Date of letter:April 9, 1993
Address of author:Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province
Date of event:Not mentioned
Location of event:Not mentioned
Name of author:Rong Zhongyi
Name(s) of victim(s):Rong Zhongyi’s father
Type of atrocity:Slave Laborers (SL)
Other details:”Rong Zhongyi’s father was caught to work as slave laborer with other tens of thousands of people, among whom few managed to come back.
Address of author: Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province
Comrade Tong,
Hello!
I read the report about your seeking justice for the people from newspaper at the beginning of February and was moved and encouraged deeply. Over 10 years ago, I heard from my father about his miserable experience of being captured and forced to be a labor in Japan during the Sino-Japanese war. Tens of thousands of them were captured to labor there, but few of them came back. We were so indignant that we were eager to accuse at the Japanese invaders’ monstrous crimes and claim the rightful reparations for the economic and spiritual losses caused by them. But my father said: ‘now since the diplomatic relationship between China and Japan has been normalized, Prime Minister Zhou instructed the abandonment of war reparation.’ So we did not insist any more. Last year, General Secretary Jiang replied to the Japanese journalists that the State Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also declared that there would be no restrictions on the movement of civil claims. Especially when seeing you tireless striving and traveling around to bring justice to the Chinese people, I can’t sit idle here any more. I am a policeman who got disabled while on duty, but I can still work. I would like to appeal for the forced labors and victims during the Sino-Japanese war, and strive for China’s respectful and honorable status in the world.
Recently, I took a train to Beijing from Taiyuan at my own expense, intending to meet you. After two days’ searching covering half of Beijing, I finally found your office in Jinghua Primary School. A leader of the research center received me and told me you were on a business trip. What a pity! Due to my limited resources, I could not stay longer. On my way back, I met Wang Hong in Baoding. Because she was busy, I went back to Taiyuan the same day.
Today I write to you to inquire about several issues:
1. I propose to hold a seminar regarding the nationwide arrested forced labors, comfort women, etc during the war time according to the relevant policies and regulations.
2. How to carry out the signature campaign of nationwide comrades?
3. Hope you could help introduce to me some patriots both home and abroad who are zealous in this cause.
Looking forward to your reply and also meeting you!
Sincerely,
Rong Zhongyi, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province
April 9th, 1993
