12/10/99/tky
Yue-him
Tam President, GA
I would like to begin my remarks by noting that in his book entitled A Passion for Justice, Robert C. Solomon quotes the following words from the Chinese Confucian master, Mencius: “Anyone without the heart of sympathy and compassion is not a human being, anyone without the heart of shame and dislike is not a human being, anyone without the heart of modesty and courtesy is not a human being, anyone without the heart of right and wrong is not a human being.” (¡m©s¤l¡nµL´lÁô¤§¤ß¡A«D¤H¤]¡CµL²Û´c¤§¤ß¡M«D¤H¤]¡CµL ÃãÅý¤§¤ß¡M «D¤H¤]¡CµL¬O«D¤§¤ß¡M«D¤H¤]¡C) (1)
This quotation from Mencius, whom many Japanese today respect highly still, expresses our common humanity most relevant for this international citizens’ forum on war crimes and redress
Today as we open this forum on the eve of the 62nd anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, I, and members of the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of Second World War in Asia (GA), feel full of joy and sorrow at the same time. We are happy because the dedicated work of many of our friends in Japan has made it happen, and sad because the wounds of the atrocities epitomized by the Nanjing Massacre remain to be healed, and the mistrust that ensued such as from the Pearl Harbor Attack---its anniversary we observed a few days ago---has yet to be reconciled, by unequivocal deeds in honor of our common humanity and passion for justice.
While Germany has apologized to the victims of the Nazi regime and long begun, and continues, paying them due compensation, I regret to note that Japan has enshrined its Class A WW II criminals, whitewashed its past aggression, and denied responsibility for the war crimes. This is meant to be a statement of facts without any connotation of judgment or pointing finger. A value judgment, however, will be inherent in what we the citizens are going to do about the acts of our respective governments. For what we are going to do, or fail to do, will define whether we live up to the attributes for human beings as Mencius has articulated twenty three centuries ago.
Therefore I propose the discussions of this forum be dictated by what we wish others would do for us if we ourselves were the victims of the war atrocities, without any thought for revenge or hatred but, to quote and paraphrase the American President Abraham Lincoln’s celebrated speech, “with malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right,” as God gives us to see the right, let us begin to heal the wounds, “to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace.” (2)Let’s bring about a new era of reconciliation, trust and co-prosperity.
Perhaps, whatsoever we resolve here to do would be inadequate, in fact too late for those who have perished or since succumbed due to age. Nevertheless, we can and must keep the memory of the victims alive and preserve the story of their suffering in a museum for generations to come to learn the horrors of that war and prevent them to revisit the humankind. For this is the least we wish others would do if we ourselves were the victims. Thus, GA has initiated such a memorial museum project, as well as a world-wide annual commemoration to honor their memory in the month of December, which we call Nanjing Ji (or Nanjing Matsuri). Shortly before I left the United States for Japan two days ago, I received an interim report that there will be thirty five cities organizing commemorative activities this year. GA also espouses the study, research, and dissemination of the historical truth by all like-minded individuals and institutions worldwide. To that end we sponsor conferences and support publications of relevant subject matters.
Thus, we have come not to decide whether instant death is preferable to that of disembowelment after rape or beheading while kneeling beside the grave dug out by the intended victim, or to determine whether the number of victims as a result of the rape of Nanjing and its vicinity exceeds the total deaths of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. For one single rape or one single murder is too many and those ultimately responsible for such beastly acts must be held accountable.
To the citizens of Japan, we want you to know that we have come seeking reconciliation and friendship with mutual trust and respect, in the belief that such reconciliation and friendship are essential for healing the wounds and ensuring a just and lasting peace. As Japan’s Nobel literature laureate, Mr. Oe Kensaburo, has well said:
“Japan and the Japanese must work for rehabilitation in Asia. In the history of our modernization in general but, in particular, in the war of aggression that was its peak, we lost the right to be a part of Asia and have continued to live without recovering that right. Without that rehabilitation we shall never be able to eradicate the ambivalence in our attitude toward our neighbors, the feeling that our relationships aren’t real. If I believe these feelings might nonetheless be overcome, it is not because I expect our government to change its attitude drastically, but because I find that true remorse is quietly but deeply internalized among common people.” (3)
Thus, we are confident that our search will be awarded by you, who will articulate the sentiment of the common people of Japan with quietly and deeply internalized true contrition.
I would like to close my remarks with an invitation to all the people concerned, citizens of the world, let us dedicate ourselves to this endeavor to bring a just closure of that chapter of world history so that we can march on, with reinforced confidence and increased appreciation of our common humanity, to meet the challenge of a new century and a new millennium.
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(1) Robert S. Solomon, A Passion for Justice. Addison Wesley, 1990. p. 30.
(2) Angle and Miers, The Living Lincoln. Barnes & Noble, 1992. p. 640.
(3) Oe Kensaburo, “Denying History Disables
Japan,” The New York Times Magazine,
July 2, 1995.