Guns And Roses

In December 2002 I went to visit the 'Sook Ching' (Cleansing) Chinese victims WW2 memorial at the Esplanade in my country of Singapore. There I touched a large black urn that symbolises the dead ashes of those victims. These were the ashes of the cremated bodies of Chinese found all over Singapore after the WW2 ended, especially, at the Changi Point Beach whereby they were gunned down by the thousands. It reminded to all the people of Singapore not to be like the Imperial Japanese during WW2 and looked at the intolerance and atrocities committed by Imperial Japan, in Singapore and Nanking of mainland China during WW2.

After that I went to the war memorial of WW1. It was at the Esplanade too. There I silently offered a prayer of peace to them. Near the vicinity there is a 'shrine' for Tan Bok Seng (The War Hero of Singapore). He was trained by the British in India to lead the men of Force 136 and fought the Japanese Occupation of Peninsula Malaya and Singapore during WW2. He was captured and tortured by the Kampetai (equivalent to the Gastapo). He died during captivity. There I said a prayer to him.

My father went for a tour to Europe in 2003. Besides visiting the beautiful places of interest in Europe, Jew's Concentration Camps of WW2 in Europe were included part of the package. He said that while he was there he felt the most mystified feelings because the ovens and gas chambers were all still there as though it were only yesterday they had cleared the camps. He showed me the pictures he had taken and I took a looked at it.

Then I asked my father whether he knew anything more about Osman Bin Komeng. He said that once Osman told him that he put people on to the lorries (trucks) for work assignments. That was about all he said to me, but in my mind and in my heart I knew he sent those people to be executed or the PoWs and civilians alike were sent to the railway station bound for force labour of constructing the railways (Death Railways) in Burma.

I went to Changi Point Beach where the Chinese victims were executed in WW2 just to reflect what it was like for them to face the Japanese firing squads. I said a prayer of peace to them and apologised on behalf for my uncle's sins.

I went to the Changi Chapel and Museum just outside Tanah Merah Prison near the vicinity of Changi Prison, to view the atrocities committed by the Japanese and to read the notes of those living loved ones and survived PoWs to their fallen brothers in arms during WW2. There were notes; flowers, pictures and even medals pinned on the board for visitors to express their hearts.

I went to the Kranji WW2 War Memorial of the Commonwealth Soldiers to see their names written on the walls. You can see men and they all saw the mankind war with sorrow. I said my peace and prayers to them within my soul and talked to them to make me a better man than I was in the past. In the beginning there was nothing. Then there were pictures and signs. And these pictures and signs became words and the words form into meaningful things. The word is, "My Soul is wiser too." I have done my part to apologise to the world for Osman on earth and in heaven.

"As one ex-prisoner of war when visiting a fellow survivor, "Have you forgiven those who imprisoned you yet?"

The survivor said, "No, I haven't. Never."

The first veteran said, "Then somehow they still have you in prison."

Quoted from the book 'A Path With Heart' written by Jack Kornfield.

The constructions of Changi British Military Base were completed in the thirties. It was the fortress of Singapore that was supposed to withstood any foreign armies invasion. Changi Gaol was the memorial for many WW2 Commonwealth veterans and they came every year to honour their friends in Heaven. I was imprisoned at Changi Prison from Feb 1996 to November 2002, for a cheating crime. It was the memories of the past that I have gained so much learning about myself. Is there such a thing as Karma? You have read about my past life and my present life. That is Karma for me.

Sincerely,

Zulkifli Mahmood