Comfort Women Statue Update
03/07/2017

 

David Monkawa was able to give a support statement on behalf of NCRR at the press conference on 3/7/17 at the Glendale Peace Monument and was well received.  Representatives from the Chinese and Korean American communities in Los Angeles along with Mike Honda and Co chairs for the "Comfort Women Justice Coalition" in SF, Julie Tang and Lillian Sing spoke. 

Most moving was a statement from an older Korean American man, William Min (attorney) who was a child during the war and witnessed the recruitment of classmates into the "comfort women" system of sexual slavery.  He made it clear that the Japanese people and teachers he had were not the enemy but it was the Japanese military.  He acknowledged the early support of the Japanese American Bar Assn.

 

Today, community members and the US elected officials came together to raise voices over Japanese government's blatant attempt to remove the Glendale Peace Monument ('Comfort Women' Statue) and erase history.  

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Japanese government filed an amicus brief in the US Supreme Court to support the plaintiff's petition seeking removal of the Glendale memorial dedicated to the victims of Japanese military sexual slavery.  Participants severely criticized Mr. Abe for trying to trample upon American citizen's right to Freedom of Speech. 

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Former Congressman Mike Honda, Julie Tang and Lillian Sing (Co-chairs from CWJC), Betty Chu and Charles Mau (CACA-GSGV Lodge), David Monkawa and Kathy Masaoka (NCRR), Phil Shigekuni (JACL-SFV chapter), Soon Hong and the members of the 3.1 Women's Association, and Grace Oh (KOWIN-LA) and William Min were among the speakers. 

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House of Representative Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ed Royce sent a staff with a statement on his behalf.  House of Representative Adam Schiff also sent a staff to read his statement.  

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We won't be silenced.  We won't give in to a threat. Memorial will stay in Glendale. 

Links to statements by speakers and organizations