Grenoble, le 25 novembre 2009

Lettre ouverte à Monsieur le Préfet de l’Isère

Monsieur le Préfet,

Vous vous apprêtez à nous convoquer pour participer au débat initié par le gouvernement sur l’identité nationale.

Autant vous le dire clairement, nous ne viendrons pas.

Nous sommes ce qu’il est communément appelé un corps social, inséré dans la République et contributif de son espace démocratique.

Nous mesurons donc que ne pas se rendre à une sollicitation du représentant de l’Etat n’est pas banal et porte un sens politique.

Nous ne viendrons pas parce que nous ne sommes pas dupes de l’opération à visée électorale, à destination de l’extrême-droite.

Nous ne viendrons pas, parce que pour nous, l’identité d’une Nation ne peut être marquée d’un quelconque sceau ministériel et encore moins d’une hypothétique loi la définissant.

Pour nous, quand un gouvernement entend cadrer ce qui relève de la mémoire historique, il y a tout lieu de s’inquiéter de la qualité de notre démocratie.

L’histoire du syndicalisme est liée intimement, sans en avoir l’exclusivité, à nombre de grandes réalisations sociales.

La protection sociale, le mutualisme, la structuration de services publics contribuant à l’égalité de traitement des citoyens, le code du travail….

Ce sont en définitive des règles communes qui fondent largement notre République auxquelles le syndicalisme a contribué.

Ce sont souvent les capacités de révolte, de contestation de l’ordre établi, quand il met en danger le commun qui ont permis à ce pays de développer un haut niveau d’exigences sociales.

Il ne serait y avoir pour nous, de rapport entre le citoyen et la nation, déconnectés de la question sociale.

Dans la mesure où ce gouvernement- là, réforme après réforme, adapte les pratiques publiques aux seuls besoins de la finance, dénoue les solidarités, il ne serait être question pour la CGT de participer de quelque manière que ce soit, à cette mascarade dont l’objet essentiel semble de justifier une politique d’agression envers les populations les plus fragiles de notre territoire.

L’identité d’une Nation, n’est pas le fruit d’une négociation, mais le résultat de faits historiques, de rapport de forces sociaux et politiques.

Notre pays, et notre département singulièrement ont creusé leurs développements par l’apport de citoyens venus d’autres Nations.

Par leur force de travail, ils ont contribué aux grands travaux structurant notre économie, dans l’industrie singulièrement.

Ils ont fait de leurs apports une richesse, contribué au rayonnement de la France dans le monde par la capacité de notre société à accueillir, former, éduquer les citoyens quelles que soient leurs origines sociales et géographiques.

Le Ministère de l’immigration est synonyme pour nombre de nos concitoyens (et nous pensons à juste titre), de Ministère de la discrimination, de l’arbitraire et de la stigmatisation.

Notre contribution “au vivre ensemble”, à nous, c’est notre engagement aux côtés des salariés sans-papiers pour leur régularisation, pour que ceux-ci puissent devenir des citoyens à part entière, à égalité de droit avec les autres salariés, ce n’est pas la division entretenue de manière démagogique par ce gouvernement qui au final tire vers le bas, l’ensemble des droits sociaux et des garanties collectives.

Notre engagement à nous ce n’est pas une séance en salons préfectoraux d’auto- congratulations d’une France chauvine qui se prendrait pour le phare du monde, mais les solidarités que nous construisons avec les syndicalistes à travers le monde pour une élévation des conditions de vie et d’existence sur l’ensemble de la planète.

Notre engagement à nous, c’est l’action pour le maintien, le développement de services publics, au service de tous, que l’on habite à la ville ou à la compagne, et cela quel que soit le niveau social de nos concitoyens.

Notre engagement à nous, c’est la mobilisation pour la défense de nos emplois industriels, qui fondent la richesse sociale, économique, et culturelle d’une nation développée.

Pour toutes ces raisons, Monsieur le Préfet, et pour bien d’autres, nous ne participerons pas à une réunion sous l’égide d’un Ministère que nous considérons comme le pire Ministère que la République ait connue depuis la Libération.

Recevez, Monsieur le Préfet de l’Isère, nos salutations Républicaines.

Pour l’Union Départementale CGT de l’Isère,

Patrick VARELA,

Secrétaire général

Plus de 500 collégiens et lycéens ont été invités à s’essayer au scooter lors d’une journée organisée par la Préfecture de Police de Paris.  Une bonne façon de sensibiliser les jeunes aux accidents causés chaque année par les deux roues.

A la question des policiers : Qui a déjà fait du scooter ? Trois quarts des jeunes présents lors de cette journée lèvent la main. Mais qu’on ne s’y trompe pas : les “frimeurs” sont rapidement repérés par leur façon de tenir la poignée ou de monter sur l’engin. Qu’à celà ne tienne : les policiers de la Préfecture de Paris ont organisé une journée spéciale pour former les 500 jeunes issus de collèges et de lycées d’Ile-de-France à la pratique du scooter. Réunis sur le circuit Carole à Tramblay-en-France, les jeunes conducteurs en herbe ont été sensibilisés aux causes les plus réccurentes dans les accidents impliquant les deux roues.  Sont ainsi incriminés l’alcool, la prise de drogue, et bien sûr la vitesse. Au programme de la journée : freinage, crash tests, de quoi inciter les jeunes à être prudents sur les routes.

Rappelons que pour conduire un véhicule de 50cm3, le Brevet de Sécurité Routière (BSR) est obligatoire pour tout jeune de 14 ans et plus né après le 1er Janvier 1988. Beaucoup de jeunes regrettent néanmoins le coût de cette formation qui revient parfois à près de 270 euros pour 5 heures de formation.

Source : 20 minutes du jeudi 19 novembre 2009

Avec ce coup marketing, la société Mailorama  a provoqué des scènes d’émeutes en plein Paris. N’aurait-elle pas dû renoncer à cette opération?

AFP

Le rassemblement au pied de la Tour Eiffel, pour la distribution de billets de banque, a rapidement dégénéré.

