Victory for democracy as comfort women statue fails to get the go-ahead

Peter Lynch

In what most agreed was a victory for Australian democracy played out on an international stage, Strathfield councillors tonight voted to take no action on a proposal to build a statue to commemorate the so-called comfort women of World War II.

The decision is expected to finally draw a line under a long running and at times emotion-charged debate on whether or not Strathfield’s town square was the place for such a memorial.

The issue made headlines and led news bulletins in Japan and Korean – the two countries at the centre of claims that 200,000 young women were taken from Korea, China and other Asian countries to serve as sex slaves to Japanese soldiers over 70 years ago.

It became a major historical argument which last night spilled into Strathfield Town Hall at an extraordinary council meeting devoted solely to the topic.

Security personnel manned the entrance as more than 160 mainly Japanese and Koreans turned up to give their views or listen.

There were TV screens explaining proceedings in three languages and copies of the Strathfield Scene, which published a preview in English, Korean and Japanese.

But while some were concerned that the outcome would spark protests, in the end the debate was civilised, sensible and well conducted.

Mayor Gulian Vaccari, who chaired the meeting, told three reporters from the foreign media:  “I saw respect for Australian democracy.  I saw Australian democracy in action.”

Asked if he thought the 15 months it took to reach a conclusion was too long, Cr Vaccari replied:  “I wish it was over sooner – but we had to get it right.”

A survey of residents showed the majority were against the monument, and opinions sought from the Prime Minister’s office, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the State.

Six councillors voted unanimously to take no action, a position endorsed by council officers who maintained the memorial breached the municipality’s policy.

Monuments should commemorate the sacrifice of local residents, said their report. The proposal did not “meet the criteria of the Council’s Memorial Policy”.

Cr Sang Ok absented himself from the proceedings because, he said, he was a passed chairman of the Korean Committee of the United Astral Korean-Chinese Alliance Against Japanese War Crimes.

Eight speakers – four from each side of the argument – were allowed five minutes to put their points.  All received applause as they left the speaker’s chair.

There were claims the comfort women issue was a plot to destabilise relations between Australia, Japan and America.  And there were pleas to erect the statue as a way of righting a historical wrong.

South African born Brian Rycroft, whose Japanese wife recently gave birth, maintained the statue was “not a humanitarian nor a women’s rights issue”.

Peter Wertheim told the meeting:  “If we can’t commemorate these things in multi-cultural Strathfield, where can we?”

Glenn McRae, on the other hand, read from a letter from a Chinese resident opposing the statue and maintaining those for the plan did not represent the Chinese community of Strathfield.

Mr McRae maintained some migrant communities continued to play out their historical hostilities when they came to Australia. “They must accept and respect our Australian values,” he said.

Dr Panayiotis Diamadis, a UTS lecturer in genocide studies, maintained reports that Islamic State was selling women and young girls showed the issues raised by comfort women was still relevant today, and the statue was a monument to women of all races.

Retired newsagent Geoff Boyce, son of a former mayor and alderman of Strathfield, said the council’s memorials policy was for war heroes who came from the area.  The statue, he said, was divisive.

“This is Australia – we don’t have sub-branches of Koreans, Chinese or citizen of United States.  We are all Australians.”

He added that council had been “somewhat remiss” in letting the issue get this far.

Mr Dong Dong Yang of the Sydney Inner West Chinese Business Federation and the Australia Chinese Korean Alliance, said:  “This statue… represents women of all races around the world who suffered during war times.”

But Mieko Goto maintained the statue would compromise Australia’s national security, and Japan had apologise many times over the comfort women issue.

Finally, 21-year-old Yeo Ji Yan said the statue would help stop violence against all women.

Cr Helen McLucas told the meeting this was not a Strathfield issue, but had been “foisted on us” by an “anti Japanese” organisation.

There was no support for the statue in the local community, she said, and references to Australia’s Anzacs and claims this would help end violence against all women were “offensive”.

“It’s creating great division in the community”, she added.

Cr Daniel Bott maintained this was an issue for the Department of Foreign Affairs, not Strathfield.

Cr Stephanie Kokkolis said she was bound to represent the views of residents, the majority of whom were not in favour of the statue.  Cr Andrew Soulos agreed and said it was not appropriate at this time.

Cr Vaccari told the meeting:  “There are no winners in war.  It’s a tragedy for men, women and for mankind.”

Acknowledging there were “two sides to the story”, he too maintained the issue was a Federal one and “greater than Strathfield.”

Finally, Cr Raj Datta said it was a tribute to Australia that this debate could take place. In the end, he said, most would accept the decision made and “go home as Australians.”

And so, it appears, they did. The meeting broke up peacefully.