Justice for former "Comfort Women"
- by: Women's Human Rights Education Institutes (WHRI), Centre for Women's Studies in Education, OISE/University of Toronto; Toronto ALPHA and other supporting organizations
- recipient: Government of Japan
Declaration to the Government of Japan and the Japanese Parliament
We, a group of Canadian citizens from different backgrounds and ethnicities urge the Government of Japan and the Japanese parliament to recognise the historical facts of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery enforced by the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War period in Asia. Over 150,000 young Korean girls together with many other victims from other parts of Asia were drafted as sex slaves, or the so-called “Comfort Women”.
“If world peace ever happens, it has to be built on knowledge” (June Callwood). We also believe that true peace and reconciliation can only be achieved among nations through recognising and dealing with the unresolved historical conflicts; we can only learn how to make the future right through admitting the past wrongs.
The suffering of the victims, with very few who lived to be survivors, and the voices of the suppressed should be heard and attended. The ‘Wednesday Demonstration’ that was first held on January 8th, 1992 in Seoul Korea has been the way that these survivors seek justice for such atrocity. On every Wednesday since then, rain or shine, these Grandmas (survivors of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery) have been protesting in front of the Japanese Embassy, demanding that the Japanese government face their responsibilities for the crimes committed and on educating their younger generations about the historical truth.
Today [December 14 2011] marks the 1000th time of the Wednesday Demonstration; it is a date worth commemorating because it demonstrates the spirit and determination of the victims of the horrible crime against humanity to pursue justice. A global action is taken in various parts of the world urging the Japanese government to meet the demands of the survivors. At the age of close to 90, these frail yet determined and courageous grandmas continue to inspire the world and younger generations.
We echo their demands for the Japanese government to take responsibility in order to restore the dignity and honor of the victims.
The following is a list of our demands to the Japanese Government and the Japanese Parliament:
1. The government of Japan must officially admit and apologize for its military’s role in the trafficking and sexual slavery of women in the Asia Pacific from 1930 to the end of the World War II. To realize this, all relevant official documents should be fully disclosed to reveal the truth.
2. The Japanese Diet must pass the Special Bill on the so called “Comfort Women” issue as soon as possible, in order to realize official apology, recognition of government responsibility, and compensation through legislation.
3. The government of Japan must not allow any public statements that deny the issue of Japanese military Sexual Slavery. Further, any such statement must be promptly and officially condemned by the government of Japan.
4. The government of Japan must educate its present and future generations for the purpose of non-repetition through teaching of correct history in its textbooks of Japanese history.
We, a group of Canadian citizens from different backgrounds and ethnicities urge the Government of Japan and the Japanese parliament to recognise the historical facts of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery enforced by the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War period in Asia. Over 150,000 young Korean girls together with many other victims from other parts of Asia were drafted as sex slaves, or the so-called “Comfort Women”.
“If world peace ever happens, it has to be built on knowledge” (June Callwood). We also believe that true peace and reconciliation can only be achieved among nations through recognising and dealing with the unresolved historical conflicts; we can only learn how to make the future right through admitting the past wrongs.
The suffering of the victims, with very few who lived to be survivors, and the voices of the suppressed should be heard and attended. The ‘Wednesday Demonstration’ that was first held on January 8th, 1992 in Seoul Korea has been the way that these survivors seek justice for such atrocity. On every Wednesday since then, rain or shine, these Grandmas (survivors of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery) have been protesting in front of the Japanese Embassy, demanding that the Japanese government face their responsibilities for the crimes committed and on educating their younger generations about the historical truth.
Today [December 14 2011] marks the 1000th time of the Wednesday Demonstration; it is a date worth commemorating because it demonstrates the spirit and determination of the victims of the horrible crime against humanity to pursue justice. A global action is taken in various parts of the world urging the Japanese government to meet the demands of the survivors. At the age of close to 90, these frail yet determined and courageous grandmas continue to inspire the world and younger generations.
We echo their demands for the Japanese government to take responsibility in order to restore the dignity and honor of the victims.
The following is a list of our demands to the Japanese Government and the Japanese Parliament:
1. The government of Japan must officially admit and apologize for its military’s role in the trafficking and sexual slavery of women in the Asia Pacific from 1930 to the end of the World War II. To realize this, all relevant official documents should be fully disclosed to reveal the truth.
2. The Japanese Diet must pass the Special Bill on the so called “Comfort Women” issue as soon as possible, in order to realize official apology, recognition of government responsibility, and compensation through legislation.
3. The government of Japan must not allow any public statements that deny the issue of Japanese military Sexual Slavery. Further, any such statement must be promptly and officially condemned by the government of Japan.
4. The government of Japan must educate its present and future generations for the purpose of non-repetition through teaching of correct history in its textbooks of Japanese history.
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