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温哥華華埠慶祝乙酉雞年之春節大遊行於今年二月十三日在華埠盛大舉行。 這天是涼快但晴朗的。
我們的隊伍除了總堂主席余根洙，分堂主席余 美湛及本屆理事與顧問之外，特別請來了從西雅圖余風采堂的四位嘉賓:
余海量伉儷及余一籣程啟平伉儷。
今年的醒獅隊由范楊宗師父領導。在我們離開余風采堂前往遊行起點千禧門集合時，電視第九台採訪了舞獅師兄范宇軒。
遊行隊伍從片打街出發，沿途經過歌雅街，奇化街，然後回到起點。歷時超過一小時才完成。 然後我們去 M
電視台（多元文化台）
接受錄影，於當晚播出舞獅精彩的情形，在返回到會所前，我們醒獅隊在奇化街一百號地段進行向商店門前採青，
今年所得利是款項，全部捐贈與紅十字會海嘯救濟基金會。
回到會堂稍作休息後，大家一齊共進豐富的自助午餐，來慶祝今年的春節。
春節聯歡及頒發二零零四年度獎學金
温哥華余風采堂每年一度春宴，巳於二月二十六日成功舉行。下午六時假座華埠富大酒家晚宴，頒發 2004
年度温哥華余風采堂獎學金。 出席得獎者有:
- 小學組: 余曉淇、余曉正、余安娜。
- 中學組: 余泳年、余慧欣、余志媛。
- 大學組: 余啟正、余嘉彤、余嘉雯、余燕華。
温哥華余風采堂舉行清明祭掃
清明時節雨紛紛，
路上行人欲斷魂，
借問酒家何處有，
牧童遙指杏花村。
唐代詩人杜牧的《清明》詩精確道出了中國清明時節的特殊氣氛。 清明節是中國人傳統懷念親人、祭祖掃墓的日子。
按照舊習俗﹐在這一天裡﹐人們都要帶著酒肉、 果品、紙錢、香燭等到逝去親人的墳上祭拜。
乙酉年二月二十五日(2005 年 4 月 3
日、星期日)，余氏宗人一起聚集在山景墓園「安魂亭」旁邊，拿住雨傘，輪候祭祖。
當天滿眼滿目望到的都是黑雲遮日，稀雨淋淋的。
啓康叔安排祭祖典禮活動。
中午十二時，隆重的余風采堂禮儀祭奠正式開始，燃香奠酒、燒些紙錢，書記榮燊虔誠地誦讀著祭文、
余風采總堂主席根洙，温哥華余風采分堂主席美湛，理事耀祥，顧問詠本等供上祭品、燃放鞭炮。
禮成後，余氏宗人返回余風采堂。 下午一時半在堂所分享胙肉。
余柏寧供稿
余海量伉儷第一週年慶典
温市華人示威反對日本入常
【世界日報記者何元温哥華報導】六百位華裔民眾昨（4）日在温哥華市中心遊行示威，
抗議日本修改二戰侵略史實，同時也呼籲加國朝野共同反對日本成為安理會常任理事國。
活動統籌、中華會館主席周炯華並代表示威群眾向日本總領事館遞交抗議書。
由華埠和大温地區四十個僑團共同組成的「加人反對日本成為安理會常任理事國－B.C.行動委員會」趁著五四運動 86
周年發動遊行，
上午十時先在中華文化中心廣場集合，僑團和政界代表一一上台聲援，並指責日本若不能誠實面對歷史，採取道歉、賠償行動，就沒有資格入常。
到場政界人士包括省議員候選人關慧貞、李燦明、雷萬里、姚永安和卓樂群等人，以及温市議員伍德渥絲等人。
另外大温日裔加人協會人權委員會主席鹿毛達雄也呼籲日本政府應認真檢討歷史錯誤。
抗議群眾隨後列隊出發，在「日本國會必須道歉賠償」橫幅前導下，由千禧門下經過，轉入喜士定街，
朝位在市中心的日本駐温哥華總領事館前行，沿路不斷高喊抗議口號，引來不少矚目。遊行隊伍途經勝利廣場時，
恰有二戰老兵悼念活動正在舉行，遊行隊伍也特地靜聲表達崇敬。
由於中國大陸反日示威曾引發中日關係緊張，其間還有一些激烈場面，這項示威也成為大温地區中英文媒體報導重點。
由於主辦單位事前已有規劃，先行過濾參與人士所舉標語牌和呼喊口號，因此遊行過程相當順暢，並無任何意外。
遊行隊伍抵達位在1177 W. Hastings
的日本總領館後，周炯華和遊行活動發言人列國遠等人，再次在大樓前發表演說， 指責日本政府的不當舉措，並提出數項要求。
這些要求主要內容為日本應由國會立法，由日相及日皇代表該國公開向所有二戰受害人道歉，
並授權政府對戰爭受害人提供個別賠償，另外，也應立法規定保存日本侵略史實資料並列入教材，並且不得任意刪改。
周炯華隨後也把記載這些要求的抗議書送往日本總領館，館方則由一位代表出面接下。
他稍後在接受媒體訪問時，對於日本總領事未親自出面接受這份抗議書表示「失望」，
並指此舉更證實日本政府「無膽量」面對史實。
周炯華表示，行動委員會4月中旬起開始蒐集連署，迄今已獲六千餘人簽名支持，反對日本成為安理會常任理事國。
這項連署活動還會繼續到夏末，屆時將把所有簽名遞交國會，籲請加國政府反對日本入常。
抗議二戰日軍暴行 荷裔聲援
【世界日報記者何元温哥華報導】
戰爭禍害有多深傷口會殘留多久二次世界大戰期間曾被日軍關進集中營的一位荷蘭裔人士昨（4）日也出現在華人遊行示威的現場，
要求日本政府應對當年暴行正式道歉。
數百位華裔人士昨天大遊行，抗議日本竄改史實和迄今不願對受害人道歉賠償。 除了政界代表外，住在南素里的范戴克范努騰
（Marius van Dijk van Nootem） 則是現場少數披掛著抗議布條的白面孔。
75 歲的范戴克范努騰表示，二戰期間他才11歲，當時身在印尼，
由於不肯協助日軍指認一名被疑為間諜的女子，慘遭日軍嚴刑毒打，還放他在豔陽下遭受蟻噬，
在醫院治療數月後，又被關進集中營，一直到14歲戰爭結束時才被放出。
范戴克范努騰表示，當年獲加國收容，他由一個馬鈴薯剝皮工人，一路求學上進，後來當了 35 年油輪船長。
但數年前，他卻開始不斷受夢魘困擾，還因而被迫提前退休，經過心理診療，斷定是少年時慘痛經驗長期壓抑累積爆發所致。
范戴克范努騰昨天手持抗議布條，一面寫著「日本必須血債血還」，另一面則寫著「日本不謝罪，沒有資格成為聯合國安理會常任理事國」。
他說，「不敢奢想」日本會賠償，但日本若連道歉都沒有，就等同是「繼續在加害當年的受害人」。
Marius van Dijkvanhooten demands "Japan Pay Your Debts" at
rally
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Vancouver
Chinatown New Year Parade
The Vancouver Chinatown New Year Parade was held on a
cool but sunny Sunday on February 13, 2005. Our colorful
Lion Dance team attracted the attention of a roving CTV
