German Press Report on Batang Kali Massacre Petition

Courtesy of Alois Leinweber

Sixty years on, last witness to British massacre in Malaysia speaks out

Telegraph (15/12/2008) : The Asia File

by Ben Bland

The Batang Kali massacre, in which 24 unarmed Chinese villagers were gunned down by Scots Guards in extremely questionable circumstances at the height of the Malayan Emergency in 1948, has been largely forgotten in Britain. It has never attracted the level of coverage accorded to the American outrages carried out at My Lai, Vietnam in 1968 and Haditha, Iraq in 2005.

But, 60 years after the incident that occurred at Batang Kali village, near Kuala Lumpur, on December 11-12, the last surviving witness in Malaysia is once again repeating her call for justice.

77-year-old Tham Yong, who is dying of throat cancer, has spent decades fighting for a full public enquiry, an apology from the British government and compensation. She told AFP that “after so much time, it still hurts me every time I talk about it, I remember it just like yesterday”.

“I’m still angry because these were innocent persons but labelled as bandits and communists, when all they were doing was collecting durians and not supplying food to the communists,” she said. “My advanced cancer means I will not around much longer, but I hope people remember what happened here so that those who were killed here are never forgotten.”

A group of politicians and activists, which is continuing the campaign for justice, delivered a note to the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur last week, calling on the British government to close the matter once and for all by holding a public enquiry. But the government has in the past always resisted such requests.

Like so many similar incidents, the exact details of what happened at the village of Batang Kali on those two days are clouded by the fog of war and remain sketchy. Perhaps the best recent account is contained in the excellent Forgotten Wars by Christopher Bayly and Tim Harper (who I studied under at university). Originally it was claimed that the men, who were rubber tappers suspected of helping supply communist insurgents, had been shot while trying to run away.

Malaysia’s Last Witness to 1948 Massacre Calls for Justice

Protesters campaign in front of the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to condemn the historic Batang Kali massacreCampaigners lay white flowers at the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to mark the historic Batang Kali massacre

 

Campaigners lay white flowers at the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to mark the historic Batang Kali massacre

BATANG KALI, Malaysia (AFP) — Tham Yong is elderly and infirm, but the sole living survivor of Malaysia’s 1948 Batang Kali massacre says she still vividly remembers what she calls “the day the British killed our men”.

“After so much time, it still hurts me every time I talk about it, I remember it just like yesterday,” she says, tears streaming down her cheeks as she recounts the slaying of 24 unarmed villagers by Scots Guards troops.

The 77-year-old former rubber tapper has spent decades fighting for compensation over the terrible events in the village of Batang Kali on December 11 and 12, 1948.

But as she succumbs to throat cancer, the campaign is being taken up by a new generation of activists and politicians who have demanded an apology from Britain and 80 million pounds (149 million dollars) in compensation.

The leader of the campaign, 40-year-old lawyer Quek Ngee Meng — whose father lives in Batang Kali — marched with a small band of supporters to the British High Commission on Friday to mark the 60th anniversary of the event.

The group presented a memorandum condemning the massacre to High Commissioner Boyd McCleary, who came out to the embassy gates to meet with the protesters.

“We are asking for a proper public enquiry to be held… I think it’s a fair request,” Quek told AFP.

“Let us show our evidence and if we have proven our case, then meet our demands. If the outcome favours the British government, then we will stop this protest,” he said.

Petition handed to British envoy

New Straits Times ( 2008/12/13)

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of 100 people handed a petition calling for justice over the Batang Kali massacre to British High Commissioner Boyd McCleary, here yesterday. The Action Committee Condemning the Batang Kali Massacre head of signature, Quek Ngee Meng, said the petition was timed to coincide with the incident’s 60th anniversary yesterday.

“The petition is a follow-up to an earlier one we sent to the British High Commission on March 25, where no action was taken by the British government,” said Quek.

The group, consisting of families of the victims and members of several non-governmental organisations spent about half an hour outside the British High Commission in Jalan Ampang at 10.30am.

They were later met by McCleary who personally accepted their petition under the watchful eyes of some 100 Federal Reserve Unit officers.

Photos of 12 Dec 08-Submit Memorandum at British High Comm, Jln Ampang

 

Campaigners protest in front of the British High Commission  in Kuala Lumpur to condemn the historic Batang Kali massacre (AFP photo)

Pay respect to massacre victims in front of British High Comm

 

Ceremony in front of British High Comm (AFP Photo)