Speech for August 15, 2000 : Day of "Peace in the Pacific”
Thekla Lit, President of B.C. ALPHA
The Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, Minister Hammell, Minister Kwan,
honourable guests, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you all for your presence here
today. It is most meaningful we have
among our guests, veterans who served in the Pacific theater of World War II
and also survivors of crimes against humanity of the War. Also, with us are representatives of
different ethnic organizations that share with B.C. ALPHA the same compassion
for victims and survivors of crimes against humanity. I believe all of us here are concerned about peace, humanity and
justice.
B.C. ALPHA wants to make the hope for
peace a possible dream. We have been
working to facilitate our fellow Canadians to learn lessons of humanity from
this tragic chapter of history. I would
like to take this occasion to express ALPHA’s appreciation to the Provincial
government for the proclamation of this day to be the Day of Peace in the
Pacific. Our appreciation also goes to
the Ministry of Education for their development of a learning resource
regarding humanity and justice issues in the context of WW II in Asia. The resource will be used by B.C. high
school students. ALPHA is proud to be a
partner with the Ministry in the development of this resource. We believe the resource will be a
significant contribution to the betterment of humanity in this multicultural
nation of ours.
ALPHA also supports survivors’ demand
that the Japanese parliament should pass resolutions of apology and
compensation to victims of crimes against humanity committed by the Japanese
Imperial Army during WWII. We believe
this is important for reconciliation and for healing the wound of history that
has been left unresolved for 55 years.
When I asked Mr. Tatsuo Kage why he
supported the work of ALPHA, he told me the Japanese Canadians had got their
redress from the Canadian government for their unjust internment during WW II
and so they know how important redress is for victims and survivors. That is also one of the reasons why he and
many other Japanese Canadians support the redress movement of victims and
survivors of crimes against humanity committed by Japanese Imperial Army during
the Asia-Pacific War.
It is for long lasting peace that the
Japanese government should make sincere effort to facilitate their younger
generations to learn lessons of humanity from this dark chapter of
history. This is a necessity for
building a solid foundation for genuine friendship and long lasting peace in
the Pacific and the world.
Let us all work to help make our hope for
peace a reality. Thank you.