A recently renovated building in the historic Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area of Taipei is to house the first museum in the nation dedicated to Taiwanese forced to become “comfort women” by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.
The goal of the “A-ma Museum” is to preserve the stories of the comfort women and to make sure that this chapter of history is not forgotten, said Kang Shu-hua (康淑華), executive director of the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation, a driving force behind the initiative said yesterday.
A-ma means “grandmother” in Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese).
“We hope the A-ma Museum will be an everlasting home for the A-mas and a place they will always be remembered,” Kang told a news conference held to announce the details of the museum.
“The establishment of the museum is not intended to stir up hatred,” she said, adding that the goal is to face history and move forward.
She expressed the hope that the museum would allow future generations to learn more about the history of comfort women and the issue of women’s rights.
Housed within a 2.5-story building with an area of 150 pings (495.87 m2), the museum is to feature a permanent exhibition on Taiwanese comfort women, with photographs, documents and videos, Kang said.
In addition to mounting the exhibition on comfort women, the foundation is to organize workshops and seminars at the museum on topics such as human rights education and sexual abuse, she said.
The museum is to be the first of its kind in Taiwan, Kang said, noting that similar museums have been established in South Korea and Japan.
The foundation is to hold a ceremony to unveil the museum plaque on March 8 — International Women’s Day — she said, adding that the museum is scheduled to be opened to the public in September.
More than 2,000 Taiwanese women were forced to become comfort women by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, according to the foundation.
Only three of the Taiwanese women who have spoken openly of their suffering at the hands of Japanese forces are still alive, it said.
It is estimated that the first two years of operation of the museum will cost NT$20 million (US$596,926), Kang said, calling on the public to make donations to help with the funding.
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