ARTICLES : INDONESIAN JUGUN IANFU: SUING JUSTICE ACCORDING TO HUMANITARIAN LAW PERSPECTIVE

During World War II, as estimated, 5000 to 20,000 women in Indonesia were forced to be sexual slaves. Mostly under aged, those women experienced extremely inhumane treatment at army barracks. Furthermore, survivors had to keep their pain, shame, stigma, and guilt as secret. They faced emotional and physical pain, whereas Japanese soldiers were granted freedom from punishment. The systematic sexual slavery began to seize public attention when women``s groups including the Korean Women``s Association demanded an official apology, thorough investigation and proper compensation to the Japanese government in May 1990. Meanwhile, the Japanese government stated that neither the government nor the military was involved with the Comfort Women issue and it was operated by private entrepreneurs. For many years, though the realization is still too slow, Indonesian comfort women have been fighting for their rights to the truth-telling and reparations, as they are neglected and denied of the justice by the Indonesian government in exchange for the state``s political interests and economic relationship with the Japanese government. International Humanitarian Law provides a set of rules that guarantee women``s rights in the time of armed conflict. However, there must be a political will from Indonesian Government to have a role in supporting the Indonesian comfort women to seek justice. Nowadays, it is perhaps something that had been forgotten by history, but it still remains in victim’s misery. The historical evidence will be lost if it is not disclosed.