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'Comfort women' deserve a memorial: their ordeal must not be forgotten 'Comfort women' deserve a memorial: their ordeal must not be forgotten
(5 months later)
I am supporting the proposed I am supporting the proposed "comfort women" statue, by the respected Chinese artist Pin Hsun Hsiang, to be erected in Strathfield in Sydney. My mother would be one of three former "comfort women" depicted in the statue, holding hands with a Chinese and Korean woman, as they looked when they were young girls during the second world war.
"comfort women" statue, by the respected Chinese artist Pin Hsun Hsiang, to be Three weeks ago my 91 year old mother, Jan Ruff O’Herne, former "comfort woman" or sex slave, was featured in The Age newspaper in response to a statement by prime minister Abe of Japan, who declared that "comfort women" were all voluntary prostitutes. This was not the case. 200,000 women, from Korea, China, the Philippines and the Netherlands, were enforced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.
erected in Strathfield in Sydney. My mother would be one of three former "comfort women" depicted in the statue, holding hands with a Chinese and Korean woman, as they One was my mother. She was not a voluntary prostitute.
looked when they were young girls during the second world war. My mother was a Dutch colonial girl born in Java. She was interned in a prison camp when the Japanese invaded Java in 1942. In 1944, when she was just 21 years old, she was taken away and forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military. She was repeatedly raped and beaten for a period of three months, along with other Dutch girls. She was then returned to the prison camp with threats that her family would be killed if she revealed the truth about the atrocities inflicted upon her.
Three weeks ago my 91 year old mother, Jan For 50 years, she told no one of her war-time experiences but in 1992, when she saw the Korean war-rape victims making appeals for justice on television, she finally spoke out. She did this at an International Peace Tribunal in Tokyo. She then spent 15 years working tirelessly to protect the rights of women in war and armed conflict. Her testimony was instrumental in rape being declared a war crime by the United Nations.
Ruff O’Herne, former "comfort woman" or sex slave, was featured in The Age Not all Japanese people agree with prime minister Abe. When my mother spoke out, she was approached by many Japanese organisations and individuals, peace groups, students, religious groups and the media. They wanted to learn the truth about things that happened in the war. In Tokyo, she was approached by a group of concerned former Japanese military men who said they were just obeying orders when they used the "comfort stations".
newspaper in response to a statement by prime minister After she spoke out, my mother's story was in the world news, on Australian story, a documentary, and in countless magazines and papers. She was inundated with letters from women who had been raped in war. Her story was for all of them. They thanked her for her courage. Some women then also spoke out for the first time.
Abe of Japan, who declared that "comfort women" were all voluntary On behalf of my mother, I would like to point out that we have a number of monuments and bridges for former soldiers who suffered, but women are often the forgotten heroes of war. The pain and humiliation of sexual servitude is great. They did not go voluntarily into those terrible places. Two thirds of the women died. The lives of the survivors were ruined forever.
prostitutes. This was not the case. 200,000 women, from This proposed statue would be a milestone artwork in Australia. This is not a vindictive act towards the Japanese people. It is a gesture towards reconciliation and healing of the wounds of the second world war.
Korea, China, the Philippines and the Only through truth can we move forward and learn from the past.
Netherlands, were enforced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.
One was my mother. She was not a voluntary
prostitute.
My mother was a Dutch colonial girl born in
Java. She was interned in a prison camp when the Japanese invaded Java in 1942. In 1944, when she was just 21 years old, she
was taken away and forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese
military. She was repeatedly raped and beaten for a period of three months, along
with other Dutch girls. She was then returned to the prison camp with threats
that her family would be killed if she revealed the truth about the atrocities
inflicted upon her.
For 50 years, she told no one of her war-time
experiences but in 1992, when she saw the Korean war-rape
victims making appeals for justice on television, she finally spoke out. She
did this at an International Peace Tribunal in Tokyo. She then spent 15 years working
tirelessly to protect the rights of women in war and armed conflict. Her
testimony was instrumental in rape being declared a war crime by the United
Nations.
Not all Japanese people agree with prime minister Abe.
When my mother spoke out, she was approached by many Japanese organisations and
individuals, peace groups, students, religious groups and the media. They
wanted to learn the truth about things that happened in the war. In Tokyo, she
was approached by a group of concerned former Japanese military men who said they
were just obeying orders when they used the "comfort stations".
After she spoke out, my mother's story was in
the world news, on Australian story, a documentary, and in countless magazines
and papers. She was inundated with letters from women who had been raped in
war. Her story was for all of them. They
thanked her for her courage. Some women then also spoke out for the first time.
On behalf of my mother, I would like to
point out that we have a number of monuments and bridges for former soldiers
who suffered, but women are often the forgotten heroes of war. The pain and
humiliation of sexual servitude is great. They did not go voluntarily into
those terrible places. Two thirds of the women died. The lives of the survivors
were ruined forever.
This proposed statue would be a milestone
artwork in Australia. This is not a
vindictive act towards the Japanese people. It is a gesture towards reconciliation
and healing of the wounds of the second world war.
Only through truth can we move forward and
learn from the past.