Title: Last surviving “comfort women” in the Philippines continue fight for justice
Subtitle: Women who were forced into military brothels during WWII seek apology and compensation from Japan
Date: [Insert Date]
By Joel Guinto and Virma Simonette – BBC Correspondents, Singapore and Manila
In a small rural village in the Philippines, a group of elderly women gather, united by their traumatic experiences as “comfort women” during World War II. These women were forcibly taken from their homes and subjected to sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers. Now in their twilight years, they are still fighting for a public apology and compensation from Japan.
Known as the “last comfort women survivors” in the Philippines, around 20 women in Mapaniqui village gather to share their stories and seek justice. However, their quest for closure has been elusive for decades.
Despite their fading memories, these brave women persistently tell their trauma to anyone who will listen, hoping that the world will not forget them. During the war, there were nearly 200,000 comfort women, with the majority being Koreans. Today, only nine survivors remain in South Korea, while Taiwan’s last known survivor passed away in May.
Japan’s refusal to confront its wartime past and provide reparations has created tensions with neighboring countries. The Philippine government, in a 1951 peace treaty with Japan, waived its claim to wartime reparations. As Tokyo remains the Philippines’ main source of development aid, Manila has been hesitant to apply pressure.
“We want justice before we die,” declares Maria, a vocal leader among the comfort women, in an interview with the BBC. With time running short, Maria urges the world to recognize their suffering and take action. The group named themselves “Malaya Lolas” or “grandmothers of freedom,” coming together to sing their story in slow, heartfelt a cappella verses.
Maria, who was raped at eight years old, shares her painful memories and the daily triggers that recall her past. She remembers the red house in the middle of the rice fields, where she was violated. Even to this day, the dilapidated house stands as a haunting reminder of her ordeal.
But Maria considers herself lucky. She married a farmer and started a family, escaping the discrimination faced by many comfort women within their communities and families. However, the burden remains heavy, and dreams of a normal childhood, education, and happy family life were forever stolen from her.
Other members of the group, such as 94-year-old Maxima, who is bedridden, recall the countless protests and visits to Japan and Europe to seek justice. Their efforts have caught the attention of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
In March, CEDAW ruled that Manila must compensate the comfort women and publicly apologize for decades of suffering and discrimination. While some government agencies have provided aid since the ruling, the battle for an official apology from Japan is far from over.
Lawyer Virginia Suarez, who represents the group, emphasizes the importance of an apology as an acknowledgment of Japan’s wrongdoing. She insists that Japan must be held accountable for the grave crimes committed against these women.
These brave “grandmothers of liberty” continue to share their stories and sing their hearts out, as long as someone is willing to listen. They hope their songs and pleas for justice will resonate with the world and ensure that the horrors they endured will never be forgotten.