Cette société n’est pas responsable des débordements. Elle a parfaitement respecté la loi, en déposant une déclaration de manifestation (voir le document ci-contre) à la Préfecture de police, le 10 novembre, c’est à dire quatre jours avant l’événement.  Cette déclaration précisait qu’il s’agissait d’une opération de communication, statique [sur la place Joffre, dans le VII^e arrondissement de Paris ] entre 11 heures et 14 heures, et qu’elle consistait en une distribution d’argent. La préfecture a autorité pour interdire une manifestation, si elle estime qu’elle est illicite ou qu’elle comporte un risque de “trouble à l’ordre public”. Si elle avait émis la moindre réserve, nous aurions annulé l’événement. Or, que s’est-il passé? Entre le 10 novembre et le 14 novembre, elle n’a manifesté aucune inquiétude. Ce n’est que le samedi 14, vers 10 heures du matin, qu’elle a décidé d’annuler la manifestation. C’est à dire au bout de quatre jours et moins d’une heure avant le début de l’opération, alors que des milliers de gens étaient déjà sur place! En réalité, la préfecture n’a pas été capable d’assurer l’ordre public et ces réactions ne sont destinées qu’à masquer les carences constatées samedi.

Organiser une distribution d’argent à des fins publicitaires est illégal. Mais surtout, comment ne pas prévoir que cela risquait de provoquer des incidents?

Là encore, je vous renvoie vers la préfecture. Alors que la manifestation se préparait, il n’y avait que deux véhicules de police aux abords de la place. Un peu juste quand il y a 7000 personnes sur les lieux… Quant à la légalité de l’opération, il faut distinguer deux choses. Premièrement, la tenue de l’événement: je le répète, la préfecture a eu quatre jours entiers pour se prononcer. Elle ne l’a fait qu’une heure avant le début. Deuxièmement, le fait d’utiliser de l’argent comme support publicitaire est puni par une contravention de deuxième classe [150 euros]. Or, non seulement le nom de la marque n’était pas inscrit sur les billets de banque mais, surtout, la distribution n’a même pas eu lieu… Il me paraît invraisemblable de prétendre entamer des poursuites pour une infraction qui n’a pas été commise. En réalité, la première victime de l’annulation au dernier moment, c’est bien la société Mailorama…

Au-delà de l’aspect juridique, il y a une dimension morale dans cette affaire. Attirer, à des fins publicitaires, des gens démunis en leur jetant de l’argent depuis un bus, c’est difficilement défendable…

Cette société Internet utilise l’argent de manière  transgressive pour promouvoir son activité. C’était d’ailleurs l’un des messages portés par l’opération de samedi. Mais ce n’est pas une idée nouvelle. Cela se produit tous les jours:  les radios et les télés organisent des jeux avec de grosses sommes à gagner, uniquement pour que le public reste écouter leurs programmes. La valise RTL, qu’est-ce donc, sinon donner de l’argent au hasard à quelqu’un qui écoute la radio? Tous les vertueux qui se pincent le nez aujourd’hui en disant: ”C’est immoral!”, sont des hypocrites. Ou alors, il faut interdire tous les jeux immoraux. Et arrêtons de dire que Serge Gainsbourg était un génie quand il brûlait un billet de 500 francs en direct à la télé…

Giant Buddha at Todaiji Temple, Nara

So far I’ve spent a lot of time talking about what there is to do in Osaka, but this time I want to give a quick overview of places that can be visited as day trips from Osaka. It is, in fact, the perfect city for this, because of its central location and its function as a transportation hub for the Kansai area.

The obvious destination is Kyoto, which is by far the most popular tourist destination in Japan among both domestic and international tourists. Then is nearby Nara (the imperial capital  from 710-794, before it moved to Kyoto), which like Kyoto is home to a number of famous temples and shrines including Todaiji, Koryuji, and Kasuga Taisha. I prefer Nara over Kyoto because it feels more genuine and is not as crowded. Kobe is known as a pleasant, cosmopolitan city with an international feel–I recommend the waterfront Meriken Park, which is a romantic hot spot at night. Then there’s Himeji, with its soaring castle that is more famous and impressive than any other in the country.

Wakaura Tenmangu Shrine, Wakayama City

If you’re looking for something new, why not try Wakayama City? It has a number of gorgeous old temples, some great food, and lovely beaches and hot spring areas. Iga, one of the two great ninja towns of Japan (the other being Koga in Shiga Prefecture), is located in Nara Prefecture and features a ninja museum that you’re sure to get a kick out of. Kumano Kodo, a pilgrimage route that has been celebrated since ancient times, has recently become popular after being named as Japan’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Yoshino is famous for its autumn colors and spring cherry blossoms, and also has a number of lovely old ryokan and baths. Further east is Ise Shrine (in eastern Mie Prefecture), the most important Shinto shrine in Japan. It is connected to the imperial family, and it has been rebuilt every 20 years on alternating lots using the same architecture and materials since the beginning of Japan as a unified civilization.

Ninja train, Iga

Yes, there are even ninjas inside the ninja train.

Heading north from Osaka, you will find Uji, which is famous for it matcha powdered green tea, and also for Byodoin, a graceful temple that is meant to be an earthly re-creation of the Buddhist paradise (you can find it pictured on the ten yen coin). Fushimi-Inari Shrine is a complex winding its way up a mountainside, featuring paths lined with thousands of bright-orange torii gates that create an impressive tunnel-like effect. The Lake Biwa area is also a treasure trove of great places to see and delicious foods to eat (read about my journey around the lake here).

There are more options available, but the places listed above are all great destinations for day or weekend trips out of the city. With the autumn leaves reaching their colorful peak, now is the perfect time to experience the many faces of the Kansai region.

Kansai International Aiport (KIX) is the second most important airport in Japan (after Narita in Tokyo) and the main airline hub for the Kansai area, which includes Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Wakayama, and many other large cities. KIX is located on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, near Sennan and Izumisano Cities in southern Osaka Prefecture. It is connected to the land by a 3 km (2 mile) bridge that carries rail and road traffic, and also by ferry services.

The island built for this airport turned Osaka Prefecture, formerly the smallest prefecture in Japan in terms of land area, into the second smallest in Japan, putting Kagawa Prefecture in last. There have been problems with the island sinking slowly each year, but they have been mitigated for the most part, naturally and due to technological innovations. Fear of strong crosswinds affecting rail traffic has also been assuaged through installation of protective barriers. KIX survived severe typhoon winds and the 1995 Great Awaji-Hanshin Earthquake without significant damage.

