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Filipinas in New York Bring Awareness About Comfort Women

Filipinas in New York Bring Awareness About Comfort Women

New York---In a nationally coordinated event with other progressive Filipino women's organizations, namely, babae in San Francisco and Pinay Sa Seattle, Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE) gathered with over 50 concerned citizens to learn about the burning issue of the Lolas formerly known as "comfort women" in WWII.

The sexual slavery ensued by the Japanese Imperial Army during their occupation of the Philippines in World War II has been on the back burner for almost 65 years. "Comfort women" from all over, Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines, have been denied rightful compensation and recognition for the violent war crimes systematically inflicted on them during WWII.

"Many of the Lolas are now dying without seeing the justice, apologies and acknowledgment for the torture they experienced in their lifetimes," Valerie Francisco, secretary general of Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment stated.

The film screening and discussion touched on the recently passed H.R. 121 introduced by Representative Mike Honda which called on the Japanese government to formally apologize and acknowledge the forced mobilization of thousands of Asian women for the sexual slavery of Japanese soldiers in WWII.

As resolutions quickly gain support in countries like Australia, the United States and the Philippines, those who attended the screening sponsored by FiRE ardently demanded a response from the Japanese government to recognize and fulfill the cries of Lolas in the Philippines and others across Asia.

"The Lolas have lived with these sexual crimes of imperialist wars of aggression for far too long," Francisco added, "If the issue of the comfort women in WWII is not addressed properly by the Japanese government, they are aquiescent to the systematic gender violence that continues in today's vapid yet ubiquitous wars on terror happening all over the globe."

Working with Lila Pilipina, an organization in the Philippines under GABRIELA Philippines, the national campaign for the Lolas will continue to put pressure on both the Philippine and Japanese government to act on the issue.

For more information about Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE) please visit, www.firenyc.org or contact us at fire.nyc@gmail.com.

Film Screening of Malaya Lolas

Film Screening of Malaya Lolas (Grandmothers of Freedom) and Discussion
Tuesday, August 21st 7-9 pm
International Action Center (IAC)
55 West 17th Street between 5th and 6th Ave, 5th Floor
Take 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W to 14th Street/Union Square
THIS EVENT IS FREE (contributions welcomed!)

On the morning of November 23, 1944, the Japanese Imperial Army bombed the barrio of Mapanique in Pampanga from their garrison. By noon, most of the men and women were rounded up and brought to the local school house. There, the men were tortured and massacred in front of their wives, mothers, sisters and children. With their barrio and homes burned, the women were forced into a life of sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army; under these conditions they were raped repeatedly and subjected to a panoply of violence. Of the thousands of women forced into sexual slavery in the Philippines, only 173 of the surviving Filipina comfort women have come forward to date. Earlier this month, HR 121, a demand for Japan to apologize to the women victimized by military sexual slavery during World War II, was passed by Congress. Malaya Lolas is the raw and truthful backstory portraying the struggle of these surviving lolas (now in their 70s and 80s) which questions whether an apology is enough to absolve Japan’s military for imposing a legacy of violence onto the bodies of our grandmothers.

Please join FiRE (NYC), Pinay sa Seattle (Seattle), and babaeSF (San Francisco) this week as we launch our respective anti-militarization campaigns in this coordinated action spanning three cities.

The film will begin promptly at 7 pm, a discussion will follow, and light fare will be served.

We look forward to seeing you!

This event is sponsored by Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE). Please learn more about us by visiting http://www.firenyc.org // Email us: fire.nyc@gmail.com // Or contact Hanalei at 201.790.0995

FilAm Women Demand Justice for Lolas 62 Years After the End of WWII

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Donna Denina, Vice Chair – Pinay 206.438.3521
Valerie Francisco, Chair – FiRE 925-726-5768
Marisa Mariano, Chair – babae 415.333.6267


