Enforced prostitution in Western Borneo during Japanese Occupation

by International Military Tribunal for the Far East

Ex. 1702

CERTIFICATE

The undersigned CHARLES JONGENEEL, Captain R. N. I. A., head of the War Crimes Section of NETHERLANDS FORCES INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (NEFIS) being first duly sworn on oath deposes and states that the annexed original documents entitled

Report on enforced prostitution in Western Borneo,
N.E.I., during Japanese Naval Occupation by
Captain J. N. Heybroek, Intelligence Officer and
Interpreter of the Japanese language, Nefis,

has been taken fron the official records of the Nefis.

Signatures

/s/ Ch. Jongeneel

Batavia, July 9th 1946

/s/ K. A. de Weerd

Subscribed and sworn to before me K. A. de Weerd, first Lieutenant R.N.I.
Higher Official attached of the Office of the Attorney-General N.E.I.

EXHIBIT NO. 1702

Report on enforced prostitution in Western Borneo, N.E.I. during Japanese Naval Occupation.

During the first half of 1943 the Naval garrison Commander of Pontianak, [name A] issued an order that no Japanese was to have intimate relations with Indonesian or Chinese women. At that time all European and practically all Indo-European women were interned. At the same time he issued the order for the establishment of official brothels. Those brothels were to be divided in two groups: three establishments for use of Navy personnel only and five or six for the use of civilians, of which latter one was reserved for the higher officials of the Naval Civil Administration. (Minseibu).

The brothels for Naval personnel were run by the garrison. Under the C. O., the signals Officer, [name B] was placed in charge and the daily business was attended to by the duty warrant Officer, [name C]. Women who had had relations with Japanese were forced into these brothels, which were surrounded by barbed wire. They were only allowed on the streets with special permission. Permission to quit the brothel had to be obtained form the garrison commander. The Special Naval Police (Tokei Tai) had orders to keep the brothels supplied with women; to this end they arrested women on the streets and after enforced medical examination placed them in the brothels. These arrests were mainly effected by the [names D, E, F, G and H]

The brothels for civilians were run by [name I] manager of Nanyo Kohatsu K. K. The garrison – commander ordered the Minseibu to attend to this. The Minseibu passed this on to the Hokokukai (Organisation of Japanese businessmen) [name I] being in charge of the Welfare Department of the Hokokukai, was placed in charge of the brothels for civilians; he used employees of his firm for the routine work, as keeping of accounts, etc. Every morning the nights takings were turned in to the cashier of Nanyo Kohatsu, [name J]. Women for these brothels were also obtained Through the services of Tokei Tai.

The houses for the brothels were obtained form the custodian of enemy property, the furniture was in the case of the naval brothels supplied by the Navy and in case of the civilian brothels by the Hokokukai. Visitors had to pay to the native servant (in the case of the Navy according to rank) who turned in the money daily to the duty Warrant Officer or to the cashier of Nanyo Kohatsu. In both cases 1/3 was retained to defray expenses, furniture, food, etc. and 2/3 was credited to the women concerned. Of this they could from time to time take up part for their personal use. A monthly statement had to be rendered to Section I of the Minseibu.

In their search for women the Tokei Tai ordered the entire female staffs of the Minseibu and the Japanese firms to report to the Tokei Tai Office, undressed some of them entirely and accused them of maintaining relations with Japanese. The ensueing medical examination revealed that several were virgins. It is not known with certainty how many of these unfortunates were forced into brothels. Women did not dare to escape from the brothels as members of their family were then immediately arrested and severely maltreated by the Tokei Tai. In one case it is known that this caused the death of the mother of the girl concerned.

Fortunately [name K], an Indonesian medical Officer, who was allowed to continue in practice during the occupation was still available and able to make a sworn statement regarding his medical examination of women by order of Tokei Tai personnel. His evidence shows that women were forced into prostitution.

The above report has been compiled form information obtained from interrogation of Japanese war criminals and from sworn statements by persons concerned.

I declare that the above facts are truly in accordance with above sources of information on my oath as an Intelligence Officer and interpreter of the Japanese language.

Batavia, July 5th 1946

/s/ JNH

J. N. HEIJBROEK, Capt. Netherlands Forces Intell. Service