SEVEN decades have passed since World War II. To many, the memories are dim, made dimmer by the passing on of the grandmothers and grandfathers who lived through the horrors of that war.
The horrors though continue to live on for the surviving “comfort women,” those who are left of the estimated 200,000 young girls and women abducted from Korea, China, Indonesia, Taiwan and the Philippines by the Imperial Japanese Army. During the course of the war, these young girls and women were condemned to a life of rape and enslavement in the garrison houses of the Japanese military.
In 2013 Mayor Toru Hashimoto of Osaka, Japan, argued that the “comfort women were necessary,” saying that the women gave the Japanese soldiers a chance to “rest.” His words sparked outrage throughout Japan’s neighboring Asian countries, with the surviving comfort women and their supporters shocked and indignant with his remarks.
Throughout the years, Japan has refused to apologize to the thousands of women they coerced to service the soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army. Other than abduction, the women were lured with promises of food, money to pay off debts and payment for work—without their knowing that they were being pushed into sexual slavery.
The Japanese government has repeatedly denied the stories of the comfort women. In fact, in 2007, Prime Minister Shinzō Abe stated that “there was no evidence to prove there was coercion as initially suggested.” However, the comfort women, now lolas (grandmothers) grouped under Lila Pilipina, an organization of survivors of Japanese military sexual slavery during WW II, are a living evidence of the war crimes committed by the Imperial Japanese Army.
‘Lolas’ speak out
IN 1943 Lola Hilario’s family evacuated to Pampanga because of the war. To support her eight siblings and parents, she worked as a farmer in Hermosa, Bataan. While walking on her way home to the barrio one day, a truck of Japanese military men stopped her in her tracks and tried to take her with them.
“Pagdating ng truck doon sa tapat ko, bumaba iyung dalawang Hapon. Hinablot ako sa kamay para isakay sa truck. Eh ayaw ko nga pumayag, nagpipiglas ako. Ang ginawa sa akin, pinagsasampal ako. Nang lumalaban ako, sinikmurahan ako. Binitbit ako sa dalawang kamay at paa at initsa nila ako sa truck,” Lola Hilario said, recalling her abduction.
She was brought to the garrison house by the soldiers, dragged inside one of the rooms and shoved on the floor. Three soldiers took turns raping her. She was only 16 years old when the abduction happened. She was kept in the garrison for a year.
Lola Estelita was abducted in 1944. While selling produce in the market one day, a truck of Japanese soldiers arrived and started capturing and beheading men and women assumed to be guerrillas.
Fearing for her life, Lola Estelita hid and tried to make a run for her life. A Japanese soldier nearby, who was keeping watch on her, chased and seized her. She and the other women seized that day were taken to Negros Occidental. “Dinala kami sa Central Talisay, garrison ng Hapon. Dinala ako sa bahay na may mga kuwarto-kuwarto. Ibinalandra ako sa loob. Di nagtagal may isang Hapon na dumating. Niyakap niya ako pagkatapos ay ginahasa niya ako. May mga sumunod. Di ko mabilang kung ilan dahil nawalan ako ng malay,” Lola Estelita said.
Whenever she would fight back, she would get blows from the soldiers. In the end, fearing for her life, she gave up and just did what they asked her to do. “Sinunod ko nalang kung ano ang gusto nila. Ipinikit ko na lang ang aking mga mata. Umiyak na lang ako. Wala naman akong mahihingan ng tulong. Wala namang magliligtas sa akin.”
Two out of a multitude
LOLA Hilario Bustamante and Lola Estelita Dy are just two of the 174 comfort women during the Japanese occupation identified by Lila Pilipina. Only 70 of them are still living, with 10 active and in close communication with Lila Pilipina.
The surviving Filipina comfort women are demanding three things: A public apology from the Japanese government given to each of the 174 comfort women, accurate historical inclusion and just compensation.
The comfort women lolas have been fighting for two decades for justice, a laborious fight that seems to see no end in sight. But the lolas, despite their advancing age, continue to be full of hope and strength.
Lola Hilario wishes that the youth would learn from their stories. “Ang giyera, walang pinipili. Ayaw naming maranasan ng bagong kabataan ang dinanas naming kalupitan.”
“Kaya nga kami lumalaban at ipinapaalam ang nangyari sa amin dahil ayaw na namin ng giyera,” Lola Estelita urged. “Kasi kung may giyera, ang nangyari sa amin ay mauulit sa bagong henerasyon. Kaya patuloy kami sa paglaban. Hanggang kaya namin, lalaban kami.”