National women’s alliance GABRIELA joined the press conference led by Lila Pilipina, an organization of World War II Filipino comfort women and victims of wartime military sexual slavery, at the Aloha Hotel. Joined by the victim-survivor lolas, GABRIELA rang bells and highlighted the unfinished plight of comfort women for justice.
“Even decades after World War II, the story of Filipino comfort women, of the countless women and girls who became victims of military sexual slavery especially under the Japanese occupation, remains unfinished. The war may be over, but the horrors and injustice are not,” cried Clarice Palce, GABRIELA’s Secretary-General.
“Despite the years of demands and demonstrations by comfort women victimized by Japanese military, Japan has still refused to recognize its crimes, meaningfully apologize, and pay reparations for the survivors,” explained Palce. “It is heartbreaking that many of our lolas, in their twilight years, have now passed away without ever seeing justice,” she continued.
“Even more heartbreaking, war is brewing once again. With the United States fully gearing up its Indo-Pacific Strategy in its goal of neutralizing China as their ‘strategic enemy’ in Asia, it has now surrounded the region with troops, ships, guns, and missiles. Military bases are being set up and strengthened in the Philippines, Korea, and Japan,” explained Palce. “Straight out of the warmonger’s playbook, the US is now setting the theater of war. One provocation is all it takes and countries like Japan and the Philippines will inevitably be strung along. It is a war that will be waged once again with Filipino women in the crossfire,” Palce weighed.
“It is cruel and unjust—both for our lolas seeing the possibility of yet another war in the same lifetime, and for the next generations of women and girls who simply wish for a life of peace—to be thrown into the very real horrors of war as a result of US aggression. Today, we ring our bells to symbolize our hope for justice, our resistance to war, and our resonating calls for lasting peace and prosperity,” concluded Palce. ###
