November 5-20, 2013
31
The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987
Lola Fidencia David breaks the silence of the wartime rape and promotes human rights against wartime rape, human trafficking... This is the story that everyone wants to hear. “It was a very painful experience and every time I think of what the Japanese soldiers did to me, I cry,” Lola Fidencia David said with tears in her eyes. As she recalled, her grandmother and herself were raped: “My grandmother was led to another room. Inside the room where I was taken, a Japanese soldier came and tied my mouth with a cloth and raped me. I resisted but he bumped by head against the wall and I lost consciousness. After that, there were other Japanese who raped me, My grandmother was killed and when I tried to hide, a soldier followed and raped me in the grass.” Lola Fidencia added, through a translator. In a three-day whirlwind visit to Winnipeg, Lola Fidencia David, the 86-year old Filipina survivor, has spoken to break the silence of the human rights violation during the 2nd world war in the Philippines. And the Winnipeggers listened and responded. “Breaking the silence about human rights violations is essential for healing and growing: for the global community as well as for the victims,” Canadian Museum for Human Rights president and CEO Stuart Muray said. “And this is a story of inspiration. By facing the past and learning its lessons, we help shine a light on human rights abuses that continue today, including wartime rape and human trafficking of women for sexual exploitation. The CMHR is committed to encouraging reflection and dialogue about these important subjects,” Stuart added. “It is important to keep talking about the “comfort women” because military sexual violence is still happening today. The better we can understand the persistent patterns of sexual violence, the better we can promote human rights now,” Dr. Clint Curle, head, Stakeholders Relation, CMHR.
Accompanied by Cristina Lope Rosello, a UP graduate, a clinical psychologist and author of the book “Disconnect: The Filipino Comfort Women, Lola Fedencia David , by sharing her personal story has given a deeper dimension on the hardship and struggles of young Filipino women during the outbreak of war in the Philippines. In a forum held at the PCCM, Rosello said: “What I am fighting for is the postwar damage during the more than fifty years of silence. This is not covered by the San Francisco Treaty but during the 50 plus years after the war, the Filipino comfort women would suffer from psychological trauma, economic problems and social stigma. And we must also underscore the fact that unlike other comfort women in Asia, the Filipina abduction and sexual captivity was part of the war strategy to annihilate the enemies. We were a US colony at that time. To flush the fierce guerillas from hiding, they destroyed the womenfolk. It is horrible and this makes it a crime.” The Canadian Museum for Human Rights has organized the visit to Canada by one of the living survivors of military sexual slavery during the 2nd World War in Asia. And Dr. Clint Curle organized the lectures and events with the assistance of the Winnipeg Chinese Cultural and Community Centre and its president Dr. Joseph Du, Rod and Ron Cantiveros of the Filipino Journal; Dr. Tina Chen of the University of Manitoba and Malinda Lee. At the PCCM forum, the excerpt of the play “Ysabel: Comfort Women” written by Rod E. Cantiveros, directed by Nena Joy Laud Lazo, was staged and acted by Letty and Florencio Antonio, Dutchess Cayetano, Gloria Magpali and Mike Arquero. When asked by a member of the audience in regards to the compensation, Cristina Rosello answered: “The case of
compensation is a lost cause. The only recourse is to compel the Philippine gov’t to deal with the Japanese government but they will not do that.” She had said that the current Pres. Noynoy Aquino has no intention to open the case; and some non-government organizations are not united to fight for the cause. Then some activist groups have become fragmented at some point losng their credibility. At the panel discussion, Sexual Violence Against Women in War and Conflict, Cristina Rosello and other speakers highlighted sexual violence against women during the war time and the present. “My passion and support for this cause is through my creative activism as impacted in the live stage performance of the excerpt from Ysabel Comfort Women. It is my hope to help raise more awareness and support for the women victims (sex slaves) during the 2nd world war and to join in the cumulative efforts of other organizations that are against these atrocities of any form being committed against women and children then and more so, now”, Nena Joy Laud Lazo, a UST graduate and a member of the Canadian Actor’s Equity, said during the forum on women issues held at Canton Food Gallery sponsored by the Filipino Journal. Tina Chen, U of M history professor, Angela Cassie of CMHR and Lazo are the panelists. Cristina, a clinical psychologist who helps empower former “comfort women” deal with their trauma, regain their dignity, and become effective spokesperson for women’s right and Lola Fidencia, have both shared their experiences. During the tour of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Lola Fidencia David said: “This is the most beautiful place I’d ever seen....I had visited many foreign cities, but here in Winnipeg, this museum is the best. Dito ba sa museum na ito madidinig ang aking kasaysayan bilang comfort woman?
(Is this the place where my story as a comfort woman will be heard?) At the panel discussion on sexual violence against women in war and conflict at the University of Manitoba Law School buidling, Cristina Rosello and Lola Fidencia David shared with other speakers who expounded human rights violations against women in Africa and Asia. Tina Chen, U of M history professor led the panel discussion. And at the very end of the forum and interviews, Lola Fidencia would say:. “Sa Philippines, hindi kami nakakatanggap ng support bilang mga biktima, pero dito sa Winnipeg at Toronto, sa Canada, asikasung-asikaso kami. Maraming
salamat sa lahat ng inyoong tulong at kagandahang loob. Salamat Canada”. (In the Philippines, the plight of the comfort women have not given this kind of attention. We are very grateful for the kind and generous reception and support given to us during our visit to Winnipeg, Toronto. Thank you very much Canada.) The CMHR recorded the interviews with Cristina and Lola Fidencia and will become a part of its collection of human rights oral histories. As Dr. Curle said: The interview will be available at the museum archives when it opens next year.”
Rod E. Cantiveros, CEO CMHR Stuart Murray and guests from within Beyond Borders
Cristina Rosello, Lola Fidencia, Dr. Joseph Du and Malinda Lee
At the departure area, Cristine and Lola Fidencia had shared moment with other Filipinos working at the airport
Christina & Lola at the podium during the CMHR/WCCC news conference
Signing the Memorandum of Agreement between the Rosalinda Natividad Cantiveros Foundation with Cristina Rosello for the projects which will enshrine materials about the Filipino Comfort women;seated, Cristina Rosello, Rod E. Cantiveros, chairman, RNCF; and Lola Fidencia David; standing, l t r: Sarah ???, Tina Chen, Angela Cassie, Joshua Manzanilla, Joy Lazo, Clint Curle, Letty and Forencio "Tony" Antonio. Photos by Rod E. Cantiveros | Filipino Journal
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