The airport was designed by world-famous Italian architect Renzo Piano, and the terminal is the longest in the world at 1.7 km in length (it is served by a tram/train). There are two runways, and a third is planned as part of a future expansion. KIX has a good variety of restaurants and facilities, and just across the bridge is Rinku Town, one of the most extensive and entertaining shopping areas in all of Osaka Prefecture. You can also stay in the ANA Gate Tower Hotel at Rinku Town, located in the Rinku Gate Tower Building, the second tallest building in Japan after Yokohama’s Landmark Tower (Rinku Gate Tower is the same height as Osaka City’s WTC Cosmo Tower).

KIX is about 35-45 min. by limited express train (JR or Nankai Railways) from central Osaka City, and JR trains continue through Osaka all the way to Kyoto. Check out KIX’s website here. When you visit Osaka next, come through Kansai International Airport and learn why it is considered on of the best airports in the world.

Here is another good post on KIX that focuses more on the interesting architecture design of the airport and contains a number of terminal-building photographs.

Sunset near Makino over Lake Biwa

Makino was the turning point in my journey, the non-climactic climax of my loop around Lake Biwa. The pedals moved smoothly on the bike I had borrowed from the hotel, and I glided effortlessly down the narrow lakeshore road, dodging cars and pedestrians on a lane too narrow for either. I passed ancient wooden gates protecting majestic temples, mixed in with old wooden houses belonging to anglers, farmers, and wealthy individuals lucky enough to have summer homes. There were bright green paddy fields and dull gray boat ramps, small shrines and old tea shops. There were also staring eyes, especially when I stopped to take a picture of something that seemed perfectly normal to local residents, such as a beautiful field or the sunset dipping over the lake.

Why was Makino a climax, a turning point in my journey? Well, in the physical sense, it was the halfway point of the loop I was taking around the lake, and the point from which I started heading back toward Osaka rather than away from it. It was the place where I experienced my first and only disappointing hotel of the trip. It was also the least urban, most rural place I had been so far. But more than that, it was the people who were different: the scenery of Makino was friendly, but unfortunately, the people were not. This was a different Shiga than I was used to.

Riding my bike through Makino

Speaking of the hotel–I won’t mention the name out of courtesy–it was a giant disappointment. This was the only luxury hotel I was to stay in, right on the lakeshore and at twice the cost of the other business hotels I had stayed in thus far. However, its location was bad (15 minutes walk from the station through the middle of nothing with no pickup service, which is unheard of in Japan); its carpets were stained everywhere; its bathroom had random hairs stuck all over it; the swimming pool was much smaller than its picture made it look, filled with dirt and spots, and not open for use once the whole time I was there; the “private beach” smelled like garbage and dead fish; the “bar” and “restaurant” were identically plain (cheap folding chairs and cheap plastic tables in front of a large window looking out at said smelly beach); the staff were unfriendly, unhelpful, and uninterested; and my view was of a pile of concrete slabs, pipes, and tools strewn about.

But I was thankful for the bikes.

Because of delays arriving to Makino I had to change my schedule around a bit, but after checking out from my hotel (good riddance) and trudging back to the station, I was on the train for Katata. After calling the Katata tourist information center and conforming that there were in fact lockers at the station, of course. I felt a tinge of sadness as I rode the nearly empty train southward, near the west shore of the lake. Tomorrow I would be heading back to Osaka. While my feet hurt and the prospect of my own bed seemed nice, the idea of my vacation ending and “real life” starting again made me a little blue. On the other hand, I was looking forward to the day’s sites and also to a scalding hot spring bath that night.

Ukimido (Mangetsuji) in Katata

The first thing I noticed about Katata was the people were different from those of northern Shiga. They were much more friendly. The bus driver really helped me out, stopping the bus as the stop where I got off and coming down to the street to point the way to the place I was looking for. He was a really friendly guy overall, and without him I would have been lost in Katata. The main site I visited was Ukimido (can be translated to something like “floating Buddha hall”), which is a structure that is built on stilts out in the middle of the water, and is part of Mangetsuji Temple. The structure was built by a monk from Enryakuji Temple (a temple on Mt. Hiei) about 1000 years ago, and the current structure is from 1937. It is probably the most celebrated spot in Katata, and it’s easy to understand why–it floats perfectly on the surface of the lake, surrounded by beautiful pine trees, providing a truly calming sight that brings one’s thoughts to things spiritual. I also dropped in at nearby Honpukuji Temple and walked around the surrounding neighborhoods, which were charming.

Pagoda atop giant rocks at Ishiyama-dera

My next destination was Ishiyama-dera, one of the most famous temples in the Otsu areas. I took the train to Yamashina and from there rode the Keihan line through the mountains and along its steep, winding course into Otsu, where I transferred for another local line that led me to the bottom of a hill near Ishiyama-dera. This is one of the temples of the Saigoku Piligrimage route, buried in a forest on the side of a steep, craggy hill. The gurgling of water over moss-covered rocks, quiet stillness of the forest, and chirping of birds complemented old buildings that seemed as if they had been there since the beginning of time. A truly magical and mysterious aura floated through the grounds of Ishiyama-dera, one that transported me as a visitor to another world until I reached the top of the hill, looked out over the city, and remembered that Iwas, in fact, in modern Japan. There are buildings here that are more than 800 years old, and one of the rooms there was used by Lady Murasaki when she was writing The Tale of Genji. As I was sitting on a bench near the summit, a couple of people came over and talked to me, and two older ladies even asked to have their picture taken with me. One of them was from Osaka, the other from Okinawa, and the latter said she was planning to visit the American west coast later that year.

After I took the long way around the vast temple grounds, I finally made it back to the entrance and caught a bus back to a Keihan Line station, continuing from there back to Yamashina where my luggage was stored. I spotted a Starbucks near the station, something I had not seen for days, and decided it was time for a cup. After resting there and reading my book for a while (I was currently reading Itoyama Akiko’s Fukurokoji no Otoko), I headed back to the station, only to have yet another lady I didn’t know come up and talk to me. Apparently she talked to me without taking a good look at my face first, because partway through she stopped when she realized I was a foreigner, assuming I wouldn’t understand. I assured her in Japanese I had no trouble speaking the language, and we actually stood there and talked for about an hour in front of the train station ticket machines. She was apparently studying English, but she was glad to talk for the first time to a foreigner in Japanese (beyond the level of “konnichiwa,” “I’m 26 years old” or “where’s the bathroom?”), something that is rare in Japan. It turned out she was a Jehovah’s Witness, and I politely declined her offer to come to her church, she was one of the most interesting people I encountered during my trip.

