Nanjing vigils set somber scene

Events in US and Canada mark 80th anniversary of WWII atrocities

While nothing can undo the unspeakable tragedy of Nanjing Massacre, a day for commemoration in Ontario was a milestone for many reasons.

Community associations from across the Canadian province joined a public candlelit vigil on Wednesday to mark the first Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day.

The somber mood of about 1,000 people who gathered at Queens' Park lit candles for the victims of the massacre.

On Oct 26, the Ontario Legislature gave unanimous consent to Chinese-Canadian lawmaker Soo Wong's Motion 66, which designates Dec 13 of each year as Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day in Ontario.

"I am proud to stand with my colleagues and Ontarians today in remembrance of the Nanjing Massacre," Wong said.

"The Commemorative Day is about education, reaffirming Ontario's values and more importantly standing with survivors and victims' families in somber memorial of these atrocities."

Members of Provincial Parliament in the House stood for a moment of silence in the chamber to remember the victims.

"I am incredibly proud of Ontario in spearheading this commemorative day," said MPP Michael Chan.

"For too long, the Nanjing Massacre has gone unrecognized in the West. Today, Ontario commemorates the hundreds of thousands of lives lost in this atrocity, it is important to ensure that Ontario's younger generation understand the impact of this atrocity."

Members from the Japanese community also joined the gathering to mark the somber event.

"The Commemorative Day is a great accomplishment after a long struggle," said Yusuke Tanaka, a Japanese writer who has fought for social justice since 1980s.

"I do want to celebrate (the successes) today, as it is a great reconciliation between Japanese and other Asian groups."

The event coincided with the 80th anniversary of the day when Nanjing fell to Japanese aggressors, who went on a six-week-long slaughter of civilians and soldiers who had surrendered and put down their arms.

About 300,000 Chinese were killed, and 20,000 women raped during the massacre.

Meanwhile, Chinese and other Asian communities across US cities also paid homage to victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

In New York, home to the largest Chinese-American population, people from a dozen Chinese associations gathered at a square in Manhattan's Chinatown on Wednesday to mourn victims.

"We gather together to remember hundreds of thousands of people who were killed 80 years ago in Nanjing," said Zheng Shigan, president of the United Fujianese of America Association, organizer of the event, during which participants wore white flower and presented wreaths.

"We hope more people to know about this part of the history and to treasure the peace and stability we have today."

Zeng Xianqiu, general-secretary of the association, said young people should also learn about the history so that such a tragedy would never be repeated.

On the US west coast, representatives from the Chinese community and students of a Chinese-language school held a ceremony on Tuesday night to mark the 80th anniversary at the WWII Pacific War Memorial Hall in downtown San Francisco.

The participants observed a minute of silence in the candlelit hall, which was solemnly adorned with black-and-white pictures of war victims.

They said the remembrance was held to honor the victims of the Nanjing Massacre and that they, as overseas Chinese, will never forget the hardships and sufferings inflicted upon the Chinese nation.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

renali@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 12/15/2017 page11)