OSAKA — Human rights activists said Sunday that around 70 detainees at the West Japan Immigration Control Center stopped their 11-day hunger strike Friday evening after the center reportedly agreed to meet with both detainees and activists Tuesday.
"The detainees decided to suspend their hunger strike temporarily and had dinner Friday. Volunteers and detainees are going to negotiate with the center starting from Tuesday, but if their demands are turned down, they will restart the hunger strike," said Hiromi Sano, one of the volunteer activists. She added, however, that as of Sunday afternoon, no definite time for the meeting had been set.
An official at the Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, facility who was reached by phone Sunday afternoon would not comment, saying there was no one around to provide further information on the holiday weekend.