(Channel 9) TV crew even before we left our Society House
on Georgia Street. They interviewed our lead dancer Hinson
before following us to the parade starting point at the
Millennium Gate. Besides the lion dance team led by Sifu
Fan, the Yee Fung Toy of Vancouver parade team consisted
of Canada Chairman Mr. Kan Yu, Vancouver Chairman Mr. Jim
Yee, several of their Board members and Advisors. For the
first time, we also had 4 special guests from the Seattle
Yee Family Association join us: Fred Yee and Clara Cheung,
and Lan and Tony Ching.
The parade started at noon. The parade around Pender
Street, Gore Street, Keefer Street, then back to where we
started, took more than an hour to complete. We then swung
by the offices of a local TV station located in Chinatown,
Channel M, for a prearranged interview and lion dance
performance that was videotaped for later broadcast.
Before returning to the Society House for a well-earned
rest and a buffet lunch, our lion dance team turned to the
100-block Keefer Street to perform in front of retail and
business storefronts, "devouring" green lettuce and
collecting red packets of donations. This year money
collected by all participating lion dance teams were
donated to the Red Cross Tsunami Relief fund.
For a report and pictures from our Seattle guests at the
Parade, visit the Seattle
webpage.
For extensive photo coverage of other Parade
participants, visit David
Wong's webpage, and photos
at flickr.com.
Spring Banquet and
Scholarship Awards
Scholarship awards for the academic year 2004 were
presented during the Spring Banquet. For details visit the Canada webpage.
For a report and pictures from our Seattle guests at the
Spring Banquet, visit the Seattle
webpage.
Celebrating Fred and
Clara First Anniversary in Seattle
On a sunny Saturday, April 9, eight of us (Mr. and Mrs.
Jim Yee, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Yee, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Yee,
and Mr. and Mrs. Wing Yee) rented a mini-van and drove
down to Seattle for the day to celebrate the first wedding
anniversary of Fred Yee (a founding member of the World
Yee Web Committee) and Clara Cheung.
We breezed through customs at the Peace Arch border
crossing at 9:00 AM, and arrived at the Jumbo Chinese
Restaurant at 11:00. There were over 300 hundred other
friends and relatives, some from as far as Australia,
Toronto, and various parts of the US. Mr. Sam Wan, a long
time friend of both Fred and Clara, and current CEO of the
Kin On Health Care Center,
delivered the main speech that described how Fred and
Clara met and quickly developed a relationship based on
common interests in community involvement and table
tennis. They were married on April 9, 2004 in Las Vegas.
