From: Norman Bassett, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
As Unit 731 the Japanese WW2 biowar research
establishment at Mukden, Manchuria, has been
previously discussed, here's a bit of a followup from
PRC site
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn
"War victims fight on for justice
SHANGHAI: Chinese survivors and the families of
victims of Japanese germ warfare in World War II vowed
to continue their fight for an apology and
compensation from Japan.
Forty representatives from Zhejiang and Hunan
provinces gathered in Shanghai for a seminar about the
issue. The three-day event started on Sunday and ends
today.
The group discussed with their Japanese lawyers and
historians how best to carry on their fight at the
seminar, held at the Institute of Politics and Law of
East China.
"They (victims of Japanese germ warfare) should have
the right to seek justice," said Wang Xuan, 48,
chairwoman of the Chinese plaintiffs' group.
"Chinese victims have not at any time or in any form
given up their fight for compensation from Japan,"
said Wang, who lost her uncle to Japanese germ
warfare.
An in-depth study by Chinese and Japanese scholars
shows that at least 270,000 Chinese soldiers and
civilians were killed by Japanese germ warfare troops
between 1933 and 1945.
Twenty Chinese provinces were attacked by Japanese
units, which spread deadly diseases, including
typhoid, cholera, diarrhoea fever, anthrax, lockjaw
and gangrene.
Many details were recorded in the book "Factories of
Death" by Sheldon Harris, professor of history
emeritus at California State University. The book
provides an insight into Japan's notorious germ
warfare experiments and the troops who carried them
out -Unit 731.
After years of preparation, in August 1997 108
survivors and family members from five districts in
Zhejiang and one area in Hunan filed a lawsuit at
Tokyo Local Court. They demanded that the Japanese
Government acknowledge the damage and compensate each
victim with 10 million yen (US$95,238).
Of the 30 suits filed with the Japanese court, this
was the first concerning Japan's use of biological
weapons during World War II.
The court case began in February 1998. Since then 15
hearings have been held. Wang arranged for many
witnesses and survivors to attend the hearings in
Japan. Most of the costs came from donations from
Japanese supporters and overseas Chinese.
Wang and the plaintiffs will go to Japan this
September to attend the 16th hearing of the case. "We
will fight on until the last minute," said Wang.
"Rights won't be handed down from above, we need to
fight for them," Wang added.
Date: 08/08/2000
Author: SHI HUA, China Daily staff
Copyright� by China Daily"
Regards
Norman Bassett
drakenfels.org
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
___________________________________________________________
T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
