Date of letter:1993-02
Address of author:Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province
Date of event:1938-1945
Location of event:Foshan City, Guangdong Province
Name of author:Liang Tieyuan
Name(s) of victim(s):Liang Tieyuan and his father, uncle, mother Wu Song and younger sister
Type of atrocity:Biological/Chemical Warfare, Slave Laborers(BC, SL)
Other details:In 1938 the Japanese released cholera bacteria in Foshan City, which infected my mother and sister and caused their death. In 1939 my father, uncle and I were forced into hard labor. My uncle followed the Japanese to many countries in Southeast Asia and finally begged all the way home from Vietnam after the victory of Anti-Japanese War.
Lecturer Tong Zeng:
How are you?
After reading the article “Tide of seeking compensation initiated by Civilians” published on the Yangcheng Evening News on December 18, 1992, I learned that during the WWII, especially from 1931-1945, the Japanese Invasion of China brought unprecedented disaster never seen in 1000 years to the Chinese people. Several million Chinese people generously devoted themselves to the cause of Anti-Japanese War, more than 20 million compatriots suffered bodily injury, physical assets worth over USD 100 billion were destroyed; consequently the Chinese people are entitled to demand compensation from Japan. For the sake of these claims, you worked untiringly, and searched massive volumes of records, found theoretical foundation, and wrote a long letter submitted to the General Office of the National People’s Congress and the State Bureau for Letters and Calls, you also published articles on the newspapers to expound the difference between war compensation and victim compensation in the international law, which was reprinted by over a dozen domestic newspapers and magazines including the People’s Daily, Workers Daily. You upheld justice for the gravely suffering Chinese victims under the iron heel of the Japanese invaders, and traveled far and wide to initiate the signature campaign, “Demanding Damage Compensation from Japan”. Towards such goal, we along with tens of millions of Chinese victims wish to give you the highest honour!
My family also suffered the tragedy of broken family and our home, with separation, losses and even deaths during the Japanese invasion period. In 1938, my mother Wu Song and my younger sister were death victims of Japanese Biological Warfare waged on the Chinese people, when they landed at Shiwan Town, Foshan City. My Mother died overnight by loosing buckets of water from cholera infection. My younger sister who was still fed on milk also died following her mother’s death. In 1939 my father and uncle along with myself were forced to work as slave coolies in Huangpu Port. Adults had to carry 100 kg heavy large rice bags and other goods in the day. Since I was a kid I was assigned into a Triangle Mark team to roll empty oil barrels, and after rolling one barrel the Japanese soldier would draw a “○” mark on my back with a chalk to record each one’s finished workload. We suffered tremendous humiliation and oppression, and fully tasted the hardship as colonial slaves. Later my father Liang Jian and uncle Liang Hui were conscripted by the Japanese Army (to work as slave coolies) for many years. As a consequence, since no one could support the old and the young in the family, my grandfather (Liang Xing) and my mother died of illness or starved to death one after another. Uncle Liang Hui was forced to follow the Japanese Army to carry stretchers from countries to countries in Southeast Asia. It was not until Japan surrendered that he was released in Vietnam (at that time it was called Annam) He made his way home by begging for food along the way. All my family members were victims of the Japanese Invasion Army, we are fully entitled to demand damage compensation from Japan. Please represent us to demand compensation from Japan.
Regards
My highest honour to you!
Claimer: Liang Tieyuan
1993.2
Note: 1. If necessary, I can mobilize a signature campaign by tens of thousands of victims suffered from oppression, violence, humiliation, slavery and death by the Japanese Invasion Army in that year (1938).
2. My native place is Shiwan Town, Foshan City, Guangdong Province.
3. Current correspondence address: Room 303, No. 28, Nanyuan Residential Quarters, Qianjing Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou
