Date of letter:1993-05-25
Address of author:Hedong District, Tianjin
Date of event:1942-01
Location of event:North of Daqing River, Hebei Province
Name of author:Li Deshan
Name(s) of victim(s):Li Deshan
Type of atrocity:Slave Laborers（SL）
Other details:In 1942，during the Japanese troops’ mopping up, they caught many workers to the concentration camp in Tanggu, and I was one of them. After being escorted to Japan, we were forced to do heavy work such as digging caves. What we ate was pig feed. The Japanese soldiers even ordered us to work half-naked. We were in rags and did not have enough food to eat. They frequently beat us with sticks and whips. Some people could not stand and escaped. Once they were caught again, they would be killed. Some committed suicide. I had been tortured in such environment for four years. I strongly require the Japanese government to compensate.
Petition Demanding the Japanese Government to pay Compensation Wages
to Chinese Slave Laborers
China has only given up war compensation between governments. But the civilian section has never entered any agreement not to seek compensation. The following are my unforgettable painful memories of laboring in Japan. In January 1942, many people including me were captured by the invading Japanese army during a raid in northern Daqinghe, Hebei and sent to Tanggu Camp. Later I was sent to a railway station of Nomura, Ligon, Gunma, Japan. I was forced to labor for 4 years in a ravine, 6 miles southern of the railway station. I dug a cave every day, which was over 15 km long from east to west to be used for hydraulic power generation. We did heavy work every day with pig’s feed; we always starved. Instead of being provided with warm clothes in winter and thin clothes in summer, we were only given a crotch cloth every day. We worked naked. The Japanese foremen often beat the Chinese laborers with sticks and whipped us like they did to cattle and horses and called us morons. Many Chinese laborers were beaten to death by the Japanese foremen. The life was inhuman and hard. Some laborers committed suicide due to the harsh and inhumane conditions. Some tried to escape and were caught. After being recaptured, they would be mauled to death by Japanese dogs. The Japanese foremen said, “You Chinese people cannot run away. You are just food for the Japanese dogs.” Many Chinese laborers were tortured to death and many others were disabled due to work-related injury or beating. When Japan surrendered in late 1945, only over 130 out of over 400 Chinese laborers were still alive. We returned to our motherland in March 1946 with the help of the American army and were received by the Red Cross in Qingdao, China. We may talk about the details in person.
I strongly demand compensation against the Japanese government.
1. I worked as a slave laborer for 4 years in Japan and suffered 4 years, so I should be compensated a 4-year wage of 40,000 USD.
2. I should be compensated 5,000 USD for my mental suffering.
3. I should be compensated 5,000 USD for work-related injury in the leg and waist injury due to the beating by the Japanese foremen.
It’s a total of 50,000 USD.
Witnesses:
Living witnesses who were also taken away to be forced laborers in Japan:
Liu Shuge (Personal seal) Address: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Ma Ruifu (Personal seal) Address: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Wang Yongyi (Personal seal) Address: Dengjiawu, Houyi, Yongqing, Hebei
Zheng Wenlin (Personal seal) Address: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Chinese victim and slave laborer: Li Deshan (Personal seal)
Address: No. 2, Block 30, Liuduan, Zhongshanmen, Hedong, Tianjin
