[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 29, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 COMMENDING ASSEMBLY MEMBER JUNG CHEONG RAE AND KOREAN AMERICAN CIVIC 
  EMPOWERMENT (KACE) FOR LEADING EFFORTS IN WASHINGTON, DC, TO OPPOSE 
ONLINE WHITE HOUSE PETITION CALLING FOR REMOVAL OF COMFORT WOMAN STATUE 
                             IN CALIFORNIA

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                       HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 29, 2014

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Assembly 
Member Jung Cheong Rae of the Republic of Korea for the outstanding 
work he is doing in cooperation with Mr. Kim Dong-suk, founder of 
Korean American Civic Empowerment, KACE, to spearhead efforts in 
Washington, DC, to oppose the online White House petition calling for 
removal of the ``Comfort Woman'' statue in Glendale, CA, which was 
submitted on the White House's open petitioning website, ``We the 
People.''
  The petition includes the following text: ``Please remove the statue 
in a public park in Glendale, California. It is a statue of a Comfort 
Woman masquerading as a peace statue while in essence after reading the 
inscription it is promoting hate towards the people and nation of 
Japan.'' The petition was signed by 125,261 people and it is estimated 
that most of the signees are Japanese nationals who do not reside in 
the United States.
  This absurd petition shows why the House of Representatives had to 
unanimously pass the ``Comfort Woman'' Resolution of 2007 (H. Res. 
121), which urges Japan to formally acknowledge and accept historical 
responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed 
Forces' coercion of as many as 200,000 young women into sexual slavery 
during World War II, to clearly and publicly refute any claims that the 
sexual enslavement and trafficking of the Comfort Woman never occurred, 
and to educate current and future generations about this horrible 
crime.
  I Once the U.S. House of Representatives had spoken on the issue, it 
was hoped that this issue could be put behind us so that we could work 
with our Pacific allies to face the challenges of a rising China and a 
nuclear North Korea. However, Japan totally disregarded what we have 
recommended and is trying to whitewash its war crimes.
  The movement to deny the painful realities of World War II history in 
the Pacific represent not only a lack of progress but are, in fact, 
moves toward regression away from that limited level of reconciliation 
that has already been achieved.
  Today, over 120,000 Japanese people are totally unaware, if not 
ignorant, of the atrocities that were perpetrated by Japan during World 
War II. This number will grow every day if Japan keeps disregarding H. 
Res. 121, the Comfort Woman Resolution.
  I strongly urge the Government of Japan to formally acknowledge and 
apologize in order to begin the reconciliation process and to create 
better relationships in the future. Japan cannot move forward by 
erasing the past and it is of the utmost importance that Japan follows 
through on H. Res. 121.
  A formal apology from Japan as called for in H. Res. 121 is the 
answer to the White House online petition. And so, once more, I commend 
Assembly Member Jung Cheong Rae, who is a personal friend of mine, for 
taking the time to be in Washington, DC, this week and for calling upon 
Members of Congress and others to also exercise their first amendment 
rights by speaking out against the White House online petition.
  It is my sincere hope that President Obama will respond soon, and 
make clear that he supports justice for the more than 200,000 women 
from Korea, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries from 
the Pacific who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese 
Imperial Army during WW II.
  On a personal note, I offer my deepest love and appreciation for 
these women, though many of them have already passed from this life. 
What was done to them is unconscionable, and I will stand in support of 
them forevermore.
  I bear no animosity or ill-will towards the people of Japan and I 
must emphasize that our economic, strategic, and military alliance with 
Japan is important. However, regarding this issue, there can be no 
reconciliation without proper acknowledgement. The recognition of this 
dark chapter of Japan's history of the atrocities and sexual slavery 
operations authorized and implemented by the Japanese Imperial Army 
before and during World War II cannot be denied, and the White House 
must not be complicit by remaining silent.

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