FilAm Women Demand Justice for Lolas 62 Years After the End of WWII

Progressive Filipino women's organizations babae – San Francisco, FiRE (Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment) – New York, and Pinay sa Seattle (in collaboration with progressive Korean American organization, Sahngnoksu), member organizations of Bayan-USA, launches a nationally coordinated campaign today to demand justice for Comfort Women. During WWII, the Japanese Imperial Army abducted and repeatedly raped a reported 100,000-250,000 young girls and women in Japanese occupied colonies and territories including China, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

In 1992, Maria Rosa Luna Henson, at the age of 65, was the first Filipino comfort woman to publicly come forward with her story. This encouraged more and more women in the Philippines to emerge from almost 50 years of silence since the end of WWII. On June 25, 1994, LILA-PILIPINA was formally launched and founded by comfort women survivors and members of the Task Force on Filipino Comfort Women. To this day, hundreds of surviving comfort women continue to seek an apology from the Japanese government, demand that their stories be included in Japanese history textbooks, and that they be adequately compensated for themselves and their families.

Ritchelda Estremadura, Executive Director of LILA-PILIPINA states, "Justice remains elusive for the Filipina 'comfort women.' Many of the Lolas have died but we must continue the fight for justice. Otherwise, we will not learn from the lessons of history and more women will suffer the fate of 'comfort women'."

Last month, the United States passed House Resolution 121, which stipulates that Japan officially acknowledge, apologize, and take responsibility for their role in the atrocities committed against women and children during WWII. However, despite the passing of this resolution, we remain steadfast in our fight to end all wars of aggression being led by the United States so that crimes committed against innocent women and children may never happen again.

In light of the passage of HR 121, Representatives Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela Women's Party filed a House Resolution on August 13, 2007 urging the Philippine Government for Japan to "FORMALLY AKNOWLEDGE, APOLOGIZE AND ACCEPT ITS RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE SEXUAL SLAVERY OF YOUNG WOMEN COMMONLY KNOWN AS COMFORT WOMEN BY THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL ARMY DURING WORLD WAR II AND PROVIDE COMPENSATION TO THE VICTIMS." The women's partylist group has also filed House Bill 1136 "An Act Providing for the Inclusion in the History Books of Elementary, Secondary and Collegiate Curricula the Lives and Heroism of Filipino Comfort Women during the Japanese Occupation and Appropriating Funds Therefore".

Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan says that "passing the resolution will help boost initiatives of Japanese legislators seeking to pass a bill entitled Promotion of Resolution for Issues Concerning Victims of Wartime Sexual Coercion Act. The bill was introduced last June 9, 2004 to the House of Councilors in Japan, jointly by the Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and by independent senators."

Please join babae, FiRE, and Pinay in a nationally coordinated campaign to seek justice for the comfort women and to demand that the Government of the Philippines must not turn their backs on the heinous crimes of sexual violence afflicted upon their own citizens. As Filipinas who uphold the rights and welfare of women all over the world, we are united that the fight for justice goes beyond just an apology and acknowledgement in text books. We must continue to put an end to all wars of aggression and pressure the US backed Arroyo regime to send all US troops out of the Philippines.

Events and actions spanning 3 cities nationwide will take place this week as a continuation of the Global Action Day Demonstration on the issue of "comfort women" which began on August 15th. Please contact the organizations listed below for more information on how you may be involved in your local area.



NO TO WARS OF AGGRESSION!!!
NO TO ANOTHER GENERATION OF COMFORT WOMEN!
US TROOPS OUT OF THE PHILIPPINES!


San Francisco - babae
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Film showing about surviving comfort women of WWII
Doors open at 6:30pm
Filipino Community Center
35 San Juan Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94112
Light refreshments will be served, followed by an open discussion, and updates on the issue.
*this is a FREE event, but donations are kindly accepted!
Contact: Marisa Mariano - 415.333.6267
info@babaesf.org
www.babaesf.org

New York – FiRE (Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment)
Tuesday, August 21st 7-9 pm
Film showing and discussion
International Action Center (IAC)
55 West 17th Street between 5th and 6th Ave, 5th Floor
Take 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W to 14th Street/Union Square
THIS EVENT IS FREE! Contributions welcomed!
Contact: Hanalei Ramos - 201.790.0995
fire.nyc@gmail.com
www.firenyc.org

