史維會與多元族裔組織發表立場書

定远

新聞稿2005年6月20日

加拿大抗日戰爭史實維護會

史維會與多元族裔組織發表立場書

要求政府譴責日本政府要員參拜靖國神社破壞和約

不支持日本「入常」

組織紀念抗日戰爭勝利60週年活動並促進和平教育

加拿大抗日戰爭史實維護會聯合本國各地不同族裔團體, 發表一份公開聯署聲明, 要求三級政府在迎接抗日戰爭勝利60週年之際, 敦促日本政府採取行動, 與受害國人民和解, 賠償他們之損失痛苦, 立法向受害國人民謝罪及制止否認侵略戰爭罪行之行為, 停止官員參拜供奉甲級戰犯及宣揚軍國主義的靖國神社。在日本政府作出這些行動前, 不支持日本申請聯合國安理會常任國席位。



史維會共同主席王裕佳醫生和列國遠女士透露, 該聯盟將去函聯邦及省政府表達訴求, 並正要求與溫哥華市議會合辦亞太重光60周年紀念活動。他們又呼籲各界朋友聯絡更多團體及社區領袖加入聯署。



加拿大人責無旁貸

聲明指出: 加拿大作為對日和約(三藩市和約)的簽署國之一，并根據本國有關違反戰爭罪行的法律，不僅有權利而且有義務幫助解决二戰遺留給亞洲人民懸而未決的問題。解決這一問題有利於加拿大的既得利益，包括安全和經濟利益。如果这一問題得不到解决，我们將面對一個動盪不安的亞太地區，其結果終將影響到我們的安全以及與亞太其他國家日益密切的經濟往來。



加拿大政府應該站出來, 像為歐戰倖存者那樣為亞洲受害人主持公道。不這樣做，就是向亞裔加拿大人發出這樣的信息﹕他們的三級政府對他們所關心的問題不重視。



聯署者要求加拿大政府做三件事情：

1）向日本政府提出正式抗議其支持和参拜靖國神社。根據三藩市條約第十一條，日本政府必須「接受遠東國際軍事法庭的東京審判」。政府官員参拜供奉戰犯神社的行為，違反了該和約的條文和精神。

2）在日本政府做到以下幾點之前拒絕支持日本申請成為聯合國安理會常任理事國：還戰爭罪行受害人以公道、國會立法代表國家就其所犯戰爭罪行作出全面道歉、制定一系列類似德國承擔戰爭責任之舉措，其中包括立法禁止否認侵略史實和暴行。

3）將8月15日（抗日戰爭勝利日）定為「亞太和平日」，支持有關行動和教育項目，保證加拿大人有學習二戰歷史的平等機會，不僅了解歐洲的二戰史，而且还要認識亞洲的二戰史。



到目前為止,聯署該聲明的團體及知名人士已超過三十多個, 遍及華裔、韓裔、日裔、歐裔等, 包括加拿大史維會, 加拿大亞太網絡, 溫哥華中華會館, 華裔加人專業人員協會, 中僑互助會, 韓裔學生反戰網絡, 卑詩韓裔文化聯誼會, 韓裔婦女國際網絡渥太華分部, 華裔軍事博物館, 卑詩人權維護會, 溫哥華香港協進會, 渥太華龍崗總會, 渥太華中華會館, 渥太華台灣大專畢業同學會, StopWar.ca…等。此外還有省議員、市議員、學務委員、作家、學者等社會賢達。



支持聯署名人意見

卑詩韓裔文化聯誼會會長朴辰禧(Jeanne Pak)對於日本文部科學大臣中山成彬近日揚言「根本不存在」慰安婦問題的言論表示反感，官方其後的所謂道歉也不見得真有誠意, 因為經文部省審批的大多數歷史教科書皆刻意向下一代隱瞞這段史實, 這些做法祗能激起受害人的憤慨。加拿大政府向以宣揚人權為己任, 應向日本表示關注, 並敦促正視由此引起之問題。



