Ermera
Ines de Jesus
Ines de Jesus
Born in Beco, East-Timor, Drafted year: 1942, 13y/o estimates, for 2 years
I also got pregnant and gave birth to a daughter.
3 months after giving birth, Japanese soldiers returned home.
I was on my way home with my daughter
when I ran into a Japanese soldier,he took my daughter forcibly.
When many Japanese soldiers showed up, so the village foreman sent me away. There were two houses there, and I was locked in a room next to a coop for chickens and pigs. During the day, I cut trees and made roads.
At night, many Japanese soldiers came. At least 4, as many as 8 soldiers came. It was so painful down there, I couldn’t even walk. I had a Japanese name, but I do not remember.
The soldiers didn’t even feed me. My mother cooked for me and brought food every day. Out of fear of what might happen if she gets caught, she had to come in secret.
There were pregnant women and many gave birth to babies. I also got pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. 3 months after giving birth, Japanese soldiers returned home.
I was on my way home with my daughter when I ran into a Japanese soldier, he took my daughter forcibly. I don’t know what happened to the baby since then.
I didn’t tell my father when I got home. I got married in my twenties, but I didn’t tell my husband, either.
20 years ago when a Japanese priest came, everything was told and my children also found out. I have back pain and I have hard of hearing. I need a house and money.
* The road to her home was so rough that I went with her son who lives in the city. The son named Leonel Barreto said he couldn’t accept what happened to his mother at first, and he still feels the same. He said the Japanese government is bad.