Markham commemorates Nanjing Massacre victims, promotes peace

Yorkregion.com
December 17, 2018
Sheila Wang

This year marks the 81st anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre committed by the Japanese invaders in China during the Second World War.

Hundreds of people gathered at the Markham Civic Centre in the afternoon of Dec. 13 to commemorate the 300,000 victims who were brutally murdered by Japanese troops in the winter of 1937.

“Let’s remember what has happened in the past, and at the same time let’s promote peace so that we don’t have to talk about war in the future,” said Regional councillor Joe Li, who put forward a motion last year for the city to recognize the significance of the Nanjing Massacre.

Council unanimously passed the resolution to proclaim Dec. 13, 2017, as the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, and thereafter Dec. 13 be the Nanjing Massacre Remembrance Day.

On Dec. 13, 1937, Japanese troops overtook Nanjing, then China’s capital, and began a six-week massacre. Chinese records show than more than 300,000 people --including women, elderly and young children --were tortured and butchered and more than 20,000 women raped.

As a Chinese descendant himself, Li said he was personally touched by the event and hopes it would help more young people learn about the past.

Chinese residents account for more than 40 per cent of Markham’s population, and it is especially important them to understand the history, Li added.

The regional councillor delivered a short speech at the memorial ceremony, followed by a three-minute moment of silence to commemorate the victims.

“I hope with this memorial service, we’ll be able to educate more Markham residents to get to know about history,” Li said.

The ceremony, hosted by the World War Two Asian Memorial Museum of Canada, was the first memorial service to mark the Nanjing Massacre that has been held in Markham. Li said he hoped the city could continue with the service every year.

Officials of all levels of government participated in the memorial service, including Tao Han, Consul General of the People's Republic of China.