Maxine McKew (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

15 August marked the 63rd anniversary of the end of World War II. That day has more recently been proclaimed a day of global action for the ‘comfort women’, with events taking place worldwide. A delegation of women from the Korean Council, which was established to support women drafted into military sexual slavery during World War II, recently visited Australia to raise awareness of this issue. I take this opportunity to recognise the human rights efforts of Friends of Comfort Women Australia and the Korean Council.

For over a decade these groups have worked tirelessly to establish global recognition and justice for surviving ‘comfort women’, a phrase which tends to disguise the real nature of the sexual violation and exploitation that occurred. Friends of Comfort Women and the Korean Council endeavour to educate the international community about military sexual slavery and the devastating effects of past and present sex trafficking, as well as to advocate for preventive measures for the future. During the last 10 years, these groups have held press conferences and demonstrations, conducted research, gathered evidence and established and participated in international conferences concerning sexual slavery in war. They have presented the issue to, and have been supported by, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, they have established memorials and learning centres and they have fundraised and advocated for history books which detail the point of view of ‘comfort women’ survivors.

In honour of the efforts of these groups and of the Korean Australians who reside in my electorate of Bennelong, I acknowledge the atrocities that occurred during this period of history and recognise that approximately 200,000 women—predominantly Korean and Chinese but also Taiwanese, Indonesian, Filipino, East Timorese, Papua New Guinean and Dutch—suffered serious and enduring physical, emotional and psychological damage. I support the continued efforts of Friends of Comfort Women and the Korean Council to raise awareness and acceptance in aid of ‘comfort women’ survivors.

I also support the efforts of previous Japanese administrations which have worked towards reconciliation, reparation and education on this issue, most notably Chief Cabinet Secretary Kono’s statement in 1993, Prime Minister Murayama’s apology in 1994 and the establishment of the Asian Women’s Fund in conjunction with that apology. For the ‘comfort women’, the pain and suffering of this experience did not stop with the end of World War II but continued, and continues, throughout their lives. It is to be hoped that the government of Japan and the soon-to-be appointed new Prime Minister will honour the original intentions of the Kono statement and continue a dialogue with the ‘comfort women’ in the spirit of reconciliation.