Remembering the Filipina Comfort Women and the Ongoing Fight for Justice

In the quiet village of Mapanique in the Philippines, the air seemed to still carry the echoes of the 1940s. Elderly women, survivors of the atrocities inflicted by Japanese invaders during World War II, gathered to remember. These women, some in their nineties, had endured unspeakable suffering.

Tears streamed down their faces as they recalled the trauma they had carried for decades. They sang a haunting ballad, a testament to their pain. The lyrics spoke of suffocation and the longing for death, reflecting the brutal reality they had faced.

In 1944, Japanese forces raided Mapanique, accusing villagers of aiding guerrilla fighters. Men were tortured or killed, homes were burned, and young women were taken to the infamous "Red House," where they were subjected to systemic rape and enslavement.

The atrocities are rarely mentioned in textbooks, but the scars remain etched into the bodies and memories of the survivors. Virginia Lacsa-Suarez, a human rights lawyer, has tirelessly advocated for official recognition and reparations for the survivors, known as the Malaya Lolas.

Suarez emphasized that justice begins with acknowledging the wrongdoing. It is crucial for the Filipino people and the world to remember what happened to prevent such atrocities from happening again. The women's voices echoed their decades-long cry for truth and justice.

The issue of comfort women has garnered international attention, with similar cries of anguish coming from Korea, China, and across Southeast Asia. Despite the world commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, some still try to diminish or deny what happened.

As Suarez reminded, history repeats itself when we forget. The women, outwardly calm, possess a resolve shaped by sorrow and memory. They do not know how many more years they have left to wait, but their fight for justice continues.