中僑互助會行政總裁陶黃彥斌指出: 加拿大素以維護人權及族裔和諧聞名於世, 對於戰爭及違反人道罪行的受害人亦常伸出援手。二次大戰中倖存的亞洲受害人現已是年老長者, 幾十年傷痛至今未愈, 與公義仍未伸張有關。加拿大是移民組成的國家, 族裔和諧建基於公義平等和消除種族歧視之上, 各級政府對歐洲和亞洲二戰的受害人應持相同態度, 助他們討回公道, 制裁加害者, 並防止破壞和平的歷史重演。加國亞裔移民曾飽受歧視之苦, 他們族裔在二戰中的經歷到今天應該受到重視, 並成為加國文化傳統一部份。



日裔加拿大詩人、作家及日裔加人集中營歷史研究員Joy Kogawa 指出: 日本人尤其是日本兒童應該認識在他們祖父輩的時代, 他們國家所犯下難以想像的暴行。她認為治療 (二戰日軍暴行受害人及家屬傷痛) 的過程要從治療的意願開始, 即從認識事實真相開始。她相信日裔加人會以謙卑和感謝之心接受這個機會, 與受害人團結在一起, 希望這樣能稍微緩和他們長久的傷痛。她同時期望日本的領導人能拿出道德勇氣面對過去的不人道行為, 並作出合理的賠償。



卑詩省議員關慧貞表示:加拿大學校有關亞洲近代歷史的部份甚為貧乏。亞太戰爭中所犯的是違反人道罪行, 南京大屠殺,「慰安婦」,細菌戰等都是極為嚴重的罪行, 絕不容許被遺忘。但很不幸,從日本不時傳來高層官員否認史實的言論,以及向受害人推卸道歉賠償責任的判決。作為世界公民一份子,加拿大人應當站出來出一分力,促成和解與和平。加拿大學校應多研討這段歷史,讓學生從中獲益。她又慶幸卑詩省教育廳於2001年已率先出版一份相關教材供中學使用,提高學生的社會責任感和世界公民意識。



曾在去年參加史維會舉辦的訪華學習團﹐到中國探訪二戰倖存者的中學老師Janet Crawford表示: 當老師在加拿大課堂教授社會公義的時候, 加國政府必須行動起來, 說到做到, 在國內及國際上嚴格實踐這些理念. 因此, 加拿大有重要角色的扮演, 在敦促日本對承擔二戰罪責此事情上﹐加拿大應扮演重要的角色。



國會議員戴維絲之聲明

國會議員戴維絲就多元族裔組織聯合立場書發表聲明﹕『本人堅決支持多元族裔組織聯合立場書內有關日本於二戰所犯罪行之各項關注。我支持日本暴行受害人的索償﹐深深相信加拿大政府應為亞太地區的和解與和平努力。加拿大政府必須保證聯合國安理會的改革﹐應建基於維護公義與人權之原則上。』戴維絲於2001年參與了提名曾控告日本政府竄改教科書達三十二年之久的日本歷史學者家永三郎為諾貝爾和平獎候選人。



聯署名單

公開聲明及聯署名單刊載於史維會網站:
www.alpha-canada.org/multiethnic
分別有英文,中文, 日文等版本, 公眾可上網瀏覽。

定远

Multi-ethnic Coalition for Redress, Reconciliation and Peace in the Asia Pacific

Media Release

June 20, 2005



Re: Community Organizations Across Canada call upon the Federal Government to Take Leadership on Redress in the Asia-Pacific Region



In a rare show of unity, a growing list of community organizations and community leaders from across Canada representing tens of thousands of Canadians from different ethnic and political backgrounds are endorsing a petition to be presented to the federal government, pointing out the need for the federal Canadian government to partake in efforts to achieve redress, reconciliation and peace in the Asia-Pacific in relation to the Asian Holocaust. The Asian Holocaust, where over 30 million people, including Canadian prisoners of war, were victimized by then Axis power Japan during World War II, is also known as the “Forgotten Holocaust”.



The position paper, to be issued to the Canadian government by the Multiethnic Coalition in response to the recent tension in East Asia demands that the Canadian government:

lay a formal complaint with the Japanese government for promoting and participating in visits to Yasukuni Shrine


refuse to support a Japanese bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council until the Japanese government provides appropriate redress for victims of crimes against humanity; issues a state-endorsed, full apology for its war crimes; and institutes substantive measures of war responsibility, including passing a law that would outlaw denial of the Asian Holocaust


promote August 15 (V-J Day), as a day of "eace in the Asia-Pacific" and support educational efforts to educate Canadians about the impact of war in the Asia-Pacific region as it does with the European theatre of World War II.


