Rally for justice for the former "comfort women" of World War II
For more information contact Je Yon Jung at jeyonjung2000@yahoo.com
Source : National Asian Pacific American Women\'s Forum
"Comfort women" is a euphemism for over 200,000 women and girls who were kidnapped, tricked, or coerced and used as sex slaves by the Japanese government during World War II. Girls, as young as age twelve, were taken from grade schools and required to "service" dozens of military personnel a day. Only an estimated 25% survived the war, and fewer are alive today. The majority committed suicide, died from sexually transmitted diseases or forced abortions and sterilizations, were murdered by the Japanese Army for attempting to escape, were murdered by Japanese troops just before surrender to eliminate "evidence," or were simply abandoned on remote jungle battlefields to die.
The Japanese government has refused to acknowledge these atrocities, provide an official apology, or provide redress.
A class of surviving "comfort women" filed a federal lawsuit in Washington D.C. on September 18, 2000 seeking redress from the Japanese government for the atrocities committed against them during World War II.
The United States has taken the position that the women's case should be dismissed. The United States has argued that the Japanese government should be
shielded from liability because of its status as a sovereign nation. The United States stated: "The women were held against their will by the Japanese
military and forced to perform sexual acts . . . these activities were sovereign in nature."
On October 24, 2001, District Judge Kennedy dismissed the former "comfort women's" lawsuit under various immunity and other legal arguments. The "comfort
women" have appealed this decision to the D.C. Circuit court.
The hearing before the D.C. Circuit court will be on Tuesday, December 10, 2002. This is the last chance for the "comfort women" to obtain justice under the law.
RALLY IN FRONT OF THE D.C. CIRCUIT COURT
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2002
9 A.M.
Location: E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse
333 Constitution Avenue N.W.
Entrance facing Constitution Avenue � at Meade statue
(at intersection of Constitution and Pennsylvania)
Co-sponsored by: National Asian Pacific American
Women's Forum ("NAPAWF") is dedicated to forging a
grassroots progressive movement for social and
economic justice and the political empowerment of
Asian and Pacific American women and girls.
www.napawf.org
Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues, Inc.
("WCCW") was formed in December 1992 to further
research and education concerning crimes against
Comfort Women during WWII. It is an independent,
non-profit, non-partisan educational organization
open to persons of every nationality.
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