Seattle - PINAY sa Seattle
Friday, August 24, 2007 6-9pm
Comfort Women Teach-In
Film Showing and Discussion in collaboration with Sahngnoksu
2100 Building
2100 24th Ave S
Community Room B
Seattle, WA
This is a FREE EVENT
Contact: Donna Denina - 206.438.3521
pinayinfo@gmail.com

STILL NO JUSTICE FOR LOLAS 62 YEARS AFTER END OF WWII

NEWS RELEASE
14 August 2007

Reference: Ritchelda Extremadura, Lila Pilipina Executive Director,
0915-5379579
Joms Salvador, GABRIELA Spokesperson, 371-2302 / 0918-6254080

STILL NO JUSTICE FOR LOLAS 62 YEARS AFTER END OF WWII

The elderly women of Lila Pilipina, organization of Filipino victims of Japanese war time atrocities, and members of the militant women's group GABRIELA held a protest action in front of the Japanese Embassy today in commemoration of the 62nd Anniversary of the Second World War.

"Justice remains elusive for the Filipina 'comfort women.' Many of the lolas have died but we must continue the fight for justice. Otherwise, we will not learn from the lessons of history and more women will suffer the fate of 'comfort women'." This was according to Ritchelda Extremadura, Executive Director of Lila Pilipina.

"The fight for justice of the lola's should be the fight of all Filipino women. Calling for justice means calling for an end to the victimization of women in times of war. It means calling for an end to wars of aggression," said Joms Salvador, spokesperson of GABRIELA.

According to Salvador, studies show that 80% of those affected by war - killed, injured and traumatized - are women and children.

Meanwhile, Lila Pilipina lauds the Gabriela Women's Party for filing a House Resolution for the Philippine Government to urge the Government of Japan to "formally acknowledge, apologize and accept its responsibility over the sexual slavery of young women commonly known as comfort women."

"It has been decades since the first Filipino 'comfort woman' came out and sought justice but the Philippine government has yet to officially take a stand on the issue. It is shameful for any government which cannot stand up for its citizens aggrieved by the foreign military," said Extremadura.

The House Resolution was filed yesterday by Representatives Liza Maza and Luz Ilagan of Gabriela Women's Party.

The protest action of Lila Pilipina and GABRIELA is also part of the Global Action Day Demonstration on the issue of "comfort women" on August 15. Simultaneous demonstrations are expected in Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, Seoul and Busan in South Korea, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Taiwan and USA. ###

GABRIELA RESOLUTION SEEKS APOLOGY, COMPENSATION FROM JAPAN FOR WWII COMFORT WOMEN

13 August 2007

For Reference: REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540
REP. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN 0920-9213221
Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0915-6463009

GABRIELA RESOLUTION SEEKS APOLOGY, COMPENSATION FROM JAPAN FOR WWII COMFORT WOMEN

The women's partylist group GABRIELA has filed a resolution for the Philippine government to demand from the Japanese government a formal acknowledgment and an apology as well as an acceptance of its responsibility over the sexual slavery of young women by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.

"It has been over two decades since Filipino comfort women first found the courage to step up, reveal their ordeal and seek justice. Many of them have already died. It is indeed high time that the Philippine government take concrete steps to support our comfort women," said GABRIELA Representative Liza Largoza-Maza.

Rep. Maza notes that both the governments of Taiwan and South Korea have taken initiatives at the state level to confront the Japanese government for acknowledgement and compensation of victims in their respective countries. "Last month, the US House of Representatives has likewise passed Resolution 121 calling on Japan to acknowledge, apologize and accept historical responsibility for its war crimes. What has the Philippine government done for our comfort women?"

Reps. Maza and Luz Ilagan, proponents of the measure agree that by passing the resolution, "the Philippine government is demonstrating its earnest interest to help the Filipino comfort women achieve the justice they deserve and reclaim their dignity and that of the Filipino people."

Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan also adds that passing the resolution will help boost initiatives of Japanese legislators seeking to pass a bill entitled "Promotion of Resolution for Issues Concerning Victims of Wartime Sexual Coercion Act". The bill was introduced last June 9, 2004 to the House of Councilors in Japan, jointly by the
Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and by independent senators.

Rep. Ilagan also explained that the bill included measures to restore the honor of the so-called comfort women, which would also entail the announcement of an apology for the violation and dignity of the victims of wartime sexual slavery and the implementation of necessary means to immediately restore their honor, including
monetary compensation.

The GABRIELA solons said they are gathering more signatures to support the resolution. The women's partylist group has also filed House Bill 1136 "An Act Providing for the Inclusion in the History Books of Elementary, Secondary and Collegiate Curricula the Lives and Heroism of Filipino Comfort Women during the Japanese Occupation and Appropriating Funds Therefore".

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FOURTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. ____

INTRODUCED BY GABRIELA WOMEN'S PARTY REPRESENTATIVES LIZA LARGOZA- MAZA AND LUZVIMINDA ILAGAN, REP. EDUARDO C. ZIALCITA, BAYAN MUNA REPRESENTATIVES SATUR C. OCAMPO AND TEODORO A. CASINO, AND ANAK PAWIS REPRESENTATIVE CRISPIN BELTRAN

RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT
THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT URGES THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN TO FORMALLY
AKNOWLEDGE, APOLOGIZE AND ACCEPT ITS RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE SEXUAL
SLAVERY OF YOUNG WOMEN COMMONLY KNOWN AS COMFORT WOMEN BY THE
JAPANESE IMPERIAL ARMY DURING WORLD WAR II AND PROVIDE COMPENSATION
TO THE VICTIMS IN THE LIGHT OF THE ADOPTION BY THE U.S. HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 121 WHICH STATES THAT JAPAN
SHOULD FORMALLLY AKNOWLEDGE, APOLOGIZE AND ACCEPT HISTORICAL
RESPONSIBILITY IN CLEAR AND UNEQUIVOCAL MANNER OVER ITS ARMED
FORCE'S COERCION OF YOUNG WOMEN INTO SEXUAL SLAVERY DURING ITS
COLONIAL AND WARTIME OCCUPATION OF ASIA, AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE
LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF COUNCILORS OF JAPAN SEEKING
APOLOGY, COMPENSATION AND IMMEDIATE RESOLUTION OF ISSUES CONCERNING
COMFORT WOMEN

WHEREAS, the recognition of human rights is a valuable tenet in the
1987 Philippine Constitution which states: "the State values the
dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human
rights" (Article II, Section II);

WHEREAS, it has been more than a decade since the World War II
comfort women started clamoring for an official apology and legal
redress from the government of Japan for the unimaginable suffering
they experienced in the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army;

WHEREAS, the Japanese government recognized the issues concerning
comfort women as a social problem only in June 1990;

WHEREAS, after realizing the importance of the matter, the Japanese
government proceeded to conduct a research, after which, it admitted
its involvement in the sexual slavery case, expressed its remorse
for the matter of comfort women and apologized for it in August 1993;

WHEREAS, Japanese public and private officials have recently
expressed their desire to retract or water down its 1993 statement
by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the "comfort women". The
1993 statement of Secretary Kono expressed the sincere apologies of
the government of Japan for the ordeal of the women victims of
military sexual slavery by the Japan Imperial Army;

WHEREAS, the Japanese government claimed that it had no obligation
to provide compensation for the victims since the matter was already
settled when the San Francisco Treaty and other bilateral treaties
were signed;

WHEREAS, the UN Report of Miss Radhika Coomaraswamy, the then
Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, to the Commission of
Human Rights in 1996 urged the Japanese to compensate the former
comfort women while Miss Gay McDougal's UN Report in 1998 severely
criticized the Japanese government in its handling of the cases of
the comfort women and strongly recommended that Japan raise the
issue of compensation to the state-level;