Stoked by the recent international focus on the aggressive Japanese bid to join the UN Security Council, the latest round of approval of whitewashed history textbooks by the Japan’s Ministry of Education and the ensuing outrage expressed by Asian countries victimized by Japan during World War II, most notably South Korea and China, the unresolved concern of the Asian Holocaust has once again been placed on the world stage. One of the members of the Multi-ethnic Coalition, Canada ALPHA (Association for Learning and Preserving the History of WWII in Asia) which has been keeping the memories of the Asian Holocaust on the table for the past 10 years, has stepped out on this matter. “Viewing this issue as merely a matter of geo-politics is an insult to the memories of tens of millions of innocent lives brutally taken by Japanese troops during the Asian Holocaust. We cannot be ignorant of this chapter of history or allow a double standard in how we remember and deal with the Nazi Holocaust and the Asian Holocaust” stated Thekla Lit, Co-chair of Canada ALPHA and a human rights advocate. “All Canadians as well as citizens across the world have a duty to remember and learn from lessons of the past”.



Ms. Lit’s views are echoed by such prominent community leaders as Libby Davies, MP who added her voice to those seeking justice for the victims of Japanese war crimes in Asia. “I believe strongly that the Canadian government must direct its efforts to ensure redress, reconciliation and peace in the Asia Pacific” said Davies. Well-known Japanese-Canadian humanist Joy Kogawa, author of novels, poetry and essays on Japanese Canadian internment said “I believe that the Japanese, and especially Japanese children, should know, just as German children do, that in the time of their grandparents, their countries acted with unthinkable barbarity… A process of healing begins with the desire for healing. It begins with truth. It also begins with a willingness to share in the on-going burden of pain… I pray that the leadership in Japan will act with moral courage in facing and more adequately redressing its inhumanities in the past”.



Unlike Germany, which has gone to extreme lengths to abolish Fascism and actively seeks and prosecutes Nazi war criminals, Japan has done nothing to deter the increasing rise of neo-Fascism in Japan. In addition, visits by Japanese Prime Minister, Koizumi to the Yasukuni Shrine where Class A war criminals are worshipped as gods and increasing attempts to glorify Japanese wartime militarism and to whitewash its war crimes has been compared to the hypothetical analogy of German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder paying tribute to a deified Hitler and celebrating German war criminals. Recent support by the Japan Education Minister Nariaki Nakayama to remove reference to the hundreds of thousands of women abducted and forced into ***ual slavery by Japanese troops, the so-called “comfort women”, from revised history textbooks has further enraged groups representing the victimized women of Japanese military ***ual slavery system of WWII across the world. All these have caused many Asian countries to become wary of Japan’s bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council which is responsible for world security and peace matters.



The Multi-ethnic Coalition’s position paper argues that as a signatory to the San Francisco Peace Treaty in which Japan was to accept the judgements of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, the counterpart to Nuremberg, visits by Japanese government officials to a shrine that has deified war criminals violates both the letter and the spirit of the Peace Treaty. Canada has not only a moral, but legal obligation to ensure that Japan must abide by this critical spirit of the Peace Treaty. Furthermore, the position paper points out that Canada has a vested security and economic interest in resolving this long overdue issue of the Asian Holocaust.



Dr. Edmond Wong, a co-author of the position paper indicated that “The previous focus of the government only upon Europe and the European Holocaust has lead to a marginalization of the Asian Holocaust, of which many Canadians are completely ignorant. As Canada enters a new era of global inter-dependence and equality, the onus is upon our present government to take leadership on issues of international peace and stability, to educate the Canadian public, and to stand up for the rights of victimized people across the world. As Canadians, we enjoy a freedom of speech and we must use it not only for ourselves, but also to speak out on behalf of others.”



The Multi-ethnic Coalition calls on more organizations and community leaders to endorse the position paper which will be presented to the federal government later this week. Refer to http://www.alpha-canada.org/multiethnic/ for the original Position Paper and the list of endorsers.

匹夫

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