Date of letter:January, 1994
Address of author:Deyang City, Sichuang Province
Date of event:August, 1937, October, 1941
Location of event:Shanghai
Name of author:Li Qi
Name(s) of victim(s):Li Yongchun (Alias: Li Yaochang, Li Qi’s father)
Type of atrocity:Air Bombings, Murders (AB, MU)
Other details:At the end of August, 1937, after Japanese aircrafts bombed Nanhui County, Pudong, Shanghai, Li Qi’s father Li Yongchun took the whole family to flee. On one night of October, 1941, the father was was captured by the Japanese army for the charge of anti-Japanese and then got killed with other three people caught. The family has led a difficult life ever since, and now claims for compensation. In the letter there are 68 signatures of Chinese civilians who support claiming for reparations.
Dear Mr. Tong:
I’m a retired man in a provincial nursing home for construction workers in Deyang City, Sichuan Province. Through other people’s introduction, I met Wu Peng and found a platform to tell what my family had suffered over 50 years ago and cry for justice. I am extremely grateful that you are sparing no efforts to seek justice for all the victims across the nation against Japan. What you are doing now for the people is great and you deserve our respect. Your name will be left in history forever.
With Mr. Wu Peng’s assistance and based on his suggestion, (I) I have sent an express mail to the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on January 17th. The mail number is 0836, and enclosed is a claim letter for reparation for victims.
(II)Today, January 18th, I have sent the same claim letter for reparation for victims to you, and it is attached with a signature book signed by the supporting masses of altogether 68 people. Hope you could receive and check it soon.
(III) am in my seventies with injuries and diseases. I will be 72 of nominal age after this Chinese New Year. If I could not accomplish this claim for compensation, my wife Zhao Guizhen, eldest son Li Shuchun and second son Li Fuchun in Deyang City Central Reserve Bureau will continue to do so. Hope you could assist us until the claim is accomplished.
Happy New Year and may all go well with you!
Li Qi
January 18th, 1994
Deyang City, Sichuan Province
Chinese civil personal claim for reparation for victims against Japan
The Japanese Government:
On July 7th, 1937, the Japanese militarism started a full-scale war of aggression against China, which brought severe disasters to the Chinese people and broke up my family. So here I claim for reparation for victims of $300,000 towards the Japanese Government.
My family was at a small quadrangle courtyard in No. 1, Huntang Lane, East Gate, Nanhui County, Pudong District, Shanghai. At the end of August, 1937, after Japanese aircrafts bombed the county, my father Li Yongchun, or called Li Yaochang, took the whole family to Qijiazhai, Lijiaqiao Village, countryside out of South Gate. At that time, the Japanese Imperial Army was murdering and burning everywhere. Their crimes being too numerous to be listed.
At a night of October, 1941, the dark night that I will never forget, my father who was hiding at a small black-tile blue-brick house in Gaoqiao Town, Chuansha County, Pudong District, Shanghai was captured by the Japanese Military Police who had invaded Dongchang Road, Pudong District, Shanghai. There was a river in front of the house, and beside it was a big arch stone bridge. My father, 38 at that time, was taken away with three other people for the charge of anti-Japanese. They were all killed later.
My father was the backbone of my family. After he was killed, my mother could not bear this serious blow and then had mental disorder. She passed away before long and left us five young kids. My youngest little brother Wulong of only 7 years old died of hunger and illness without parents’ care.
My oldest little brother Erlong of 16 and I became apprentices to make a living and brought up my third little brother Sanlong of 13 and fourth little brother Silong of 10. The miserable childhood, the blood and tears haunt me, 71 year old, every now and then. It is like they happened yesterday. Have you, the descendants of Yamato ever tried to understand the sufferings of an old man? Where is the justice? Where is the humanity?
Justice eventually defeated evil. On August 15th, 1945, Japan who started World War Ⅱ unconditionallysurrended. According to a series of international instruments such as Yalta Agreement, Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Declaration, the defeated nation who started aggression shall bear all the losses of victims…… Japan is a defeated nation who started aggression war against China, so it has the unquestionable obligation to compensate for all the losses of the Chinese people. Even the Japanese immigrants in the US and Canada have received reparations from these two victorious nations. The Japanese Government has no reason not to indemnify what the Chinese people have lost. The Chinese Government showed its generosity through renouncing the request for war reparations; the Japanese Government should make reparations for Chinese victims more actively and initiatively for the sake of the friendship between China and Japan, which also conforms to justice and humanity. We hope the Japanese Government could face up to the history and take the reparation seriously.
Claimer: a 71-year-old Chinese citizen Li Qi (nickname: Dalong)
January 13th, 1994
Contact Address: Provincial Construction Engineering School, Deyang City, Sichuan Province (Receiver: Zhao Guizhen and Li Qi)
Postcode: 618000
Signatures of Chinese civilians who support claiming for reparations for victims against Japan
Li Qi, Deng Wen, Yang Keqing, Fang Jindi
Tang Na, Zhang Jin, Xia Ling, Gao Zijian, Wang Yu, Qiu Lin
Chen Jiajun, Lai Zhong, Chen Tao, Guo Wei, Xiao Dongmei, Zeng Qiang, Huang Qinghua, Yang Fang
Huang Xiaoyan, Jiang Yue, Yu Xingchun, Chen Xiuqiang, Tang Xiaohong, Jiang Xianlong
Luo Yongqiang, Zhu Yan, Tu Longhai, Wang Na, Ye Hong, Wu Chunmei, Wang Zhijian
Xu Luohu, Wang Zhouli, Tang Xiaoliang, Xue Hui, Wang Jun
Li Jian, Chen Qinglan, Hu Xue, Ma Liang, Xu Hong, Yang Lin, Huang Cheng
Zhong Yulin, Lv Xiaojuan, He Jianhua, Huang Liang, Wu Chunli, Li Wancheng
Liu Xiaohua, Li Shuyuan, Zhang Jun, Bai Kezhuo, Zhao Guizhen
Liu Weihua, Feng Li, Wang Min, He Qingjun
Li Xiaoming, Li Jing, Wang Fang, Zhang Ping, Li Changchun
Huang Shurong, Chen Guang, Wang Xiaohua, Liu Yong, Xia Han
Totally 68 people