Text Fwd: ‘Comfort women’ launch fundraising efforts for Japan'

After finishing a World Vision education program, “Earthquake Experience, ” children hold banks to collect money for earthquake relief with signs that say, “Friends in Japan: Stay Strong!” at a nursery in Seoul’s Songpa District. (Photo by Shin So-young)


Hankyoreh
‘Comfort women’ launch fundraising efforts for Japan
By Lee Seung-joon
March 19, 2011

The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery in Japan (Korean Council) announced Friday that it is beginning efforts to raise funds to help Japanese people who have suffered major damages with last week's earthquake in northeastern Japan.

In its announcement Friday, the association said, “The women who were victims of being drafted into sexual slavery for the Japanese military proposed raising fund for the people who suffered damages in Japan, and since it was proposed by women who, because of their past experiences, know better than anyone about human pain and suffering, we accepted the proposal and decided to begin raising funds.”

“During their Wednesday Demonstration on Mar. 16, the women, unlike their usual practice, held a silent vigil to send thoughts of condolences for the thousands and tens of thousands of victims who lost their lives,” the Korean Council explained. “We hope people will participate and contribute to carrying out their meaningful wish.”

The fundraising effort is to begin in earnest with the regular Wednesday Demonstration on Mar. 23, the 962nd, and will continue for five weeks until Apr. 26.

The Korean Council has held weekly “Wednesday Demonstrations” in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul every week for the nearly twenty years since Jan. 8, 1992, with one exception in 1995 when the Hanshin earthquake struck the city of Kobe. The 961st demonstration on Mar. 16 took the form of a silent

vigil to offer sympathy for the tragedy of the Mar. 11 earthquake.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]