Comfort Women Project - Asia Trip 2008

Saturday

7. Taiwanese Ahmas

Tuesday July 15, 2008

Visiting with the Taiwanese "comfort women" *ahmas from the "Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation"

* "halmunis" in Korean, or "ahmas" in Taiwanese means "grandmas". (In Asia, elders are commonly referred to as grandmother or grandfather, whether you are related to them or not, as a way of showing respect.)

6. Truth Commission

Tuesday July 15, 2008

"Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation" meets with the "Truth Commission on Forced Mobilization under the Japanese Imperialism Republic of Korea" a Korean governmental organization. This Commission was established to investigate forced labor, conscription, and the issue of "Comfort Women".

Discussions included the history, how victims are defined, what constitutes just compensation, motivations of the people who "come out" and negotiations between the Korean and Japanese governments surrounding the issues.

http://www.gangje.go.kr/en_index.asp

Very long title of the government organization.

5. At Chung Dae Hyup

Tuesday July 15, 2008

Attending a meeting between the "Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation" and "The Korean Council for the Women..." (Chung Dae Hyup). Issues discussed included the exact number of Korean "comfort women" taken to Taiwan and what happened to them. Teams of investigators and historians were employed to confirm all details surrounding the issue, including definitive confirmation that each candidate was actually proven to be a "comfort woman." The structure of effective files and documentation were also considered.

4. Taiwanese Get-Together

Monday July 14, 2008

Monday night I met and had dinner with the Taiwanese "comfort women" group "Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation" who were visiting Korea for three days. They came with two Taiwanese "comfort women" *ahmas.

It was really great to meet them before my visit to Taiwan. I spoke with organizers including Director Graceia Lai, who I had been in contact with from New York. This was also my first encounter with some of the actual survivors. The Taiwanese ahmas were filled with so much life and spirit.

http://www.twrf.org.tw/chinese/index1.asp

3. First Day on the Project

Monday July 14, 2008

Meeting with Mee Hyang Yoon, Standing Representative of "The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Sexual Slavery by Japan" (Chung Dae Hyup). She and her staff gave me a tour of materials they have been gathering for the Comfort Museum (which will be built next year). I also had a chance to look at some photos and materials they collected for "War & Women's Rights Museum."

http://www.womenandwar.net/english/index.php

Arriving at the Korean Council Building in Seoul.

Meeting with Mee Hyang Yoon, Standing Representative, Joo-Hye Kang, General Secretary, and Hanna Song, Museum Curator for the "War & Women's Rights Museum".