Former comfort woman continues quest for justice

Former comfort woman continues quest for justice

By Kusrini

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Steadfast and unyielding in the face of
ordeals -- these are the two qualities one can find in Mardiyem,
a former jugun ianfu, or comfort woman, a euphemism for a sex
slave during the Japanese occupation.

Along with fellow former comfort women in Indonesia, she is
fighting for their fate. In 1993, Momoye, as she is known
endearingly to her friends meaning "flower", made headlines the
world over because of the demand that she made on the Japanese.

Along with the Legal Aid Institute in Yogyakarta, which acts
as her legal proxy, she has been fighting for the fate of
Indonesian comfort women, most of whom live in pitiable misery
and abject poverty.

With tears in her eyes, as she tries to control her emotion,
and constantly puffing on a cigarette, Mak Ingun, which is how
she is called at home, talks about what she has gone through in
her life.

"I am in fact very ashamed and on the brink of despair as my
struggle since 1993 for the Indonesian comfort women has yet to
achieve any results. However, I am able to remain steadfast and
refuse to back down from my struggle when I remember how many
fellow comfort women are leading a miserable life. Some of them
are blind or physically handicapped and others live in poverty as
they no longer have anybody," she said, tears still welling up in
her eyes.

It is her great hope that the former comfort women will have a
better life. The Japanese government must ask for forgiveness for
what the Japanese soldiers did in the past.

"Former comfort women have a terrible plight. Apart from
undergoing mental suffering, many of them are now handicapped
because they had been tortured by the Japanese soldiers whose
beastly desires they had to satiate. The most effective medicine
for us former comfort women, is an apology from the Japanese
government. I have allowed myself to be exposed and bear all the
consequent shame but why is it that my effort is yet to be
fruitful?"

Today energetic Mak Ingun lives alone in Suryo Tarunan,
Ngampilan, Yogyakarta. Although she has one child from her
marriage to Amingun, she never wants to trouble her child. She
busies herself every day in various activities at the office of
the Legal Aid Institute Yogyakarta or visits her former fellow
comfort women or, even, participates in activities with fellow
villagers.

In her 3m-by-10m house, she lives alone. When morning comes,
there is not much that she can do. After the dawn prayer, she
cleans the house and the yard. She looks after her plants, most
of them orchids, which fill her yard. She does not cook as she
simply goes to the nearby food stall and eats there. "Well, I
live alone, you know," she says, chuckling.

Twice or three times a week she spends the day at the office
of the Legal Aid Institute of Yogyakarta. Then she takes part in
arisan (tontine) and Koran verse reading, an activity which she
believes would be an asset for her in the hereafter and helps to
kill time. Aged over 70, she still visits her former fellow
comfort women, at least once a month. She gets around by bus.

When twilight comes and night falls, she feels lonely. The
night feels too long as she has no friends to keep her company.

"I have neither a television nor radio receiver. I sold them
both to survive. Yes, I still have a small old radio. I live on
the soldier's pension of my husband, which is just enough to keep
body and soul together. At night, I go straight to sleep. To
dispel unnecessary nagging thoughts, especially memories of the
gloomy past, I will chant a prayer until I fall asleep."