That night I stayed at Ogoto Onsen in a nice hotel with indoor and outdoor hot spring baths built in. In contrast to my last hotel, the staff were waiting with a bus when I arrived, and we followed winding, woody road up to the top of a hill where the hotel was located. The staff were courteous, and the baths felt wonderful after four straight days of traveling and walking through mountains and towns. It was at this hotel that I met the dreaded “slipper obaasan” (“slipper granny”),as I have decided to name her. What is the slipper obaasan? Well, she is an old lady who wears a yukata and works in the hot spring public bath section of the hotel, and her job is apparently to make sure people wear their hotel slippers when they walk down the corridor leading to the bath. During check-in, they had mentioned that I needed to wear the hotel slippers when going to the bath, but when I got to the room, I found that the slippers were about 2-3 inches shorter than my foot. I called the front desk, but they had no other size. Nice. In the end, I put on the yukata and walked to the bath sans slippers, only to encounter the slipper obaasan along the way. When she saw that I didn’t have my slippers, she flashed the giant X-shaped dame sign with her arms and started freaking out at me–I kind of thought she was going to rip my head off. With impeccable timing, the young girl from reception saw us and intervened, saying I could go for now and she would find a pair of soft room slippers for me to use and put them outside the bath. When I had finished bathing and was in the changing area, still not clothed, the slipper obaasan walked nonchalantly into the room full of naked men, stood in front of me, and told me my slippers were waiting–I think she had been worrying terribly about this, which I suppose was her job. She even stood outside to make sure I actually wore them, and followed me all the way down the hall as I left.

The slipper obaasan got mad at me for not wearing these slippers. Reasonable? I think not.

Refreshed after a nice bath–there was even one bath outside that had water falling at close intervals from above, so it hits your shoulders and feels like a massage–I returned to my room and took in the gorgeous view of the lake from my window. As the sun set, the lights of the cities clinging to the shores of Lake Biwa and the few fishing boats still out in the water became the only things that were visible. After breakfast the following day I would return to Osaka. My trip around the lake was finished, yet I still felt there was so much to see. I never had the chance to spend time in Takashima or Imazu thanks to JR delays, I still wanted to visit the ninja town of Koga on the east side of the lake, and I had never been up to Mt. Hiei or to Mii-dera in Otsu. But I suppose that’s be best part about Shiga Prefecture: there’s always something new to discover.

Nightfall over Lake Biwa, seen from Ogoto Onsen

See part 1 and part 2 of the journey.

To see a map of my journey, click here.

Nagahama Castle

As I rode the train northward through paddy fields and old wooden houses, the shore of Lake Biwa drew closer and closer as the I entered Nagahama City. This would be one of the two real sightseeing hotspots I would spend time in during the trip–the other being Otsu–and I was looking forward to what Nagahama had to offer.

After detraining, I headed out toward Nagahama Castle, which is about 10 minutes or so on foot from the station, near the lakeshore. Nagahama Castle is not the most impressive structure I’ve ever seen, and even though it’s a modern reconstruction, it has a certain charm to it. Upon looking through the museum inside, I learned that it was at located at a vital location near Sekigahara, a mountain location where the decisive battle between the Tokugawa and Hideyoshi alliances was fought in 1600 to determine the future path of Japan, which ended up being one of long-awaited prosperity and peace for more than 250 years. The castle is small, but the view from the top is impressive, as you can look out over Lake Biwa as well as out toward the rolling hills around Sekigahara. Gazing at the illuminated castle keep that night, I had to admit the odd-shaped structure was not overly impressive, but in my mind its historical significance has left an imprint in my memory that is far bigger than the fortress’ physical stature.

Kurokabe Square

Next I went to Kurokabe Square. This is considered the center of Nagahama, and its name comes from the stately old black-walled (“kurokabe”) building that acts as its centerpiece and gives the district its name. The two-storey building was built in 1899 and served originally as the Daihyaku Sanju Bank building, but today it is a well-known shop selling the famous glassware of Nagahama on the first floor and imported glassware and jewelry on the second floor. The shop’s goods were absolutely amazing, and since I had come all the way to Nagahama, I couldn’t resist buying a few glass animal figurines (which somehow made it home undamaged). The surrounding area also has a number of wooden Edo- and Meiji-Period buildings. I splurged at a restaurant nearby and bought sukiyaki with Omi beef, a regional specialty. Though expensive, this tender, delicious, high-quality beef is worth it. Afterward, I visited a couple of temples in town.

Glass souvenirs from Nagahama (turtle, pig, and blowfish)

In the morning I got up early to catch the ferry to Chikubushima, an island in the middle of the lake where a temple and a shrine are located. I threw my things in a locker and walked to the ferry pier, only to find that (1) the time schedule in my guidebook was out of date and I had just missed the boat I planned to take, and (2) even though I thought I was clever enough to arrive early in the morning to avoid crowds, so had everyone else in Shiga Prefecture. Thankfully, I got a window seat on the ferry and we set sail across the placid waters of Lake Biwa.

Chikubushima from the ferry

As the boat closed in on Chikubushima, everyone went out onto the deck to take pictures, but I decided to wait until the return trip–which was a smart move, since it wasn’t nearly as crowded on deck during the return trip. The approach reminded me a bit of the time I visited Alcatraz in San Francisco, sans the chill running up my spine. Chikubushima itself was not as good as I had expected, although the imposing old gate of Tsubusuma Shrine and the beautifully carved Buddha statue inside were impressive, and the bright orange pagoda of Hoganji Temple surrounded by vibrant tropical greenery was refreshing. The shrine boasts a unique way of praying: you buy a pair of round ceramic fragments, write your name on one and your prayer on the other using a brush, and then try to throw them both through a Shinto gate (torii) perched below on a rock in the water.

Buddha statue inside Tsubusuma Shrine

After boarding the ferry back to Nagahama, snapping said photograph, and relaxing in the air-conditioned cabin after a lot of stair-climbing, I started to mentally plan the afternoon. I would ride the JR line around the north edge of the lake and down to Makino on the west side, put my things in a locker there, go sightseeing further south in Katata and Imazu, then return and catch a shuttle to the hotel and find a restaurant to eat dinner at. Little did I know that a combination of incorrect information, misleading information, the reality of the countryside would nullify my plan.

