and a sense of justice.
If Sadako-chan has grown up safely, she would be around the age when she is now surrounded by children. Perhaps she might be offering prayers for the deceased Ogata from far away.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