WHEREAS, the Japanese government's response to the mounting
international pressure was the creation of the Asian Women's Fund
(AWF) which collected "sympathy money" from the Japanese citizens,
thereby evading its legal responsibilities as a state in addressing
the cases of the comfort women. The Asian Women's Fund has raised
US$5,700,000 to extend "atonement" from the Japanese people to the
comfort women. The said fund ended on March 31, 2007 and the fund
was to be disbanded on that date;

WHEREAS, in April 1998, the South Korean government issued an
announcement in which it insisted that the Japanese government
should answer its liabilities in the state level, even as the South
Korean government decided to give the former comfort women
approximately 3 million yen of monetary support;

WHEREAS, the Taiwanese government took similar measures by
conferring 2 million yen for the former comfort women to substitute
for AWF's money while seeking a state level compensation and apology
from the Japanese government;

WHEREAS, a bill entitled "Promotion of Resolution for Issues
Concerning Victims of Wartime Sexual Coercion Act" was introduced to
the House of Councilors in Japan, jointly by the Democratic Party of
Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party,
and independent senators last June 9, 2004. The same bill was filed
last March 21 and November 14, 2001 and January 21, 2003. However,
the House of Councilors failed to adopt said bill.

WHEREAS, the main objective of the bill filed at the Japanese House
of Councilors was to take immediate steps to restore the dignity and
honor of women victims of wartime sexual slavery of the Japanese
Imperial Army during the World War II. It aimed to provide the
necessary fundamental grounds for the resolution of the issues
concerning the victims of wartime sexual coercion that will improve
the relationship of the peoples of the concerned nations and will
enable Japan to occupy an honored place in the international
community;

WHEREAS, the bill indicated measures to restore the honor which
includes the announcement of the Japanese government of an apology
for the violation and dignity of the victims of wartime sexual
slavery and the implementation of necessary means to immediately
restore their honor, including monetary compensation;

WHEREAS, the same measure will again be filed at the House of
Councilors of Japan;

WHEREAS, the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea had already
approved their resolution recommending the Japanese Diet to consider
and enact the bill on the promotion for the resolution of issues
concerning victims of wartime sexual coercion;

WHEREAS, the U.S. House of Representatives, on July 31, 2007,
approved its House Resolution 121 expressing the sense of the House
of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally
acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a
clear and inequivocal manner for its Imperrial Armed Force's
coercion of young women into sexual slavery, known to the world
as "comfort women", during its colonial and wartime occupation of
Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of
World War II;

WHEREAS, the Government of Japan is a signatory to the 1921
International Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Women
and Children and supported the 2000 United Nations Security Council
Resolutions 1325 on Women, Peace and Security which recognized the
unique impact of armed conflict on women;

WHEREAS, by following the step of the U.S. House of Representatives
in passing Resolution No. 121, the Philippine government is
demonstrating its earnest interest to help the Filipino comfort
women achieve the justice they deserve and reclaim their dignity and
that of the Filipino people;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
express its sense that the Philippine government urges the
government of Japan to formally acknowledge, apologize and accept
its responsibility over the sexual slavery of young women commonly
known as comfort women by the Japanese Imperial Army during World
War II and provide compensation to the victims in the light of the
adoption by the U.S. House of Representatives of House Resolution
121 which states that Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize
and accept historical responsibility in clear and unequivocal manner
over its armed force's coercion of young women into sexual slavery
during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia, and in the
light of the legislative initiatives in the House of Councilors of
Japan seeking apology, compensation and immediate resolution of
issues concerning comfort women

Adopted,

LIZA LARGOZA MAZA LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN

SATUR C. OCAMPO EDUARDO ZIALCITA

TEODORO A. CASINO CRISPIN B. BELTRAN

HR 121 Passed!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/30/AR2007073001156.html

House seeks Japan's apology on "comfort women"

By Richard Cowan
Reuters
Monday, July 30, 2007; 11:37 PM

WASHINGTON/TOKYO (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday called on Japan to apologize for forcing thousands of women into sexual servitude to its soldiers during and before World War II.

On a voice vote, the House approved a nonbinding resolution intended as a symbolic statement on the Japanese government's role in forcing up to 200,000 "comfort women" into a wartime brothel program starting in the 1930s.

