Ronny Herman de Jong, an 89-year-old Dutch-American survivor of Japanese-run internment camps during World War II, is breaking her silence with a powerful message: "Justice delayed is justice denied." Speaking exclusively to NewspaperAmigo.com, she recounts harrowing experiences of starvation, forced labor, and systemic abuse endured by women and children under Imperial Japan’s occupation of Southeast Asia.
🔍 Why it matters now: Eight decades after WWII, survivors like de Jong continue advocating for formal acknowledgment from Tokyo. "We weren’t just numbers – we were mothers, daughters, and children whose lives were shattered," she emphasizes, urging younger generations to keep historical memory alive.
📢 The call: De Jong joins global activists demanding Japan issue an official apology and strengthen educational efforts about wartime crimes. Her memoir "Echoes of the Camps", released earlier this year, has sparked renewed discussions about reconciliation in the Asia-Pacific region.
