Nanjing publishes testimonies of massacre survivors

The first testimony comes from Xia Shuqin; the 84-year-old survivor lost seven relatives in the Nanjing holocaust, while sustaining severe injuries. [Photo: people's daily]

The Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre will publish the testimonies of 100 survivors on its official website on Wednesday.

A photo documenting the atrocity will also be published together with the testimonial archives.

The massacre memorial hall held a press conference this morning attended by academics and survivors of the massacre.

The first testimony comes from Xia Shuqin; the 84-year-old survivor lost seven relatives in the Nanjing holocaust, while sustaining severe injuries.

Her family's experience was recorded by John Magee, an American Episcopal priest who performed missionary work in China around the time of the massacre.

He was also the chairman of the Nanking Committee of the International Red Cross Organization, at the time.Xia was accused by two Japanese scholars of providing false testimony in 1998.

She sued the scholars and won the lawsuit after three trials at the Tokyo District Court, Tokyo High Court and Japan's Supreme Court, respectively.

The 84-year-old said she can never forget the painful memories brought on by the massacre and its history can never be wiped out.Xia believes the release of the archives will call for collective action from international community to condemn Japanese militarism.