- "Mother and Child" sculpture commissioned by Justice for Lai Dai Han 
available to view in central London

A sculpture which honours victims of sexual violence in conflict around the 
world, including the women who were terribly abused during the Vietnam War, was 
installed today in St James's Square, Westminster. "Mother and Child" was 
officially unveiled last month by Nadia Murad, 2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner, 
at an event in Westminster which convened senior politicians and civil society 
groups to discuss how the international community can combat sexual violence.  
 
The sculpture, made of bronze and weighing approximately 700kg, depicts a 
mother and her child trapped by the roots of a Strangler Fig tree, a plant 
native to Vietnam, and serves as a beacon of hope to all victims of sexual 
violence. "Mother and Child" was commissioned by Justice for Lai Dai Han 
(JLDH), a group campaigning for an independent UN-led investigation into 
allegations of widespread sexual violence by South Korean soldiers during the 
Vietnam War.

Between 1964 and 1973, some 320,000 South Korean soldiers were deployed to 
Vietnam to fight alongside the United States. Tens of thousands of women were 
allegedly raped by South Korean soldiers during the Vietnam War. Many of the 
women were as young as 12 or 13 at the time. JLDH represents these women, of 
whom 800 are still alive today, and their children known as the "Lai Dai Han," 
the thousands of dual heritage Korean-Vietnamese individuals born as a result 
of wartime rape.

Jack Straw, international ambassador for Justice for Lai Dai Han and former UK 
foreign secretary, said:

"I urge everyone to visit the sculpture in St. James's Square, which honours 
all who are survivors of sexual violence in conflict. We need an independent 
investigation by the UNHCR into the rape of Vietnamese women by South Korean 
soldiers. We hope that the sculpture will serve as a poignant reminder of the 
horror of sexual violence and encourage the Government of South Korea to 
acknowledge the crimes committed by its troops and support an independent UN 
investigation."

Tran Van Ty, founder Justice for Lai Dai Han and born as result of Korean 
sexual violence said: 

"Today is a historic day for the Lai Dai Han and our mothers who have been 
through so much at the hands of South Korean soldiers. Since the Government of 
South Korea refuses to even acknowledge our existence, 50 members of the Lai 
Dai Han community and I have offered to provide DNA samples to be compared with 
a database of South Korean soldiers. While today's statue is a historic day for 
the Lai Dai Han, we will continue to fight for recognition and justice." 

The "Mother and Child" sculpture was designed and created by British artist 
Rebecca Hawkins. She said: 

"I hope that this statue helps raise awareness for this important campaign and 
gives the women and children the closure and recognition they need. Despite 
suffering and hardship, they have bravely stood up to tell their story and 
campaign for justice for themselves and their peers. This sculpture is a 
celebration of their strength of spirit in the face of such adversity."

At the sculpture unveiling event in Westminster in June, several members of the 
Lai Dai Han community were joined on stage by Nadia Murad, an Iraqi Yazidi 
human rights activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for her efforts to 
end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict. JLDH also 
welcomed distinguished UK Parliamentary supporters, including Chair of the All 
Party Parliamentary Group on Vietnam, Wayne David MP, and Co-Chair of the 
All-Party Parliamentary Group for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, 
Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne. 

ABOUT THE LAI DAI HAN

The "Lai Dai Han" are the tens of thousands of children of Vietnamese women 
that allege they were raped by South Korean soldiers during the Vietnam War. 
Between 1964 and 1973, some 320,000 South Korean soldiers were deployed to 
Vietnam to fight alongside the United States.

Justice for Lai Dai Han gives a voice to the victims and their children and 
campaigns for South Korea to recognise and investigate the allegations of 
widespread rape and sexual violence.

Justice for Lai Dai Han works with policy makers, writers and artists to ensure 
this injustice is finally recognised, alongside fundraising efforts on behalf 
of the Lai Dai Han and their families.

Our work seeks to raise public awareness, to allow political and community 
leaders to connect with the victims of sexual violence to understand their 
suffering firsthand, and to create public art as a permanent reminder of the 
plight of the Lai Dai Han.

www.laidaihanjustice.org

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/952644/Lai_Dai_Han_Sculpture.jpg    
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/952645/Lai_Dai_Han.jpg 
 
Source: Justice for Lai Dai Han (JLDH)