Date of Letter:1993-02-04
Address of Author:Qionghai City (originally known as Qiongdong County), Hainan Province
Date of Event:1943-02-07
Location of Event:Qionghai City (originally known as Qiongdong County), Hainan Province
Name of Author:Wang Zuochun, Chen Zhaofang, Zhou Jianmao
Name(s) of victim(s):Wang Zuochun’s fellow villagers
Type of atrocity:Murders (MU), Rapes (RA), Others (OT)
Other Details:On February 7, 1943, Japanese troops broke into our village in Qiongdong County (Qionghai city now), Hainan Province, killing villagers, raping several women who couldn’t escape in time, damaging our houses and robbing our possessions. Over 200 villagers were affected.
Teacher Tong,
We have some questions about war reparations for Japanese invasion in China during the Second World War. We are representatives of villagers from Shuiyuanpo Village, Longjiang Town, Zhuhai City, Hainan Province. On February 7, 1943, the military headquarters under the command of Takashima AZUMAJI at Jiaji Town, East Hainan Line (now as Qionghai City) broke the laws of war and humanity by launching a frenzy and ravaging massacre towards our village. They used troops as well as coerced local civilians to do the killings. Over 10 villagers who were too weak or old to flee were killed. Several women were raped and grisly killed by Japanese soldiers. Brick houses with a total floor area of over ten thousand square meters were blasted or burned down to rubbles. Bricks and tiles were taken away to build their blockhouses and roads. Thousands of trees were cut down and villagers’ processions were totally robbed, including hundreds of livestock, crops, food, furniture, antiques and money. Over 200 villagers from more than 50 households were devastated, reduced to miserable refugees, starving and unsheltered. The total loss of our village was estimated to exceed one million U.S. dollars.
It came as a consoling surprise that after decades have past, in the end of December, 1992, we finally read an article on Yangcheng Evening News written by Xixin , titled “Claim for war reparations started from non-government channels…” The article described how, through legal knowledge, you finally proposed at the Fourth Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the CPC, which was held the year before, that war reparation and compensations for victims should be brought up through official channels to address the common concerns at home and abroad. Now you have delivered us from the tunnel of grievance to the hope of daylight. As victims, we have the right to demand justice and civil compensation from Japan for their condemnable war crimes. Due to lack of professional knowledge about procedures and requirements of the compensation claim, we are writing this letter for your guidance and help to come up with a detailed plan so that we could sue Japan. Our entire village appreciate your help and kindness. We are looking forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Representatives: Wang Zuochun, Chen Zhaofang, Zhou Jianmao
Suiyuanpo Village, Longjiang Town, Qionghai City, Hainan Province
February 4th,1993
