The railway line project was built using the slave workers, many of whom died, from 1943 till Japan’s surrender in August 1945 that brought an end to World War II in Asia.
PETALING JAYA: The Death Railway Interest Group Malaysia has called for the establishment of a monument and information centre to honour the hundreds of thousands of forgotten victims of the Siam–Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway.
The call comes ahead of a meeting today between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Wisma Putra, which will also cover bilateral relations, including trade, defence, labour, tourism, connectivity, agriculture, and education, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.
“Jointly collaborate with the Government of Thailand to establish a fitting Monument and an Information Centre at the site of one of the Mass Graves along the railway where the Asian victims, predominantly Tamil plantation workers from Malaya remain buried and forgotten for over eight decades.”
The group said the timing of the Prime Ministers’ meeting offers a unique opportunity to provide recognition, consolation, and closure for the victims and their descendants.
The railway line project extended over 415 km between Ban Pong in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma.
It was built using the slave workers, many of whom died, from 1943 till Japan’s surrender in August 1945 that brought an end to World War II in Asia.
