Conversation with Betsy Kawamura and Dr. Henrik Syse on Women Peace and Security in North Asia
2021Betsy Kawamura
Betsy Kawamura, founder of Women4NonViolence https://www.w4nv.com dialogues with Dr. Henrik Syse of PRIO and co-editor of "Journal of Military Ethics" about Women Peace and Security (WPS) in North Asia (Okinawa, Japan and the Korean Peninsula). Topics include the Battle of Okinawa, North Korean refugee women, the Status of Force Agreement SOFA, the Recreation and Amusement Association https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreat.... Bkawamura10@hotmail.com Henrik Syse, PhD Research Professor, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) / Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, Björknes University College / Editor, Journal of Military Ethics /Freelance lecturer / Member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee 2015 - 2020 Email: Syse@Prio.org Journal of Military Ethics: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1... Below are the basic questions asked by Dr. Syse in this dialog (1) You are truly engaged with the WPS agenda, not least wishing to expand consciousness about that agenda in North-East Asia. Why? Where does your engagement come from? (2) You are preoccupied with history, and you tell me that some articles from the Journal of Military Ethics, which I co-edit, including one on war crimes at Okinawa during and after WW II, have been important to you. What's the importance of history in addressing WPS concerns today? (3) You want to reach out to military audiences. Do you think there is enough attention to sexualized violence and WPS more broadly among military personnel today? If not, what can be done to rectify that? (4) Looking at your own path ahead, as an activist and as someone who knows this terrain well, what do you think are the most important next steps? And who do you need to work with in order to realize those steps?
Key wordsEthics / survivor of GBV / women
CountriesJapan / Korea / North Asia / Norway / Okinawa / USA