Some 1,900 people of Panjiadai Village in the city of Tangshan, Hebei Province, announced to collectively sue Japanese government involved in 1942 massacre of killing 1,280 of their relatives, and asked for compensation of 4.5 billion yuan, www.eastday.com reported Tuesday.
The lawsuit will be done by international attorney group in the third country other than China and Japan. They want to let people all of the world know Japanese invaders’ unforgivable crimes, and the spiritual damages they caused to several generations of the village, said Meng Zhaode, chief of the compensation-claiming group.
Early on December 4, 1942, the Japanese cavalries garrisoning in Tangshan learned that China’s Eight Routes Army were around the village, but were waylaid and escaped. The other day, the Japanese invaders ferociously slaughtered 1,280 villagers in only one day, and burned more than 1,000 houses.
So far, every families of the village have their relatives killed in the massacre. It is the first case for civilian war compensation, and there are not any successful precedents till now, said Meng. It is so hard in every way, but we have confidence to hold on, he added.
The Japanese right-wing power wanted to hide the truth by amending the textbook which we are strongly against, said Meng. The lawsuit gained support of China Anti-War Memorial and China Anti-Japan War Research Fund Association, and most of the initial preparation work were completed, and the formal prosecution is expected to begin by the end of this year.
(eastday.com 04/10/2001)