I went to Nagahama Station and saw that the next train would be leaving in a half hour. As the departure time approached, an announcement from the platform speakers informed us that the trains were now delayed a couple of minutes, followed by another that they were delayed by 30 minutes, meaning I would be waiting an hour just to get on the train. The train finally arrived, 40 minutes late, which just goes to show how dangerous it is to rely on JR (in West Japan, JR seems to have trouble handling busy travel weekends). I had to switch at Imazu-Shiotsu station for the Kosei Line, but thanks to that lovely delay, my train had left one minute before and I now needed to wait another hour until the next one came. After about 35 minutes I got impatient and decided to go call a taxi, so I went down the longest station staircase I have ever seen inside a train station and asked the station attendant for the nearest taxi company’s phone number. As luck would have it, the train arrived at that very moment (apparently the Kosei Line was delayed, too), so I ran up the longest staircase ever with my bags in hand and barely slipped through the door and into a vacant seat before it departed. We soon cut through a tunnel and rushed out into the breathtaking, verdant scenery of northern Biwa.

Around Makino Station...absolutely nothing

Despite the information on JR’s website, when I asked the station attendant where the coin lockers were, he gave me the “are you insane?” look and told me there were none. I couldn’t very well go sightseeing with my bags in tow, so I called the hotel, but despite their claim to be a lakeside resort, they didn’t even have a pickup service from the station. This meant I would have to haul my stuff 15 minutes to the place. Furthermore, there was nothing resembling a restaurant near the station–mostly just old houses and paddy fields. With a groan, I put one foot in front of the other. With trains that arrived only once and hour (and unpredictably delayed), my arrival at Makino several hours later than planned, and my legs worn out by the time I walked through the hotel’s front entrance, it seemed as if things that day would not go as planned.

Fortunately for me, when it comes to trips, I thrive on unpredictability. Stay tuned for part 3.

See part 1 and part 3 of the journey.

To see a map of my journey, click here.

Climbing up Mt. Azuchi toward the castle ruins

I wrestled with the other travelers boarding at Osaka Station, knowing as they did that if I didn’t get a seat now I would be standing for the next hour and a half. It was a rare five-day weekend, and everybody in Japan was off to their own destination, mad with travel fever. As the train rushed out of Osaka, through Kyoto, and into the mountain tunnel leading to Shiga Prefecture, I felt the tension built up over a week of overtime work go out of my body and a smile float to my lips. I had this trip all planned out–or so I thought.

Chomeiji Temple in Omi-Hachiman

This was not my first time in the Lake Biwa area. I had previously spent a night in Omi-Hachiman and toured the area, including the beautiful canal district, and the mountaintop temple called Chomeiji (lit. long life temple). These are two truly wonderful places–the canal district for its beautiful old townscape that puts Kyoto’s Gion district to shame, and Chomeiji for its grand old buildings dotting the slopes surrounding serene Lake Biwa. Omi-Hachiman was truly an amazing experience, and I ended up spending the whole day there rather than continuing on to Azuchi as I had originally planned. My pleasant surprise at Omi-Hachiman and my unfulfilled goal of visiting Nobunaga’s former stronghold in Azuchi was my inspiration to spend the long holiday making a full loop around Lake Biwa.

Azuchi is the place where Oda Nobunaga, one of the three great unifiers of medieval Japan, built his lavish castle to display his power and wealth. It was covered in gold and the paintings inside were done by the best artists of the day. Unfortunately, it was mysteriously burnt down just three years after its completion, but it still remains in people’s memories as the symbol of over-the-top, luxurious Momoyama-Azuchi culture. Not much remains of the castle (mostly just some old walls), but the surrounding area and the view of Lake Biwa the site commands are still impressive. I rented a bike near Azuchi station, rode out to the mountain, and proceeded to make the steep climb to the top. Biking around is the best way to see the sights of Azuchi, and after going about five minutes from the train station, I found myself riding through crisp, clean air among bright green rice fields almost ready for harvest. The climb to the castle ruins is quite beautiful, and you can see Nobunaga’s (uncharacteristically) humble mausoleum along the way. Afterward, I swung by a few museums, including the Nobunaga no Yakata museum which has a recreation of the castle itself that was formerly displayed at the 1992 World Expo in Seville, Spain.

Riding a rental bike throught the countryside of Azuchi

The woman working at the tourist information center was a great help when I first arrived in Azuchi, and on the way back, I stopped again at the information center for ice cream and a rest. The two of us chatted for a while in the (mercifully) air-conditioned room, and I learned that they are currently showing a film about Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle, which explained why television crew had been filming live at the museums I visited.

I stayed the night in nearby Omi-Hachiman, in a business hotel run by an elderly couple that was located between the station and the historic district. Having just come from Osaka, I was shocked at how quiet the city was at night. After taking a short nap, I headed out to find something to eat, but couldn’t find any restaurants except for McDonald’s, Lotteria, a really depressing food court with one restaurant that was closed, and a couple of izakaya. I finally came across as small bar located on a side street, and went in to take a look. It was a reggae bar not unlike something one would encounter in Namba, and there were only two staff members. The food was good and the drinks were standard fare, but unfortunately nobody else was in the place the whole time I was there. Even more odd, the staff never even struck up a conversation with me, but silently watched me eat, which made me more than a little uncomfortable. I have been in empty bars in Osaka, and it’s always been a great chance to get to know the staff better, but this was just awkward. Despite this experience, I had met mostly friendly people that day–something that would change as I moved north into the more rural parts of Lake Biwa.

But I was already thinking about tomorrow and my next destination, the coastal castle town of Nagahama. This was the first moderaly long trip I had taken almost entirely alone, and I was ready to see all that I could see.

Oda Nobunaga's mausoleum on Mt. Azuchi

See part 2 and part 3 of the journey.

To see a map of my journey, click here.

So many feelings this week. 

A chance to second-guess my own adoption knowledge (crappy) and two terrible articles on stolen children from China.

Stolen. Grabbed. Forcibly removed.

One of them is making the rounds. The other is here, about twins who were separated.

For anyone who’s interested, a little birdie told me that the L. A. Times journalist responsible for these articles is working to reunite the twins mentioned in the second one, separated at 20 months.

Everyone who has adopted from China: please read these articles. Listen to the graceful, resigned voice of the grandmother of a child confiscated by the family planning authorities at 4 months:

“We’d never make her come back, because a girl raised in the West wouldn’t want to live in a poor village like this,” said Yang Shuiying’s mother-in-law, Yang Jinxiu.

