Batang Kali group to soldier on

UALA LUMPUR: The Action Committee Con-demning the Batang Kali Massacre will not give up their fight despite a refusal by the British government to hold an inquiry into the 1948 massacre.

Datuk Dominic Puthucheary

Lawyer Datuk Dominic Puthucheary said the committee was determined to fight Britain’s provisional decision to reject any probe into the killings.

“We will pursue without doubt until justice is done. It must be resolved by establishing the truth. It cannot continue with all these uncertainties and anxiety on how and why it happened.

“Until that is cleared, we are determined and we are going to continue the fight,” he told a press conference yesterday.

The lawyers representing the committee met with British government officials in July and Britain replied in a letter this month that it is “minded not to establish a public inquiry and not to take any other investigation in to those events”.

郭義民：拒開大屠殺聽證會‧英典當社會公義

Press Conference on 29/8/2009

（吉隆坡）追討英軍屠殺罪行工委會對於英國政府初步拒絕設立調查委員會或聽證會，處理英軍61年前在峇冬加里屠殺24名烏魯音村民慘案感到失望。

工委會義務律師之一郭義民在今日（週六，8月29日）早上的匯報會上說，英政府的這項決定是在典當社會公義。

他指出，這事件已經發生61年，英政府仍然在拖延處理。

“英政府並無合作的誠意，一直以來，所有的合作只是我方單向的配合。”

他也批評英政府拒絕召開聽證會的理由不合情理法。

追究不願承擔犯錯責任

他並說，工委會追討道歉賠償和設立紀念塔，並非要英政府負起犯罪的刑事責任，而是追究英政府不願承擔犯錯的責任。

“英政府的拒絕理由，沒有從人類普世價值觀出發，我方基於分清是非及伸張正義的大前提下，堅持要向英政府討回公道，以維護大馬人的尊嚴。”

羅正文‧我站在譚蓉老太太的面前

譚蓉老太太是誰？她是61年前峇冬加里血案的倖存者。事情就從“追討英軍屠殺罪行工委會”早前向共和聯邦國會協會及英國駐馬最高專員署提出訴求說起吧。工委會要求英政府設立紀念碑，並對死難者家屬作合理的賠償，否則將入稟法庭，迄今為止英國未就如何採取適當善後措施作出回應。

峇冬加里屠殺事件誠然是一個難忘的創痛，但背景極為錯綜複雜，絕非單一因素所能解釋。因此，提呈訴求只能算是此一史事研究的開始，而非蓋棺之論。但至少有關屠殺事件的擴大報導，使讀者瞭解到悲劇的造成，原因非止一端，各方均應作深切的反省，使歷史不再重演，使創痛得以止息。

马华助大屠杀受害者向英诉求

（张明光报道）马来西亚最大华人政党马华将协助61年前“峇冬加里大屠杀”事件遇难者家属向英国政府请愿，要求英国作出赔偿及道歉。

马华副总会长廖中莱昨天在马华大厦会见追讨英军屠杀罪行工委会成员和遇难者家属，答应给予协助。他在记者会说，马华将全力支持工委会，协助家属申冤及讨回公道。

他透露，马华的第一步行动是向英国驻马最高专员提交备忘录，要求最高专员向英国政府反映工委会和家属的意愿。

MCA to Press British Government On Batang Kali Massacre

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama)– The MCA wants the British government to continue its investigation and to have a fair inquiry into the Batang Kali massacre, vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said Thursday.

The party would take up the case with the British High Commission and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, he told reporters at the party headquarters after a closed-door meeting with relatives of the victims who have set up an action committee.