- Title: PHILIPPINES: War comfort women from Philippines demand justice from Japan
- Date: 15th August 2008
- Summary: (W2) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 15, 2008) (REUTERS) ELDERLY WOMEN WALKING WITH BANNERS JAPANESE FLAG IN JAPANESE EMBASSY DEMONSTRATORS OUTSIDE EMBASSY GATE ACTIVIST RETCHILDA EXTREMADURA ON LOUD SPEAKER IN FRONT OF DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BANNER WOMEN HOLDING PLACARDS THAT READ: "63 YEARS OF JAPAN'S UNRESOLVED WAR CRIME-JUSTICE TO ALL VICTIMS OF WWII" AND "NO TO RESURGENCE OF JAPANESE MILITARISM" WOMAN HOLDING PLACARD THAT READS: "WHERE IS JUSTICE? WHEN WE ARE GONE?" CLOSE VIEW OF ELDERLY WOMAN'S FACE BESIDE PLACARD REMEDIOS DIALINO BESIDE PLACARD THAT READS: "JUSTICE TO ALL 'COMFORT WOMEN'" DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BANNER THAT READS: "NEVER AGAIN TO ANOTHER GENERATION OF COMFORT WOMEN!" (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) 78-YEAR-OLD REMEDIOS DIALINO SAYING: "The Japanese soldiers dragged the women into their war. They were only supposed to be aggressive against American soldiers, but they abused the women too, including me. I was only 14 years old." DEMONSTRATORS IN FRONT OF EMBASSY GATE LILA PILIPINA ORGANISATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RETCHILDA EXTREMADURA ON LOUD SPEAKER ELDERLY WOMEN HOLDING PLACARDS (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) LILA PILIPINA ORGANISATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RETCHILDA EXTREMADURA, SAYING: "The Japanese government must recognise, accept and be accountable for these war crimes committed against Filipina women, like these elderlies here. They should address this and be legally responsible." ELDERLY WOMEN SHOUTING ON LOUD SPEAKER DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BANNER
- Embargoed: 30th August 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Philippines
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: International Relations,History
- Reuters ID: LVA27VEVW18WEUNU9APIIJNAJEAI
- Story Text: On the 63rd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two, Filipino women who claim they were sexually abused during wartime by Japanese soldiers are still seeking justice.
Over two dozen demonstrators, including former comfort women and women's rights activists, picketed in front of the Japanese embassy in Manila demanding reparations from Tokyo for charges of rape, torture and physical abuse.
More than 80 have passed away among the 351 documented comfort women in the Philippines. The survivors, mostly in their 80s, are hoping that Japan will acknowledge the war crimes and give them compensation in their lifetime.
Remedios Dialino, 78-year-old, is one of the few still strong enough to attend demonstrations. She recalls how patrolling soldiers ripped off her clothes with a bayonet and then gang-raped her.
"The Japanese soldiers dragged the women into their war. They were only supposed to be aggressive against American soldiers, but they abused the women too, including me. I was only 14 years old," Dayalino said.
Women's rights groups have been pressing the Philippine government to urge Japan to recognise the violations.
A war crimes tribunal in Tokyo held in 2000 organised by human rights groups found Japan responsible for crimes of rape and sexual slavery, including a mass rape in a Philippine village.
"The Japanese government must recognise, accept and be accountable for these war crimes committed against Filipina women, like these elderlies here. They should address this and be legally responsible," said Retchilda Extremadura, executive director of Lila Pilipina.
An estimated 200,000 Asian women were drafted into sexual servitude by the Japanese Imperial Army from 1928 to 1945, a report by a Philippines-based organisation Kasama (Companion) stated.
Japan acknowledged in 1993 there had been a state role in forcing Korean and Chinese women into military brothels and in 1995 set up a fund to provide compensation to survivors.
But many refused to accept the money, saying the compensation should come directly from the Japanese government in recognition of its responsibility. Nationalist groups in Japan say there were no sex slaves and that the women were prostitutes. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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