‘Gijichon comfort women’ Victim and Civil Society Organizations submit urgent appeal to four Special Rapporteurs, including the Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice and Reparation.
Remembrance and commemoration are the rights of victims; the State party must consider the victims' perspective and preserve cultural heritage.
The demolition of Dongducheon's Old STD Management Center erases the victims’ narratives and violates international human rights law, contradicting the victim-centered approach. The demolition plan must be halted immediately.
On September 6, 2024 (Fri), Joint Countermeasure Committee to Prevent Demolition of Dongducheon's Old STD Management Center and MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society, in collaboration with ‘Gijichon comfort women’ victim Ms. Kim (name withheld), submitted an urgent appeal to the UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteurs. The urgent appeal was addressed to four Special Rapporteurs: the Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice and Reparation, the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Its Causes and Consequences, the Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights, and the Special Rapporteur on Torture.
This urgent appeal has been submitted under the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council, a system that allows individuals to report human rights violations to independent human rights mechanisms, such as Special Rapporteurs, and request their intervention. The UN Special Rapporteurs will review the credibility of the appeal, investigate the matter through inquiries, and decide whether to intervene by expressing their opinions or taking other actions.
In the appeal, the complainants, including the victim, emphasized that the ‘Gijichon comfort women’ were victims of severe human rights violations, namely torture, sexual exploitation and forced prostitution, and trafficking in persons, all of which are prohibited under international human rights law, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. According to international human rights law, ‘victims of serious human rights violations’ are entitled to the right to truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence. Thus, the State party has an obligation to take measures to ensure and protect the rights of the victims.
One of the key measures the State party must implement is to guarantee ‘remembrance and commemoration’ regarding the human rights violations that occurred. UN Special Rapporteurs highlight that when a state demolishes or alters monuments symbolizing human rights violations, it must be cautious, as such actions could be interpreted as attempts to erase certain histories or the narratives of victims. They have established the principle that the victims' perspectives must be reflected in such decisions.
The complainants, including the victim, stressed that Dongducheon City's decision to proceed with the demolition of the STD Management Center, despite opposition from civil society organizations and victims, is an attempt to erase the victims' narratives. The demolition plan excludes the victims’ participation and fails to reflect their perspectives, thereby constituting a human rights violation. The complainants have requested that the UN Special Rapporteurs express their concerns and intervene immediately, and also asked them to investigate the current state of protection for the ‘Gijichon Comfort Women’ victims’ rights. Furthermore, they urged the Special Rapporteurs to recommend that the government of the Republic of Korea issue an official apology and take necessary actions to guarantee the victims' rights.
? Attachments: Urgent Appeal (ENGLISH / KOREAN)
September 8, 2024
Joint Countermeasure Committee to Prevent Demolition of Dongducheon's Old STD Management Center(Coalition of NGOs)
MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society