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An Unenviable Job
An ex-Malayan veteran confided
in me that the most unenviable and distasteful job he had ever had to do
was strip-search the bodies of the dead terrorists that were brought in
by chopper. As if the bullet-ridden bodies weren't enough in themselves,
but to rummage through the clothing and collect personal possessions off
each cadaver only accentuated the horrors of war. He confessed that he
felt degraded by the experience.
He spoke of pathetic, little
packets of rice, that had been saved and carefully wrapped for the next
meal; a piece of stale bread wrapped in a rag; heavily creased family photos
that were splattered with blood; trinkets; carefully folded personal letters
that had been perforated by bullets. A carefully coiled piece of string
. . . stubs of cigarettes . . . The female victims were no less tragic.
His list went on and on, but as he continued, his voice decreased to a
whisper as he looked beyond me.
For all of us, the war is
well over . . . but vivid memories linger still.
The following information
may leave a bad taste in the mouths of many Malayan Veterans.
In 1998 the BBC ran a documentary
entitled "Malaya, the Undeclared War". In the interview, Chin Peng gave
a long speech. Reported also, is that Chin Peng and his gang are living
in a special village provided for them by the Thailand Government.
"Lest We Forget"
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