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Following is an article provided by our readers in Tokyo, which reflects
on the voice of The International Citizens��Forum (��ICF��) on War Crimes
& Redress -- Seeking Reconciliation & Peace for the 21st Century
Press Release
December 9, 1999
The International Citizens�� Forum (��ICF��) on War Crimes & Redress --
Seeking Reconciliation & Peace for the 21st Century will begin tomorrow,
10 December in Tokyo. The organizer has held a press conference at the
Tokyo Foreign Correspondents Club today.
ICF is organized by Japanese citizens groups of scholars, attorneys and
human rights activists who have been working on the redress issue of
victims of Japanese atrocities committed before and during WW II. ��Our
hats off to these Japanese citizens who have been making efforts to help
victims of victimized countries to obtain justice from Japan. Indeed,
they have relentlessly tried to promote a high sense of justice and
humanity to their fellow Japanese citizens so that the dark chapter of
Japanese history will not be repeated. We respect their high sense of
responsibility and nationalism. We are proud to be their partners in our
common, noble cause.�� commented Professor Yue-him Tam, a historian
trained in Hong Kong, Japan, and the U.S., and president of the Global
Alliance for Preserving the History of World War II in Asia (Global
Alliance).
The co-organizer of ICF, Global Alliance is an international federation
of organizations focusing on the redress issue of victims of Japanese
atrocities. The World Jewish Congress and the Canadian Jewish Congress
are supporters to this international conference. Other supporting
organizations include Taipei Women��s Rescue Foundation, Hong Kong
Federation of Education Workers, Hong Kong Professional Teachers Union
etc. ��The participation of many scholars, specialists and community
leaders from Japan, Korea, China, the Philippines, Canada, the United
States, and other countries and regions is most meaningful. Their support
shows the concern of justice and humanity transcends boundaries, culture,
race and religion. The gathering of this global coalition at ICF is a
landmark in the redress movement for victims of Japanese atrocities.��
said Attorney Koken Tsuchiya, chairman of the organizing committee of ICF
and former president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.
Perspectives of legislation, litigation, education and the sharing of the
American, German and Jewish experience on the redress issue of war crimes
are focuses in the ICF��s program. The presentations and panel
discussions are designed to bring these issues to the forefront and to
present needs, alternative solutions, methods, processes, and experiences
to resolve vital redress issues of war crimes. ��The purpose of ICF is to
seek reconciliation and peace for the new millennium,�� said Attorney
Koken Tsuchiya in today��s press conference.
Attorney Koken Tsuchiya praised the past synergy between member
organizations of Global Alliance and Japan��s righteous citizens��
groups. He stressed ��Cooperation projects like the international support
letter campaign to the lawsuit of Professor Saburu Ienega in 1997, the
North American tour of Unit 731 exhibition and witnessing forum in 1998,
and the witnessing tour of the repentant Japanese soldier, Mr. Shiro
Azuma to Hong Kong in 1998 have all been beneficial to humanity.��
Professor Tam pointed out ��Such are joint efforts between peoples of the
perpetrator country and the victimized countries. Such efforts bear
witness to sincere international attempts in building a platform for
reconciliation. It is the sincere wish of the organizer, co-organizer and
the supporting organizations that ICF can make its contribution to the
betterment of humanity in the new millennium and to help the victims of
Japanese atrocities realize their rightful demand of justice from Japan.
Almost 55 years after the War, these victims of Japanese atrocities are
still denied of an apology and justice. Indeed, it is most significant
that this conference is being organized by Japanese citizens�� groups and
held on Japan��s soil. We hope the entire nation of Japan and the
international community would listen to what we have to say about
humanity and justice that we all cherish.��
Present also at the ICF press conference was Professor Lester Tenney, 79,
U.S. POW and survivor of the infamous Bataan Death March. As a POW, he
was forced slave laboring in a Japan mine of Mitsui Corporation. Of the
12,000 U.S. POW captured in Bataan in the Philippines, only 1,500
survived the death march and the subsequent imprisonment and forced labor
of 3 1/2 years. Professor Tenney will represent the victims of Japanese
atrocities to make address at the opening of ICF on 10 December. He has
filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking compensation from
Mitsui. On this return trip to Japan, Professor Tenney went to pay homage
to the coal mine where he was enslaved for three and a-half years during
the war.
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