The vote marked a rare rebuke by Washington politicians of Washington's closest ally in Asia, but drew only a muted response from Tokyo.

"Today, the House will send a message to the government of Japan that it should deliver an official, unequivocal, unambiguous apology for the indignity the comfort women suffered," said Rep. Mike Honda, the California Democrat who pushed the legislation through the House.

One of those women, Yong Soo Lee, a Korean, was inside the House chamber watching the debate and vote.

Honda, 66, is a Japanese-American who spent his early childhood in a World War II internment camp in Colorado.

The Japanese government offered a low-key response on Tuesday.

"The Prime Minister went to America in April and explained his thinking on this problem again," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told reporters. "It is unfortunate that the U.S. House of Representatives nonetheless passed this resolution. Our government has dealt sincerely with the problem of the comfort women."

In 1993, Japan acknowledged a state role in the wartime program, which mostly victimized Chinese and Korean women. Japan's government later established a fund, which collected private donations and offered payments of about $20,000 to 285 women.

But more recently, Japanese officials including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, have denied there was evidence the government or military were directly involved in procuring the women. He later apologized for the women's suffering and said he stood by the 1993 statement.

"There can be no denying the Japanese Imperial military coerced thousands upon thousands of Asian women," House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos of California said.

"Those who posit that all of the 'comfort women' were happily complicit and acting of their own accord simply do not understand the meaning of the word rape," added Lantos, a Holocaust survivor.

Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party was dealt a crushing defeat in an upper house election on Sunday amid a string of government scandals, gaffes by ministers and a row over mismanaged pensions. But Abe vowed to stay in his post.

In June, Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato wrote a letter to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California saying Honda's resolution "will almost certainly have lasting and harmful effects on the deep friendship, close trust and wide-ranging cooperation our two nations now enjoy."

There was no immediate comment from the conservative Japanese lawmakers who placed an advertisement in the Washington Post last month stating that the women had worked as licensed prostitutes, sparking harsh criticism from U.S. lawmakers.

(Additional reporting by Isabel Reynolds in Tokyo)

Laban Para Sa Mga Lola!

labanforthelolas.blogspot.com

"World War II Comfort Women are the 200,000 girls and women abducted by the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII forced to experience a life of systematic rape and enslavement. They are now mostly in their 80s and they are dying. They were taken from Korea, China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Of the 200,000 women and girls abducted 1000 of them were Filipina and only 173 of them have come forward. That means your lola may be holding onto a painful and (to her) shameful experience. We need to demonstrate that this is a Fil-Am issue too, our lolas’ issues and our WW2 generation’s especially. If we want to represent the lolas, we’ve got to be a presence in the coalition."

The 121 Coalition was created to push the passage of House Resolution 121, introduced by Congressman Mike Honda. HR 121 calls upon Japan to apologize to the victims of "comfort stations." In light of recent comments by Japan Prime Minister, Abe Shinzo, denying that comfort women were forced into slavery by the Japanese government during WWII, it is even more important to back survivors coming forward who have been silenced for all these years, nursing this shame.

Within the 121 Coalition, there are nearly 200 civic groups that are members. They are mostly campaigning for people to write to their Representative in Congress to co-sponsor the resolution. They are aiming for 120 co-sponsors. If you go to 121 Coalition's, website you will see dozens of Korean American Collectives and Organizations, however the Filipino American community needs to mobilize in order to clarify that this is not just a Korean American issue. Many stories of surviving Filipina comfort women can be found on M. Evelina Galang's website, labanforthelolas.blogspot.com, where through LILA Pilipina, she has met many of the remaining few.

Time is running out. The Lolas need our help. Here is what we can do:

Sign the online petition. It takes one minute:
http://www.gopetition.com/online/11466.html

Send your congress person an email, individually AND as an organization, supporting House Res 121. You can find that info here: www.house.gov

Make your Filipino community aware of this issue! Especially if you are in California: host briefings, film screenings, and contact M. Evelina Galang at labanmgalola@yahoo.com , to see how you can best serve this cause!