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East Timorese groups protest over Japanese peace-keepers

East Timorese human rights groups are trying to stop the deployment of Japanese peace-keeping soldiers to their country.

Twelve local organisations have signed a petition calling for the troops to be barred until Japan issues an apology to East Timorese women who were used as sex slaves by the Japanese army during World War Two.

The protests follow Japan's decision to send in a thousand soldiers to East Timor, after its parliament lifted a ban on overseas military service which had been in place since the war.

East Timor's new interim government has brushed off the protests but Laura Abrantes of the Fokupers women's group says the concerns of the victims must be addressed before troops are sent in.

Because of the background, the black story of when Japanese came to East Timor and they make our women, our East Timorese women, as comfort women for them, even though they don't respect the values of Timorese women here especially and also the culture of Timorese women.

21/11/01 1:24:31 | ABC Radio Australia News

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