Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-12-13-Speech-4-204"
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"en.20071213.29.4-204"2
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".
Madam President, I should like to start by expressing my solidarity with these women – I believe on behalf of all of us. I am pleased that this is on the agenda, as it has taken a very long time. The European Parliament has been wavering for five months over whether human rights for women should actually be a priority or not.
Mr Dillen, who has now left, has just said that oppression of women is typical of the Koran – which is complete nonsense, as the matter of ‘comfort women’ shows that men do not need the Koran to repress and abuse women.
I am actually also rather disappointed with the attitude in the European Parliament. As I have just said, this House wavered over this for a very long time, and I have heard even Members of this Parliament coming up with arguments such as ‘Well, yes, but 90% of these women did it of their own free will’ and ‘Oh well, it is their culture, you have to understand that’. To be frank, I find this sickening. It is rape, and rape is without exception a crime in all ages and all cultures.
I now gather that Japanese school textbooks have been adapted; but I then hear from the Japanese embassy that the tale has to be told very cautiously, as pupils do not yet know much about sexuality and could incur psychological damage. No-one talks about the psychological damage to the ‘comfort women’ themselves. To be frank, I find that quite shocking. Anyway, I am pleased that this is now on our agenda and that we are just about to adopt it.
I think that it is important that apologies be sincere and unequivocal. It is not a matter of a formality. With the previous Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, once more casting doubt on the whole issue, it is not sufficient for the current government to then say ‘Oh, but we shall continue with the previous policy’. Sincere and unequivocal is what is needed.
Also, when I hear the arguments that have been forthcoming from the Japanese embassy in recent days – incidentally complete with a recognition of everything that has already been done – I think that much progress remains to be made on sincerity. I hope, therefore, that this resolution expresses the solidarity of all of us with the victims."@en1
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