The plaque on a museum dedicated to Taiwanese “comfort women,” who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II, was unveiled on Tuesday, International Women’s Day.
It was a momentous day in the history of the women’s rights movement in Taiwan, Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation chairwoman Huang Shu-ling (黃淑玲) said.
After more than a decade, the foundation has realized its dream of establishing a museum in memory of Taiwanese comfort women, Huang said at a ceremony in Taipei, which was attended by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Chen Lien-hua (陳蓮花), a former comfort woman.
Photo: CNA
The Ama Museum promotes peace and human rights, Ma said, adding that it opens a new chapter in the history of Taiwanese comfort women.
That part of history must be preserved not for revenge, but to reveal the truth and remember the lessons of the war, Ma said, urging Japan to do more in dealing with the issue of comfort women.
Chen, 92, said she was grateful to see the establishment of the museum.
She is one of three surviving Taiwanese comfort women who have spoken openly about their suffering during the war.
In response to questions about Japan’s handling of the issue, she said that the Japanese government has not responded to their demands, adding that she feared that she might not live long enough to see the day when Japan issues a formal apology and offers compensation.
“Ama” means “grandmother” in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese). The foundation calls former comfort women “ama,” as most of them are in their late 80s or early 90s.
The foundation said it hopes that the museum would become a home for comfort women and a place where they would always be remembered. One of the goals of the foundation is to inform future generations about the history of comfort women and women’s rights, it added.
Housed in a two-story building and covering 150 ping (496m2), the museum is to feature a permanent exhibition on Taiwanese comfort women, displaying photographs, documents and videos related to them, as well as the exchanges over the past two decades between foundation members and Taiwanese comfort women, the foundation said.
In addition to the exhibition, the foundation is to organize workshops and seminars at the museum on topics such as human rights and sexual abuse, it added.
The museum is located in a renovated building in Taipei’s historic Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area and its formal opening is scheduled to take place in September, the foundation said.
The opening is to mark the foundation’s 25 years of efforts in helping comfort women cope with their mental anguish and seek justice and compensation from Japan. Over the past two decades, it has collected many first-hand accounts since it began interviewing the women, the foundation said.
More than 2,000 Taiwanese women were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during the war, according to the foundation.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
Taipei is to implement widespread road closures around Taipei 101 on Friday to make way for large crowds during the Double Ten National Day celebration, the Taipei Department of Transportation said. A four-minute fireworks display is to be launched from the skyscraper, along with a performance by 500 drones flying in formation above the nearby Nanshan A21 site, starting at 10pm. Vehicle restrictions would occur in phases, they said. From 5pm to 9pm, inner lanes of Songshou Road between Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101 are to be closed, with only the outer lanes remaining open. Between 9pm and 9:40pm, the section is
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday hosted a reception to celebrate Double Ten National Day. Conservative Canadian lawmaker Marc Dalton called Taiwan a “beacon of courage and resilience in the face of rising authoritarianism,” according to a post on the Taiwan in Vancouver Facebook page. Also in attendance were fellow conservative caucus members Tako Van Popta and Chak Au, who said that Taiwan plays an “indispensable role” in ensuring global peace, prosperity and stability due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, it said. Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper also recorded a message wishing Taiwan a
RSS