Date of letter:1993-05-28
Address of author:Yongqing County, Langfang City, Hebei Province
Date of event:1942-01
Location of event:Yongqing County, Langfang City, Hebei Province
Name of author:Liu Shanbo
Name(s) of victim(s):Liu Baochen (Liu Shanbo’s father), Liu Shuge, Zheng Wenlin, Li Shuming, Li Xi’en
Type of atrocity:Slave Laborers（SL）
Other details:In January 1942 when the Japanese raided the Daqing River, Hebei, Liu Baochen was conscripted labor by Japanese and suffered inhuman abuses, resulting in serious stomach problems. He was sent home after the surrender of Japan. He claims a $ 50,000 compensation from Japan. Arrested along with him were fellows Liu Shuge, Zheng Wenlin, Li Shuming and Li Xi’en.
Petition Demanding the Japanese Government to Compensate Wages to Chinese Slave Laborers during WWII
While the Chinese government might have relinquished the post-WWII compensations from the Japanese government, it has never forsaken the rights for Chinese civilian victims of war crimes to seek compensations from Japan. Following are my painful memories of my ordeal as a slave laborer in Japan. My name is Liu Baochen. In January 1942, I was abducted by the invading Japanese army during a raid in northern Daqinghe, Hebei, and sent to the Tanggu Camp. Later I was transferred to a railway station behind the Nomura village in Ligon County of Gunma, Japan. There I was forced into a slave laborer for 4 years in a ravine 6 miles southern of the railway station. I dug a cave every day, which stretched over 15 km from east to west to be used for a future hydraulic power plant. I did heavy work for 4 years while given meager bran doughs for ration. Without warm clothes in winter and thin clothes in summer, we were only given ragged briefs every day to work semi-naked. The Japanese foremen often beat the Chinese laborers with sticks and whips like animals while shouting slurs. Some Chinese laborers were beaten to death by the Japanese foremen, others committed suicide, and a few escapees were arrested back and mauled to death by military dogs. Some Chinese slave laborers died of injuries from working in the cave, others went blind or disabled. About half of them perished. The bran dough ration and unrelenting abuse left me with severe stomach disease.. With the help of the American army upon surrender of Japan in 1945, I returned alive to my motherland and received by the Red Cross of Qingdao. After returning to China, my disability became a burden to my family.
The invasion of Japanese army has caused tremendous losses to countless Chinese people. I strongly demand the Japanese government to compensate me for my lost 4-year wages, plus the lost earning power as a result of disability.
1. I worked as a slave laborer in Japan for 4 years and should be compensated with at least 4-year’s wages of 40,000 USD.
2. The severe stomach disease had caused my disability to make a living for the rest of my life, and therefore should be compensated with 10,000 USD.
Victim: Liu Baochen
Address: Huiyuanzhuang,Qiandiwu, Yongqing, Hebei
Liu Baochen died on 24th of lunar December, 1992
Written by Liu Shanbo, son and heir to Liu Baochen
Living witnesses who were also captured to labor in Japan
Liu Shuge Address: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Zheng Wenlin Address: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Li Shuming Address: Shuijiao, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Li Xisi Address: Houliuwuying, Bieguzhuang, Yongqing, Hebei
Heir Liu Shanbo
May 27, 1993
Petition Demanding the Japanese Government to Compensate Wages to WWII Chinese Slave Laborers
China has only given up war reparations between governments instead of civilian compensation. The following are my painful past memories of being captured by the Japanese army. In January 1942, I was captured by the Japanese army when they invaded northern Daqinghe, Hebei, and sent to Tanggu Camp. Later I was sent to a railway station behind Nomura, Ligon, Gunma, Japan. I was forced into slave labor for 4 years in a ravine 6 miles southern of the railway station. I suffered a lot during the 4 years. The hut I lived in had water puddles underneath the bed. Due to excessive humidity, heavy work and pig feed for food, I fell ill. The Japanese foremen wouldn’t let us rest and forced us to labor despite illness. I was often beaten by the Japanese foremen with sticks and badly tortured, so I contemplated suicide. One time, when the Japanese foremen weren’t paying attention, I ran to the mountains to hang myself. But Li Xien a fellow inmate who was also captured and sent to Japan saw me and saved me. He said that we would surely return alive to China. We dug a cave every day, which was over 15 km long from east to west. During 4 years, instead of being provided with warm clothes in winter and thin clothes in summer, we were only given ragged briefs to work semi-naked. We were living in inhumane hell. I was injured in the eyes by stone powder during work and became half-disabled by poor vision, yet the Japanese foremen called me a moron. After Japan’s surrender in 1945, I returned to China alive. More than half of the people in my slave camp had died. That gives you a glimpse of how much pain the invading Japanese army has brought to Chinese people.
I strongly demand the Japanese government to compensate my overdue wages and the lost earning due to disability.
When I was laboring in Japan, the Japanese foremen were Sato and Sataka
1. I worked as a slave laborer in Japan for 4 years and suffered a great deal and should be compensated with 4-year’s wages of 40,000 USD.
2. I had become handicapped by eye injuries from slave-laboring in Japan. Now, I cannot make a living for the rest of my life and should be compensated with 10,000 USD
Chinese victim Liu Peizhao
Address: Huiyuanzhuang, Qiandiwu, Yongqing, Hebei
Living witnesses who were also captured to labor in Japan
Liu Shuge Address: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Li Xisi Address: Houliuwuying, Bieguzhuang, Yongqing, Hebei
Zheng Wenlin Address: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Victim Liu Peizhao
May 28, 1993
