Date of letter:1993-04-0
Address of author:Shaoyang City, Hunan Province
Date of event:1944-08
Location of event:Hunan Province
Name of author:Liu Xiuzhen
Name(s) of victim(s):Liu Junde (Liu Xiuzhen’s father) and Li Songgang (Liu Xiuzhen’s sister-in-law)
Type of atrocity:Slave Laborers, Others, Rapes, Murders（SL, OT, RA, MU）
Other details:When the Japanese invaders attacked Hunan, my father was caught to be a porter. Due to failure of carrying heavy things, he was beaten and was seriously wounded. My sister-in-law was raped by the Japanese soldiers. All the furniture in my home was burned down. My family and I support Mr. Tong’s action. The Japanese government must compensate for this.
Comrade Tong Zeng of the China Research Center on Aging,
I have been enlightened after reading your reply dated December 13 of last year. I didn’t reply early because I had many chores to attend to as the Spring Festival was just around the corner and I went to the countryside to ask for the opinion and request of my surviving older sister Liu Xiuzhen. Sorry for the delayed reply.
Recently, I’ve learned from Sichuan Digest that you are working hard on demanding compensation from the Japanese government for Chinese victims of the Japanese War of Aggression against China. You are such an admirable man. As you specialize in international law and communication and have made beneficial attempts, you are the perfect man to undertake the heavy task. It’s reported that you were born in Sichuan. I once worked in Nanchong and Chengdu, etc. of Sichuan for many years, and 3 out of 4 of my sons were born in Sichuan, so I always have a special feeling toward Sichuan. As my second son Liu Lingjiang will go to Beijing for study, I ask him to pay you a visit by taking the chance. I wonder if you’ve received my letters of claims I’ve sent for several times. Do I need to rewrite a letter of claim? Please reply to my son when he visits you.
Best regards,
Liu Kunxun
April 8, 1993
Address: Shaoyang City, Hunan Province
Letter of Claim for Compensation for Suffering of My Family Caused by the Japanese Army
In August 1944, to permanently occupy China and fulfill its ambition of creating the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, the Japanese fascist army launched a massive attack in central Hunan Province. After the Japanese army entered my village, I saw with my own eyes that my father Liu Junde was captured to carry loads for them. He was badly beaten because he couldn’t carry the heavy loads due to an old age, became permanently disabled and died. In September 1944, the Japanese army entered my village for the second time to loot and rape. Apart from burning my family’s wood furniture, they raped my older sister-in-law Li Songgang and intended to capture my older brother Liu Leping as a slave laborer. My older brother became indignant and refused to be taken away, so a Japanese soldier bayoneted him in his chest and abdomen for several times and even took out his intestines. It was a horrible sight to see. My family and local people cried bitterly. These scenes are still fresh to me. Now, only my older sister Liu Xiuzhen and I are still living. She leads a harder life than me in a place only 5 li (1 li=500 meters) away from our hometown in Hunan Province because she suffers from many diseases. We urgently hope to get a compensation of USD 2 million from the Japanese government. Please forward this to the Japanese embassy in China.
Victim’s older sister Liu Xiuzhen and younger brother Liu Kunxun
April 8, 1993
Letter of Claim for Damage Compensation for the Japanese War of Aggression against China
Japanese embassy in China,
In August 1944, to permanently occupy China and fulfill its ambition of creating the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, the Japanese fascist army launched a massive attack in central Hunan Province. After the Japanese army entered my village, I saw with my own eyes that my father Liu Junde was captured to carry loads for them. He was badly beaten because he couldn’t carry the heavy loads due to an old age, became permanently disabled and died. In September 1944, the Japanese army entered my village for the second time to loot and rape. Apart from burning my family’s wood furniture, they raped my older sister-in-law Li Songgang and intended to capture my older brother Liu Leping as a slave laborer. My older brother became indignant and refused to be taken away, so a Japanese soldier bayoneted him in his chest and abdomen for several times. It was a horrible sight to see. My mother Yao guiying, older sister Liu xiuying and I cried bitterly. I will always remember these scenes. Now, since my parents and older sister-in-law have passed away, only my older sister Liu Xiuzhen and I are living direct victims. We have the right to strongly demand a compensation of USD 2 million from the incumbent Japanese government. We will never give up until our goal is reached.
Address: Shaoyang City, Hunan Province
Victim Liu Kunxun and his older sister Liu Xiuzhen
April 7, 1993