“But we’d like to know where she is. We’d like to see a picture. And we’d like her to know that we miss her and that we didn’t throw her away.”

“Didn’t throw her away.” What would you have to be afraid of? Can you imagine being in this position? No, because if it were you, your child would be registered as missing and you’d have your time on America’s Most Wanted.

These are not even people who abandoned their kids—forgiveable as that is under the one-child policy; these are families who say their kids were taken. How can we not find it in our hearts to reach out, and assure them that their child is doing fine and that we can be parents together? If our kids were associated with this prefecture, this orphanage, this year of adoption, our only option is to raise a stink and start searching.

Don’t swaddle yourself in bubble wrap thinking the “birthparents” will never be able to touch you or that you’re so in tune with your child, he or she would have no need for that knowledge. Our kids will come calling one day. Or maybe it will be some pesky journalist like this one who wrecks everything.

Imagine. Local agents show up at your door while you are doing laundry. They stand, unsmiling, in your foyer claiming you have broken certain laws. For that reason, they must take your 4-month-old child, napping quietly in her yellow nursery. There is no possibility of protest or redress. Where they are taking your daughter—the local orphanage—you are not even allowed to go. Your neighbours know the drill. Your colleagues hang their heads in resignation and sympathy while you sob on the job for weeks on end . . . sorry for you but afraid to say anything. Months later, you learn that your child went to Europe.

Adopted. Better life. End of story.

Now how do you feel?

Osaka Prefecure is an amazing place, but I would be lying if I said it was the only thing in Kansai there is to see. One of the great things about Osaka is that it its location–right in the center of the Kansai Region–and you can easily get to Kyoto, Kobe, Mt. Koya, Nara, and many other places in a short amount of time.

Recently I had a chance to travel to Shiga Prefecture and spend some time in Omi-Hachiman and Hikone, both are which were absolutely amazing and incredibly peaceful cities to be in. I am planning to take a five-day trip by myself in a loop around Lake Biwa (which is what Shiga Prefecture centers around geographically) in just two weeks. Oh, and I will definitely write about my trip here afterwards, including all my lake-swimming, mountain-climbing, onsen-bathing, fish-eating, castle-raiding adventures.

One of the great things about Lake Biwa and Shiga Prefecture is the abundance of natural sights and scenery, all of which are easily accesible from the big cities like Osaka. I have recently had the pleasure to learn about a small business called Northern Lights that operates on the northern shore of Lake Biwa, and is run by two friendly folks named Eriko and Yasuhiro (who hail from Osaka, in fact). They have been running Northern Lights for the last decade up in the beautiful northern tip of Lake Biwa, a truly special place (as those who have visited well know), renting out their log cottages to guests from all over Kansai and beyond.

Only one hour from Kyoto and 90 minutes from Osaka by train, the cottages are self-catered but come fully equipped with modern conveniences. With great views of the lake and the cleanest air around, it is the perfect getaway for school groups, families, couples, and any group up to 30 people. Locally, activities like fishing, kayaking, hiking, and cycling are available, and a sports hall can even be rented out for a cheap price, if that’s your thing.

Please visit http://sites.google.com/site/shiganorthernlights/ and take a look at what Northern Lights has to offer. As someone who formerly worked for a small travel company, I can guarantee that working with Northern Lights will be to your advantage because, unlike the big players in the industry, they will pay attention to your individual needs.

This blog's author near the top of the HUGE staircase leading up to Chomeiji Temple (ironically, the temple's name means "long life"), near Lake Biwa. If I recall correctly, there are over 1,000 steps to climb before reaching the top, but it is more than worth it!

Note: top photograph used with permission of Shiga Northern Lights.

Jean-Paul Celet

Jean-Paul CELET, a pris ses fonctions de Secrétaire Général à la Préfecture des Bouches-du-Rhône, le 24 août 2009. Il succède à Didier Martin.

Né le 13 septembre 1960, à Suresnes (Hauts-de-Seine), Jean-Paul Celet ancien élève de l’ENA, occupait précédemment le poste de sous-directeur de l’administration territoriale à la direction de la modernisation et de l’action territoriale (DMAT). Il a débuté sa carrière en tant que professeur de philosophie.

Tondabayashi Jinaimachi

Recently, I have been spending a lot of time going around Osaka Prefecture to places I haven’t visited in order to evaluate and collect information for my upcoming website, Osaka Insider. One of the places I visited was Tondabayashi City’s jinaimachi (寺内町). For you non-Japanese-speakers out there, that means “temple town,” and that describes the historical origins of this site. Its development centered on Koshoji Betsuin, the temple partially pictured above, which was established in the 16th century. From the 17th century (the Edo Period) onward, it developed into a rural trade town and lost much of its religious character, instead taking on the merchant culture seen most clearly in Osaka at the time. Many of the mansions are preserved today, and the jinaimachi’s urban landscape has changed little since that time, making it a truly valuable cultural asset to Osaka Prefecture.

While there, I was able to tour two merchant residences, the huge Sugiyama residence and the somewhat more modest Katsuma residence. The Katsuma residence was actually my favorite, as it still had people living inside and retained a more homey atmosphere–sitting in the guest room drinking tea while looking out at the garden on a hot summer day was quite pleasant. The impressive Sugiyama residence, on the other hand, was set up more like a museum (and rightly so). Both residences are very close to each other, and both deserve a visit.

Very few people were interested in visiting Tondabayashi, despite it being relatively good weather and a Saturday. It is one of my goals to provide tourist information for truly unique places like this, with its Edo-period cityscape and feel, and its friendly little shops scattered here and there amongst the old wooden buildings. I want to promote Osaka, which until recently has received very little attention as a tourism destination (even now, most focus lies on Osaka City itself, rather than the relatively poorer prefectural towns like Tondabayashi). However, I am a bit worried that, someday, peaceful little places like this may become stifled by tourists as is often the case in destinations such as nearby Kyoto and Nara. I suppose the selfish part of me wants to have the streets of this charming little temple town all to myself.

At any rate, I hope all readers will visit Tondabayashi once. While you are there, I also recommend (especially for the ladies) you visit “Jinaimachi terra,” a little family-run shop near the jinaimachi’s information center.

