World Conference on Japanese Military Sexual Slavery
September 24, 2007
Sep 25, 2007 -- /prbuzz/ --
- Academics, non-governmental organizations, human rights activists, attorneys, artists, and importantly, survivors unite from October 4-7, 2007 at UCLA to create a global coalition for reparations from the Japanese government and to address violence against women and sexual trafficking around the world ?

Los Angeles, CA ?September 10, 2007 - The World Conference on Japanese Military Sexual Slavery, the first historic global gathering of influential scholars, non-governmental organizations, human rights activists, attorneys, artists, and most importantly, survivors, will honor the bravery and struggle of the aging victims of Japan's World War II Military Sexual Slavery (euphemistically known as the “Comfort Women? October 4 ?7, 2007 at UCLA. This conference is intended to coalesce around strategies for obtaining the apology and reparations due to the survivors and their families and to raise awareness of present-day violence against women and sexual trafficking around the globe. Building on the momentum of House Resolution 121 demanding the Japanese government to apologize for its war crimes committed against “comfort women? the conference will take place at the UCLA Northwest Auditorium and UCLA School of Law. A peace vigil is scheduled on October 7, 2007in downtown Los Angeles - (Media Alert with location to follow).

Before and during World War II, the Japanese military abducted, coerced or otherwise forced over 200,000 girls and women from their homes in countries throughout the Pacific theatre to serve as sexual slaves for Japanese soldiers in the largest incidence of sexual trafficking of women known to modern history. Many of the victims have passed away, and with them the harsh truth of the horrifying indignities to them. In Korea, remaining survivors, now in their seventies and eighties, still protest every Wednesday in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.

The conference is FREE OF CHARGE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (Day 1 & 2) and will address important issues:
(Day 1) NGO Conference, October 4, 2007 (8:30 AM-6 PM) ?No Registration Fee. Country reports of NGOs from South Korea, North Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Germany, Australia, Philippines, Netherlands, Canada, and United States on the progress made in their countries on these issues and to introduce a global plan of action.
(Day 2) Academic and Cultural Conference, October 5, 2007 (8:30 AM-6 PM) - No Registration Fee ?With a keynote address by Dai Sil Kim-Gibson, prominent scholars will speak on the subject of the “Comfort Women? reparations, trafficking and sexual slavery, and the intersectionality of racism, sexism and militarism as will be discussed on a panel entitled “Imperial Militarism and Sexual Slavery: Women, Race, and Power.?
(Day 3) Legal Conference, October 6, 2007 (8:30 AM - 6 PM) - Registration Fee. Featuring a keynote address by Patricia Viseur-Sellers and panel presentations by the most well respected legal minds on the “Comfort Women?issue. There will be a facilitated group strategy session on obtaining full and fair restitution, as well as panels on modern-day sexual trafficking, and gender-based and sexual violence during wartime.
Gala Dinner, October 6, 2007 (6 PM-10 PM) ?Ticket Purchase required. A formal dinner and reception in honor of the survivors at which Congressman Mike Honda will give the keynote address.

Attracting prominent human rights activists from all over the world, the following panelists/speakers are scheduled: U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, Patricia Viseur-Sellers (Legal Advisor, Office of the Prosecutor, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia), Cheryl Harris (Professor, UCLA Law), Dinah Shelton (Professor, George Washington Law), Indai Lourdes Sajor (UNDP), Kathleen Kim (Loyola Law School), Nursyahbani Katjasungkana (Lawmaker, Indonesia), Hibaaq Osman (VDay), Dai Sil Kim-Gibson (Writer & Filmmaker), Paul Hoffman (Human Rights Attorney), Jennifer Green (Center for Constitutional Rights), Beth Van Schaack (Professor Santa Clara University School of Law), and many more.

The World Conference is co-sponsored by Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Watch-Southern California, UCLA Asian Pacific American Law Journal, UCLA Asian Pacific Islander Law Students Association, UCLA Law School Critical Race Studies Program, UCLA School of Law David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, UCLA Center for Korean Studies, UC Berkeley Ethnic Studies Department, HR 121 Coalition in California & New York, the ACLU of Southern California and San Diego, VDay, Center for Justice and Accountability, Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking, Advancement Project, Gabriela Network, Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Center for Constitutional Rights, Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates, Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, Canada ALPHA, and Women’s Rescue Foundation of Taipei, amongst others.

For more information please visit www.jmss.info. *Conference Program Packet and Agenda attached.
About the Press Release
For Immediate release. Contact: Phyllis Kim (213-247-5390, gipunuri@yahoo.com) Press Conference: Friday, October 5, 2007, 12:30 PM, UCLA School of Law, Room 1347.


 
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