29th anniversary and 1473rd
Wednesday Demonstration statement
The Wednesday Demonstration, which began on
January 8, 1992 in time of the former Japanese Prime Minister Miyazawa’s visit
to Korea, marks its 29th anniversary on January 8. For the past 29 years, we
stood unwavering in our call for just solution of the Japanese military sexual
slavery issue to the Japanese Government and today we hold both the first in
2021 and 1473rd Wednesday Demonstration.
For 29 years, the Wednesday Demonstration
for just solution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue became a space
of solidarity, to discuss and stand with values of human rights, justice, and
peace, beyond its call for restoration of victims’ human rights and dignity.
Every Wednesday in Pyonghwa-ro, sometimes in other regions in Korea and around
the world, the victims and citizens called for the Japanese Government to acknowledge
its war crimes against humanity, make official apologies and make legal
reparations.
However, the Japanese Government that perpetrated
crimes against humanity, continue to deny the crimes of Japanese military
sexual slavery and remain unrepentant, arguing that the 2015 “comfort women”
agreement “solved the issue finally and irreversibly.”
Recently, it has pressured to demolish the Statue
of Peace established in Berlin-Mitte, Germany, explicitly revealing its scheme
to erase history. In addition, the Japanese Government has threatened that
Japanese military sexual slavery victims’ winning of lawsuits against the
Japanese Government will bring a “complete breakdown of Korea-Japan relations”
as the South Korean court decisions await in January.
The cause of a breakdown of Korea-Japan
relations is not the victims, but the Japanese Government that fails to make
official apology or legal reparations at the call of the victims. The Japanese Government
should humbly listen to the calls of Japanese military sexual slavery victims
from all colonized and occupied regions of Japanese imperialism, accept
recommendations of international organizations, and fulfill its legal
responsibilities in accordance with international laws. We sincerely hope that
the Japanese Government would not make another mistake of abandoning the
opportunity to be forgiven while the victims are alive.
The Japanese military sexual slavery issue
is not an issue to be weighed or postponed due to political and diplomatic reasons.
The South Korean Government should listen to the victims' voices and carry out
all measures to restore their dignity and human rights. We look forward to the
decisions of the South Korean court based on principles of truth and justice,
to disclose the truth of the Japanese military sexual slavery and listen to
victim’s legal struggles to demand the responsibilities of the Japanese Government.
We hope that the South Korean court decisions record in history that individuals
who are victimized by merciless state violence can also be protected by laws of
justice.
As we have done for 29 years, we will
continue to stand with countless people here and shout louder to the Japanese Government
for just solution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue and restoration
of the victims' dignity and human rights.
We demand to the Japanese Government:
Admit war crimes of Japanese military sexual
slavery and investigate the truth!
Make official apology and legal reparations
to the victims!
Stop distorting history and educate the truth!
Stop interfering with movement for just
resolution by victims and citizens around the world!
We demand to the South Korean Government:
Demand just resolution to the Japanese
Government and carry out all measures to restore justice!
We oppose all violence and war against peace!
January 6, 2021
The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
#수요시위 #wednesday_demonstration #수요일은평화다 #정의기억연대 #정의연 #1473차 #정기수요시위 #온라인수요시위 #정의연유튜브#유튜브수요시위#수요집회#수요시위기자회견 #1473차수요시위 #정의기억연대 #정의연 #수요시위 #온라인수요시위 #일본군위안부 #일본군성노예 #일본군성노예제문제해결 #위안부 #수요일은평화다 #WednesdayDemonstration #Japanesemilitarycomfortwomen #comfortwomen #japanesemilitarysexualslavery #endrapeinwar #StatueofPeace #PeaceStatue #正義連 #日本軍性奴隷 #日本軍慰安婦 #慰安婦 #挺対協 #水曜デモ #水曜集会 #オンライン水曜デモ #オンライン水曜集会 #日本軍性奴隷問題解決 #1473回水曜デモ #1473回水曜集会
29th anniversary and 1473rd Wednesday Demonstration statement
The Wednesday Demonstration, which began on January 8, 1992 in time of the former Japanese Prime Minister Miyazawa’s visit to Korea, marks its 29th anniversary on January 8. For the past 29 years, we stood unwavering in our call for just solution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue to the Japanese Government and today we hold both the first in 2021 and 1473rd Wednesday Demonstration.
For 29 years, the Wednesday Demonstration for just solution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue became a space of solidarity, to discuss and stand with values of human rights, justice, and peace, beyond its call for restoration of victims’ human rights and dignity. Every Wednesday in Pyonghwa-ro, sometimes in other regions in Korea and around the world, the victims and citizens called for the Japanese Government to acknowledge its war crimes against humanity, make official apologies and make legal reparations.
However, the Japanese Government that perpetrated crimes against humanity, continue to deny the crimes of Japanese military sexual slavery and remain unrepentant, arguing that the 2015 “comfort women” agreement “solved the issue finally and irreversibly.”
Recently, it has pressured to demolish the Statue of Peace established in Berlin-Mitte, Germany, explicitly revealing its scheme to erase history. In addition, the Japanese Government has threatened that Japanese military sexual slavery victims’ winning of lawsuits against the Japanese Government will bring a “complete breakdown of Korea-Japan relations” as the South Korean court decisions await in January.
The cause of a breakdown of Korea-Japan relations is not the victims, but the Japanese Government that fails to make official apology or legal reparations at the call of the victims. The Japanese Government should humbly listen to the calls of Japanese military sexual slavery victims from all colonized and occupied regions of Japanese imperialism, accept recommendations of international organizations, and fulfill its legal responsibilities in accordance with international laws. We sincerely hope that the Japanese Government would not make another mistake of abandoning the opportunity to be forgiven while the victims are alive.
The Japanese military sexual slavery issue is not an issue to be weighed or postponed due to political and diplomatic reasons. The South Korean Government should listen to the victims' voices and carry out all measures to restore their dignity and human rights. We look forward to the decisions of the South Korean court based on principles of truth and justice, to disclose the truth of the Japanese military sexual slavery and listen to victim’s legal struggles to demand the responsibilities of the Japanese Government. We hope that the South Korean court decisions record in history that individuals who are victimized by merciless state violence can also be protected by laws of justice.
As we have done for 29 years, we will continue to stand with countless people here and shout louder to the Japanese Government for just solution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue and restoration of the victims' dignity and human rights.
We demand to the Japanese Government:
Admit war crimes of Japanese military sexual slavery and investigate the truth!
Make official apology and legal reparations to the victims!
Stop distorting history and educate the truth!
Stop interfering with movement for just resolution by victims and citizens around the world!
We demand to the South Korean Government:
Demand just resolution to the Japanese Government and carry out all measures to restore justice!
We oppose all violence and war against peace!
January 6, 2021
The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
#수요시위 #wednesday_demonstration #수요일은평화다 #정의기억연대 #정의연 #1473차 #정기수요시위 #온라인수요시위 #정의연유튜브#유튜브수요시위#수요집회#수요시위기자회견 #1473차수요시위 #정의기억연대 #정의연 #수요시위 #온라인수요시위 #일본군위안부 #일본군성노예 #일본군성노예제문제해결 #위안부 #수요일은평화다 #WednesdayDemonstration #Japanesemilitarycomfortwomen #comfortwomen #japanesemilitarysexualslavery #endrapeinwar #StatueofPeace #PeaceStatue #正義連 #日本軍性奴隷 #日本軍慰安婦 #慰安婦 #挺対協 #水曜デモ #水曜集会 #オンライン水曜デモ #オンライン水曜集会 #日本軍性奴隷問題解決 #1473回水曜デモ #1473回水曜集会