Paulina Quintao – University students have urged the HAK Association to organize a national seminar in Timor-Leste to encourage leaders, including those of the Japanese government, to speak with Timorese victims of sexual slavery.
Student Inocencio De Jesus Xavier said Timorese women who were the victims of sexual slavery and their families deserve to receive information from the Japanese government and ask it to take responsibility responsible for the actions of its military in World War II (1942-1945). He said as the new generation of this beloved land, students are obligated to know the history of Timor-Leste because though they know about World War II, they do not know about the sexual slavery that took place in Timor-Leste as it is not covered in schools.
"We students urge the HAK association to cooperate with all entities to hold a national seminar to encourage the two governments,Timor-Leste and Japan, and legislative bodies to share some information related to sexual slavery," he said, when commemorating the 72nd anniversary of the Japanese invasion of Timor-Leste.
This seminar was very important because HAK has worked in the past to call on the government of Japan to take responsibility for the actions of its military however leaders from neither Japan nor Timor-Leste attended the commemorations to share information with the public.
HAK Association program coordinator Xisto Dos Santos praised the students' willingness to contribute suggestions as it showed they were eager to learn about their country's war legacy.
He said HAK Association will organize a seminar to encourage the rulers of Japan and Timor-Leste to make amends for the sexual slavery which violated the victims' human rights.
"All of us and the university students are hoping for a good collaboration to conduct a seminar," said Xisto. He added some of the victims of sexual slavery were still alive but their advanced age made it difficult to attend the ceremony.