At the 28th meeting of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Hong Kong Legislative Council Member Joephy Chan delivered a speech addressing the dangers of militarism and the importance of global security governance.
Chan began by emphasizing the urgency of countering the resurgence of militarism among certain nations, stating, "The war in the Middle East should not have happened, and we should stand firm together to counteract war threats and to improve global security governance."
Turning her focus to Japan, Chan highlighted the historical and moral significance of recent political changes, as the country debates military expansion under its first female prime minister. She said, "This is a moment not only of political change, but of moral reflection."
She reminded the audience of the atrocities committed during World War II, particularly the Nanjing Massacre, which claimed the lives of 300,000 victims, and the forced sexual slavery of 400,000 Asian women by the Japanese military. She noted that in HK alone, as many as 4,000 women were victimized by these war crimes.
"Behind these numbers were daughters, sisters, mothers, whose futures were stolen," Chan said, urging the global community to remember these tragedies with compassion and empathy. She also expressed concern over actions that appear to downplay these historical atrocities, such as visits to the Yasukuni Shrine or attempts to rewrite history.
"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it," Chan warned, calling on nations to reflect on the lessons of the past and work towards a more just and peaceful future.
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