Cempaka Culture and Tourism: Monument saves memory of Japanese soldiers

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Monument saves memory of Japanese soldiers

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

The monument, which lies next to a large house between the beach and the paved road, looks inconspicuous. The message it bears is of forgotten warriors from an obscure past.

It was built to honor fallen Japanese soldiers in World War II, who were interned on the island of Rempang before being repatriated to Japan at the war's end. Over 100 died, reportedly from sickness and hunger.

The 16500 square hectare island is located some 2.5 kilometers southeast of Batam, connected to the larger island by a bridge. With a population of only 1,000 people, Rempang is a quiet, desolate island.

Engraved on the small monument are these lines: "112,708 repatriated and 128 dead and buried in Rempang and Galang 1945-1946. This monument was constructed by the contributors as shown here, with their best wishes for friendship between Indonesia and Japan and for world peace, August 23, 1981, Rempang Friendship Association."

The Rempang Friendship Association (RFA) comprises former Japanese soldiers who survived Rempang. It was founded in 1977 and chaired by Masao Sato, former managing director of Japan Airlines.

The association's first visit to Rempang was made in 1978. Braving difficult roads and rough seas, dozens of elderly war veterans revisited their memories of pain and suffering.

The house next to the monument belongs to Amin Bujur, 60, the former chief of Rempang village for 30 years. His son, Jamnur, said the number of Japanese visitors had dwindled over the years.

"Most of these war veterans are very old now, making it difficult for them to travel this far. Gradually they've stopped coming," he said.

Not a single grave of a Japanese soldier is visible at first glance. However, Jamnur said, visting kin or comrades sometimes went deep into the forest with maps in hand. The maps had been drawn by fellow soldiers tasked with burying the fallen among them, and they charted the precise location of the graves.

"The ritual of visiting the graves was led by a monk. It could take a whole day because they had to walk through the woods and look for signs of graves, using the maps as their reference," Jamnur said.

"I really don't understand the ritual because I've never participated in one. It's so tiring."

According to Jamnur, stories of the graves started fading in the locals' consciousness once the Japanese stopped visiting.

"Many people around here do not believe the story. The monument is no longer maintained due to a lack of funds. The RFA has long since stopped sending money," said Jamnur, adding that the RFA used to send Rp 5 million (US$555) each month for maintenance costs.

The monument is not included in textbooks and tourist booklets published by the Batam municipality or Riau Islands provincial administration.

"We hope relatives of the former soldiers, especially the younger ones, will come and visit the graves of their forefathers again," said Jamnur.