Fed: Comfort woman wants the coalition to back apology request

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2007
Fed: Comfort woman wants the coalition to back apology request

By Todd Cardy

ADELAIDE, Aug 15 AAP - An Australian comfort woman has urged coalition MPs to support
a new motion calling for Japan to apologise to women forced into sexual slavery during
World War II.

A draft motion will today be presented to the Senate that mirrors a recently passed
resolution by the US Congress urging Tokyo to apologise for coercing as many as 200,000
woman into prostitution during the war.

The "comfort women" were forced to work in brothels across Japanese occupied territories.

One survivor, Adelaide woman Jan Ruff-O'Herne, 84, has led a campaign for a formal
apology from Japan and wants the Howard government to make a similar resolution.

Mrs Ruff-O'Herne will speak at a parliamentary briefing in Canberra today to mark a
day of global action for comfort women that coincides with the 62nd anniversary of Japan's
surrender to Allied forces.

"An apology by the Japanese government will, after 60 years, mean closure for the comfort
woman and it will give us back our dignity," Mrs Ruff-O'Herne said.

"We have waited too long for justice."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has refused to apologise to the women, saying there
has never been proof they were forced to the brothels.

In June, more than 140 US politicians co-sponsored a resolution that urged Japan to
"formally acknowledge, apologise and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal
manner" for the suffering of comfort women.

Government MPs rejected an initial motion in March but the ALP, Democrats, Greens and
Family First have backed a new resolution based on the US message to go before the Senate
in September.

Anna Song, campaign coordinator of the lobby group Friends of Comfort Women in Australia,
said she hoped many would change their minds following the passing of the US resolution.

"I hope this factor will move Australian MPs and I hope that despite, what party they
belong to, they will support the comfort women and their story of survival," she said.

Ms Song said she also wanted to meet Mr Abe when he was in Sydney for APEC next month
to outline the global support for a Japanese apology.

AAP tkc/sl/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: COMFORT

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