Jlaw
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While Philippine President Benigono Aquino is making efforts for closer ties with Japan, voices have come out from inside the Philippines asking Aquino to remember history and demand official apologies from Japan. There’s been no apology for the thousands of women who were raped by Japanese soldiers.
It’s been over half a century but recounting painful events during the Second World War still brings Narcisa Claveria to tears. These university students are here, in what’s called “Grandmother’s House,” to listen to the stories of Narcisa and other Filipino women who say they were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers.
"Do you know how many men raped me? On the first night, there were 7. And they took turns raping four of us. They did it to us for two months, day and night," said Pilar Frias, WW2 rape victim.
Pilar says the scar on her face reminds her of that memory everyday.
“Look at my personal appearance, I’m very very ugly now,”Pilar said.
In 1992, Pilar, Narcisa and 172 other so-called comfort women came out publicly to tell their stories AND to demand an apology from the Japanese government. But so far, there hasn’t been any.
But they aren’t the only ones fighting for justice. Sisters Lita Vinuya and Emilia Mangilip, and their friend Belen Culala still remember the darkest day of their lives like it was yesterday.
“This is where they raped me. I get shivers just being here,”said Belen Culala, WW2 rape victim.
“I tried to stop them but I couldn’t. They punched me here, and I had no choice but to give in,”WW2 rape victim Lita Vinuya said.
And while some comfort women have received quote, “atonement money,” through a private Japanese foundation, others like Lita have gotten nothing. They were told they’re not eligible because they were released after just one day.
“What’s the difference? If their experience was painful, so was ours. We want justice for what the Japanese soldiers did to us. We want an apology and legal compensation,”Lita said.
Without acknowledgement by the Japanese government of past atrocities… and an apology, how, they ask, can they ever forgive the horrors that they can never forget?
Filipino WW2 rape victims demand justice from Japan - CCTV News - CCTV.com English
It’s been over half a century but recounting painful events during the Second World War still brings Narcisa Claveria to tears. These university students are here, in what’s called “Grandmother’s House,” to listen to the stories of Narcisa and other Filipino women who say they were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers.
"Do you know how many men raped me? On the first night, there were 7. And they took turns raping four of us. They did it to us for two months, day and night," said Pilar Frias, WW2 rape victim.
Pilar says the scar on her face reminds her of that memory everyday.
“Look at my personal appearance, I’m very very ugly now,”Pilar said.
In 1992, Pilar, Narcisa and 172 other so-called comfort women came out publicly to tell their stories AND to demand an apology from the Japanese government. But so far, there hasn’t been any.
But they aren’t the only ones fighting for justice. Sisters Lita Vinuya and Emilia Mangilip, and their friend Belen Culala still remember the darkest day of their lives like it was yesterday.
“This is where they raped me. I get shivers just being here,”said Belen Culala, WW2 rape victim.
“I tried to stop them but I couldn’t. They punched me here, and I had no choice but to give in,”WW2 rape victim Lita Vinuya said.
And while some comfort women have received quote, “atonement money,” through a private Japanese foundation, others like Lita have gotten nothing. They were told they’re not eligible because they were released after just one day.
“What’s the difference? If their experience was painful, so was ours. We want justice for what the Japanese soldiers did to us. We want an apology and legal compensation,”Lita said.
Without acknowledgement by the Japanese government of past atrocities… and an apology, how, they ask, can they ever forgive the horrors that they can never forget?
Filipino WW2 rape victims demand justice from Japan - CCTV News - CCTV.com English
