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 The Korean Council |
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The Korean Council's statement was announced in 900th WD |
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A statement of the 900th Wednesday protest on settling the issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
Today, we all gather here again to shout at the Japanese embassy for the 900th time. When we come to realize this number of 900, we cannot help solemnly lowering our heads. It has been a long time since many women’s rights were violated by a systematic sexual crime which has never existed before or since on this scale. However, the Japanese government has not even taken responsibility for its crime yet. This situation makes us despair. While we have run the Wednesday protest for eighteen years, that locked iron gate of the Japanese embassy never opens to us.
However, we, never stopping the Wednesday protest, clearly see hope instead of despair. We have endured indescribable pain and bear its scars. We continue to face many obstacles from different directions as we try hard to settle this issue. Sometimes, we experience despair.
However, whenever we have felt despair, there has always been someone there to help us. We helped others when we overcame our despair. They are our driving forces which run this protest. This protest calls forth a ‘hopeful history’ that is composed of women and citizens who yearn for peace. Halmoni who used to hide their stories in silence now speak out and shout that the shame is not theirs to bear, its rightful owner is the Japanese government. We do not have time to feel despair.
This Wednesday protest is maintained by the people gathered here hoping for a peace that will only come once our demands have been met, and we will not stop this protest until the Japanese government fully admits its responsibility and settles this issue. We will keep going forward carrying with us a hopeful message, being actualized through the halmoni’s courageous acts and the Wednesday protest, for the many women who are still being sexually violated under the shadow of war all over the world. We will keep moving forward in order to make a new era where women are no longer sexually violated and or discriminated against as a second sex.
The current Japanese government must recognize that it comes closer and closer to resembling its forbearer, the militarism government, by ignoring the increasing number of voices demanding action. For this reason, the Japanese government must officially apologize to survivors of military sexual slavery by Japan and enact legalization immediately to settle this issue. The South Korean government must also actively resolve persisting problems related to war and Japan’s colonial rule so that it can promote a peaceful relationship with Japan down to the next generation.
For this reason, on the 900th Wednesday protest we make the following demands:
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The Japanese government must officially apologize to survivors of military sexual slavery by Japan and compensate them!
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The Japanese government must enact legislation in order to prevent a repetition of military sexual slavery system so that halmoni recovers her human right and honor!
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The South Korean government must actively enforce a diplomatic policy in order to settle this issue!
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Both governments must remember the many people who suffered from war and colonial rule and make great exertions to recover victims’ or survivors’ human rights by bringing all the crimes of the colonial past to the surface and reaching a lasting and peaceful settlement!
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Let’s make a peaceful world where there is no sexual discrimination and violation against women! Stop violence against women!
January 13, 2010
From all those present in the 900th Wednesday protest to settle the issue of military sexual slavery by Japan
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