Yours truly inside the Kastuma Residence

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The legendary steam-train of Mt Pelion, in Magnesia prefecture, central Greece, known as “Moutzouris“  (meaning “smudgy”) has turned 106 years old. This train, and a second such train in Belgium, is the only one in the world running on a 60 cm-narrow gauge railway track. “Moutzouris” made its inaugural journey at the end of the 19th century and ran until 1971. In 1995 the train was put again in service, using the old steam engines, named “Milies” and “Jason” until they were replaced in 2000 by diesel-powered engines for faster and safer journeys. You Tube – Pelion Train

Hakone was a pleasant change from the fast paced neon glory that is Tokyo. Situated in the Kanagawa Prefecture, this beautiful town boasts many onsen, views of Fuji-San, the Tokaido Road and Lake Ashi. Unfortunately I was only there for one day and one night.

Lomo LC-A + Fuji Superia 100

www.christopherjonesphotography.co.uk

Sulphur Rising, Hakone, JP

In The Kitchen, Hakone, JP

Cooking, Hakone, JP

Tourists Eating, Hakone, JP

Eggs Cooked In Sulphur Springs, Hakone, JP

Cable Car, Hakone, JP

Lake Ashi, Hakone, JP

Bus Stop, Hakone, Jp

Hakone Hotel, Hakone, JP

Clock, Odawara, JP

Shinkansen, Odaward, JP

lors  d’une Assemblée Professionnelle qui s’est déroulée à LYON  la semaine dernière,L’intervention de   Monsieur Philippe MELCHIOR Président du du Comité de pilotage stratégique pour le développement de la vidéoprotection  permet, de mieux comprendre l’évolution de la vidéo surveillance … De nouvelles dispositions sont  mises en place, pour l’implantation de systèmes vidéo aussi bien sur la voie publique qu’à l’intérieur des commerces.

Désormais, l’administration à 4 mois maximum pour traiter votre demande, au terme de ce délai le Prefet devra rendre un  avis.

Monsieur Philippe MELCHIOR invite vivement les requérants à utiliser les services Web du Ministère de l’intérieur pour faire leur demande par télé procédure…

Plus d’infos [ici]

Mesdames et Messieurs,

Députées et Députés,

membres de la Commission des affaires culturelles, familiales et sociales,

Nous sommes un groupe d’Inspecteurs de l’action sanitaire et sociale (IASS) qui ne peut se résoudre à ce que, dans le cadre de la négociation statutaire en cours, le corps de l’inspection de l’action sanitaire et sociale soit le seul à ne pas posséder un indice terminal en hors échelle lettre, quand les corps qui vont le concurrencer, pour l’accès aux emplois fonctionnels et aux postes à responsabilité dans les futures directions interministérielles et les ARS, ont un indice terminal en hors échelle B: les Inspecteurs jeunesse et sports et les Inspecteurs du travail.

Vous avez plusieurs fois fait l’écho à l’Assemblée nationale de nos préoccupations, notamment statutaires. C’est pourquoi, alors que nos ministres ont jeté l’éponge face au ministre du budget et s’en sont remis à l’arbitrage du premier ministre, nous faisons appel à vous.

Nous demandons un alignement du statut des IASS sur celui des Directeurs d’établissement sanitaire et médico-social (DESMS). Ces derniers ont précédemment réussi à obtenir une revalorisation statutaire significative puisque, à égalité avec les IASS il y a quelques années, leur indice terminal est maintenant en hors échelle B (1057 points), tandis que les IASS ont conservé un indice terminal de 820 points…

Contrairement à notre syndicat majoritaire qui propose une fusion avec l’inspection jeunesse et sports (c’est cette proposition qui est à l’arbitrage du Premier Ministre), nous défendons pour les IASS un nouveau statut comportant :

- 2 grades au lieu de 3,

- avec un indice terminal en hors échelle B pour le second grade.

Une revalorisation ambitieuse est d’autant plus nécessaire que la professionnalisation du corps passe par une reconnaissance des compétences techniques accrues des inspecteurs, en accord avec une fonction publique de métiers et non plus polyvalente. Cette évolution permettra en outre de renforcer l’attractivité d’un corps ignoré et méconnu des étudiants issus des grandes écoles qui préfèrent les concours de l’EN3S ou de Directeur d’hôpital.

Dans le cadre de votre mandat, vous jugerez judicieux ou non de relayer un sentiment de déshérence et d’incompréhension ressenti par l’ensemble d’une profession face à un mouvement de réforme d’envergure et le refus de reconnaître celles et ceux qui sont censés porter le projet ambitieux des ARS (loi HPST).

Comme vous le savez les inspecteurs (IASS) officient dans les DDASS et les DRASS et constituent les petites mains de l’action gouvernementale dans les champs éponymes. Or nous constatons, en dépit des lois de décentralisation, un alourdissement de la charge de travail significatif, assorti d’une exigence de technicité croissante des personnels, et parallèlement une diminution tendancielle du nombre d’inspecteurs. Ces évolutions contradictoires se confirment présentement avec la mise en œuvre de la RGPP qui consiste, prioritairement, à réaliser des économies tout en réalisant des gains de productivité. Les services déconcentrés sont concernés en premier lieu par le lot des réformes en cours dont l’opportunité, dans de nombreux domaines, n’est pas remise en cause. Les jeunes générations d’IASS s’accordent sur l’inefficacité de notre action grandement favorisée par des dysfonctionnements institutionnels. C’est pourquoi nous attendons beaucoup de la mise en place des ARS.

Mais force est de constater que ceux censés porter cette réforme n’ont de cesse d’être méconnus dans leur action et engagement pour garantir le fonctionnement des services publics. La pertinence de ce constat prend corps avec plus d’acuité lorsque l’on considère les négociations actuelles portant sur la revalorisation statutaire du corps des IASS.

Il ne s’agit pas d’une revendication corporatiste car l’enjeu correspond à la pérennité, ainsi qu’au maintien de services publics sanitaires et sociaux efficaces. La méconnaissance de ce corps revient in fine à brader un service public dont l’utilité est unanimement reconnue par la population.

Une vraie simplification serait un alignement des 3 corps d’inspection sur le modèle des DESMS, permettant aux agents de travailler et de postuler aux emplois à responsabilité sur un pied d’égalité au sein des futures ARS et directions territoriales interministérielles. Cela répondrait en plus à l’exigence de réduction du nombre de corps dans le cadre de la RGPP.

Cette modification statutaire est également rendue nécessaire pour garantir des perspectives professionnelles d’avenir aux IASS en début et milieu de carrière.

