Survivors of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery at the 700th demonstration in Seoul, March 15, 2006

Heisoo Shin,
Co-Representative, Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan

On March 15, 2006 the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, jointly with the 10 surviving ‘comfort women’, held the 700th demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Korea. The first demonstration was held on January 8, 1992, and continued for over 14 years now without failure every Wednesday at 12 pm. The demand has been the same for 14 years —Japan must take legal responsibility for its crimes of sexual slavery during the World War II.

The 700th demonstration, co-sponsored by 49 organisations, included many cultural performances and was attended by many young people and international guests. One of the surviving ‘comfort women’, Ms. Lee Yong Soo, spoke in front of the nearly 500 participants: “I was 65 in 1992, now I am 79. I am a witness of the history. My fellow victims are passing away one by one each year but Japan has not moved a bit. Please, help us.” After the demonstration, the 10 surviving grandmothers and the participants all marched to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the six women representing the 115 survivors and the Korean Council met with the Foreign Ministry and requested that the Korean government be more assertive on this matter. At the same time, there were demonstrations and press conferences in the cities of Busan and Masan.

For this 700th demonstration, there were solidarity actions from many parts of the globe. Altogether, 15 cities in 10 other countries held demonstrations in solidarity with us. In Japan, people showed their solidarity in eight cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Okinawa, and Miyazaki Prefecture. In Taiwan, Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation organised the demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy in Taipei. In Hague, the Netherlands, Foundation for Japanese Honorary Debt, whose 45,000 members are survivors of Japanese concentration camps, held a demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy. In Berlin, Germany, four organisations joined their hands in the name of ‘Project 700’ and had a demonstration in a plaza and marched to the Japanese Embassy and delivered their statement. There were also demonstrations in New York, London, Canberra (Australia), and Basel (Switzerland).

The survivors, though physically weak, mostly in their 80s and 90s, are strong in their spirit, shouting and demanding justice. They speak against violence on women, especially rape and military sexual slavery by Japan but also against violence on women happening in every war. The weekly Wednesday demonstrations have now become a symbol of women’s human rights movement. It has been an open and live space for history education, human rights education as well as peace movement. Since it is an open space, anybody can participate, whether young or old, Korean or foreign, tourist or professional. During summer vacations, many elementary and junior high school students participate in the Wednesday demonstrations, learn the history and become convinced that the same crimes should not be repeated.

During the 30-40 minutes of our demonstration, the iron gate and the windows of the Japanese Embassy are all shut down. Perhaps Japan is calculating that eventually the survivors will all die, sooner or later. That might be true but our demand will not die out. The Korean Council is planning to build “War and Women’s Human Rights Museum for the Victims of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery” to keep educating the public on the crimes Japan has committed and how the Japanese government avoided its responsibility. I believe this kind of museum should be established in many parts of Asia, especially in the countries victimised by Japan. Until it makes an official apology and pays legal reparation to the victims of its military sexual slavery, Japan is not qualified to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council

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