Afin de porter cette revendication, nous avons créé un blog:  http://iassenaction.wordpress.com/

Vous y trouverez des éléments de comparaison des corps justifiant une revalorisation statutaire.

Nous avons également créé un groupe sur Facebook (revendications, tableaux comparatifs des statuts et des perspectives de carrière,…): IASS: revalorisation statutaire!

Nous vous remercions de l’attention que vous porterez à nos préoccupations et pour votre soutien à nos propositions.

Iass en action!

Dans le cadre de la réforme de l’administration territoriale de l’Etat, la plupart des administrations telles que nous les connaissons vont disparaître. C’est le cas notamment des Directions départementales et régionales des affaires sanitaires et sociales et des directions départementales et régionales de la jeunesse et des sports (DDASS, DRASS, DDJS et DRJS). De nouvelles directions interministérielles, fusionnant une partie des compétences de ces anciens services et celles d’autres services touchant à la protection des populations et à la cohésion sociale, vont être créées au 1er janvier 2010.

Les personnels d’encadrement des services amenés à disparaître seront affectés dans ces nouvelles directions, travailleront ensemble et seront en concurrence pour l’accès aux chefferies de service et aux emplois fonctionnels (directeurs et directeurs adjoints). Ces personnels sont les Inspecteurs de l’action sanitaire et sociale pour les DDASS et DRASS, les Inspecteurs de la jeunesse et des sports pour les DDJS et DRJS, et les inspecteurs et directeurs du travail pour les DDTEFP et DRTEFP (auxquels il faut ajouter les cadres des préfectures et des autres services fusionnés tels que les services vétérinaires et la répression des fraudes).
Or pour les IASS, la problématique est la suivante: le débouché naturel des IASS sur des emplois à responsabilité est actuellement constitué par les emplois de directeur de DDASS et DRASS, dont un pourcentage important leur est  réservé. Avec la disparition de celles-ci, les IASS vont se trouver en concurrence directe avec les autres corps d’inspection et les cadres des autres services déconcentrés, des préfectures et des fonctions publiques hospitalière et territoriale.

Or, sur tous les critères (échelonnement indiciaire, indice terminal, rapidité de la progression de carrière), le statut des IASS est en retrait par rapport aux autres corps d’inspection. En effet, le corps des IASS est le seul corps d’inspection des ministères santé-jeunesse, sports et travail à ne pas comporter un indice terminal en hors échelle lettre. Les IASS partent donc avec un handicap certain pour l’accès aux chefferies de service et, surtout, aux emplois fonctionnels dans les nouvelles directions interministérielles. En effet, c’est l’indice terminal, en hors échelle B, qui détermine la possibilité d’accéder à un emploi fonctionnel en fonction de l’ancienneté, sans avoir atteint le second grade de son corps.

Par ailleurs, la comparaison des statuts des IASS, des IJS et des inspecteurs du travail,  montre que ces corps présentent des disparités en termes de rapidité de carrière, d’échelonnement indiciaire et d’indice de fin de carrière. Or, ces disparités ne se justifient pas, compte tenu de la similitude des missions qu’ils exercent (inspection, contrôle administratif, conseil, allocation budgétaire, contrôle de légalité…).

En outre, dans le secteur santé-social, les directeurs d’hôpital ont récemment obtenu l’alignement de leur statut sur celui des administrateurs civils. Dans le même temps, les directeurs d’établissement sanitaire, social et médico-social ont obtenu une revalorisation significative de leur statut les classant en catégorie A+. Ces corps de direction, dont les établissements sont contrôlés, inspectés et financés par les IASS creusent ainsi l’écart avec ses derniers, au niveau statutaire et pécuniaire.

Concrètement, ces disparités aboutissent aux conséquences suivantes:

1.    avec un indice terminal de 1015 un IASS ne peut prendre une direction de groupe I ou II qu’à l’issue de 21 ans de carrière, contre 8 ans de carrière pour les autres corps, dont IJS et IT qui finissent en hors échelle B
2.    avec un indice terminal de 1015, un IASS ne peut pas être détaché dans un corps de catégorie A+, contrairement à un IT ou un IJS
3.    au mieux, l’indice 966 est atteint en 22 ans de carrière pour un IASS, 17 ans pour un IJS et 20 ans pour un IT. Un DESMS atteint cet indice en 13 ans
4.    Au mieux, l’indice 1015 est atteint en 26 ans pour l’IASS, 20 ans pour l’IJS et 23 ans chez l’IT. Un DESMS atteint cet indice en 16 ans
5.    En fin de carrière, un IHCASS plafonne à l’indice 1015 en 26 ans. Un DA du travail atteint la hors échelle B en 23 ans, un IJS atteint la hors échelle B en 26 ans et un DESMS en 21 ans.

Sachant que dans tous les cas, les IJS, IT et DESMS auront pu accéder à des emplois fonctionnels plus de 10 ans avant les IASS.

Les personnels d’encadrement des anciens services déconcentrés de l’administration sanitaire et sociale et de la jeunesse et des sports et du travail et de l’emploi, accompliront les mêmes missions dans les nouvelles directions interministérielles. Il est donc impératif que leurs statuts soient alignés afin qu’ils se trouvent sur un pied d’égalité dans leurs fonctions d’encadrement et pour concourir aux emplois fonctionnels.

Le meilleurs compromis est un alignement des statuts des 3 corps d’inspection sur celui de directeur d’établissement sanitaire, social et médico-social.

Le corps ainsi créé serait un corps d’inspecteurs ayant vocation à devenir les futurs directeurs des administrations territoriales de l’Etat et des établissements publics relevant des ministères sociaux. Il se positionnerait à un niveau intermédiaire entre le corps des attachés d’administration et celui des administrateurs civils.
Ainsi, les IASS, IJS et IT seraient revalorisés et mis à égalités dans les nouveaux services déconcentrés de l’Etat.

Il existerait ainsi une cohérence et un parallélisme dans l’évolution de carrière des différents corps de catégorie A de la fonction publique:

•    attaché d’administration centrale ou de préfecture = administrateur civil
•    attaché d’administration hospitalière = DESMS ou DH
•    inspecteur = directeur d’administration territoriale

Voici une invitation à venir nous rencontrer
et une invitation à lire ce bel article sur Vertébrales d’Ophélie Jaësan, ici