The buffet lunch tables were laid out with 2 whole roast
pigs, as well as huge portions of Chinese dishes. During
lunch we were entertained by an excellent selection of
Karaoke love songs that added to the ambience of this
happy occasion. After cutting and sharing the anniversary
cake, the couple posed for photos with us and other guest
groups.
We left at about 2:30, and headed to the nearby Chinatown
and International district for a drive by tour. The next
destination was Lynnwood for some shopping at the
Alderwood Mall area.
At about 4:45, we headed for home, arriving at Blaine at
6:15. Everyone else also seemed to want to get home at
this time, and we ended up waiting for an hour to get
through Canadian customs.
We all enjoyed helping Fred and Clara celebrate their
anniversary. Best wishes to the couple for many more
anniversaries!
View
photos taken by Clara's daughter berobero (Veronica
Ho).
Vancouver Chinese
Community Rallies Against Japan
Former City Councilor Don Lee (left)
with Yee Fung Toy members at rally
Canada Yee Chairman Kan Yu and Vancouver Yee Chairman Jim
Yee were among the leaders of the Vancouver Chinese
Community present in a rally at the Chinese Cultural
Centre courtyard on May 4 at 10:00 AM organized by the
Chinese Benevolent Association to demand a public apology
from Japan for war crimes. There were over 500 protesters,
with many elderly Chinese who witnessed the Japanese
invasion and occupation of their villages as children, and
one Dutch-Canadian, Marius van Dijkvanhooten (pictured on
the left), who was 11 when he was tortured by the Japanese
and sent to a concentration camp in Java, Indonesia (more
details in a report
from Agence France-Presse - I was nearby and
overheard part of his interview with the reporter). He
wore a T-shirt and carried a placard that read "Japan Pay
Your Debts" in English as well as in Chinese and Japanese.
Other placards asked Japan to redress "Comfort Women",
WWII atrocities to POWs in Hong Kong and elsewhere, use of
germ warfare, and whitewashing of war aggressions in
current school textbooks.
Mr. George Chow, Chairman of CBA and Ms. Thekla Lit of ALPHA
explained to the rally that without a public
acknowledgement of war atrocities enacted by the Japanese
National Diet (parliament), Japan should not be granted a
seat on the United Nations Security Council. We should all
pressure the Canadian government to take a stand to vote
against this bid from Japan until such a public apology is
issued. Expressions of regret from Japanese individuals,
no matter how high ranking, can never replace a resolution
from the Japanese National Diet.
For pictures taken by David Wong at the Vancouver rally
and march, see photos
at
flickr.com. For pictures from demonstrations in Hong
Kong, Beijing, and other locations, see worldwide
rallies.
For a report from the Vancouver Sun, see below:
War activities
protested
Joel Baglole
Vancouver Sun
May 5, 2005
VANCOUVER - Tensions between China and Japan spilled into
Vancouver's streets Wednesday as more than 500 people
marched on the city's Japanese consulate to demand that
Japan's government apologize for its military actions in
Asia during the Second World War.
Waving signs and chanting "shame" and "down with Japanese
militarism," throngs of primarily older men and women of
Chinese descent walked west from Millennium Gate to the
consulate at 1177 West Hastings.
The peaceful demonstration was staged to protest several
issues, including the revision of a Japanese history
textbook used in that country's schools. The Chinese claim
the revised textbook omits references to military actions
Japan took across Asia from 1931 to 1945, when the country
was a colonial power.
The protesters were also voicing anger over the fact that
Japan's government has never formally apologized in its
Parliament for the actions it committed during the Second
World War. Because of this, the protesters said, they
oppose Japan's bid to win a permanent seat on the United
Nations Security Council.
"Japan doesn't want to apologize to the victims of World
War II," said Sunny Xu, 56, a computer programmer from
Anhui province in central China who has lived in Vancouver
since 1995. "So many people died during the war, and the
Japanese government denies that history. The Japanese
government must apologize for its actions," added Xu.
The Japanese consulate last week issued warnings about
the protest to Japanese-Canadians and Japanese tourists,
asking them to be mindful of the demonstration.
Japan's militarism during the Second World War has been a
contentious issue in Asia for years, particularly for
China, which claims that millions of Chinese were killed
by Japanese soldiers during the war in what is often
called the Asian holocaust.
The recently revised history textbook prompted the
governments of China and South Korea to publicly criticize
Japan's government, saying the textbook revisions amount
to a whitewashing of Second World War atrocities. In
recent weeks, thousands of protesters in China
demonstrated against Japan. During one demonstration, more
than 10,000 protesters pelted the Japanese consulate in
Shanghai with bottles and rocks.
Wednesday's Vancouver protest coincided with the
anniversary of the May Fourth Movement of 1919, a historic
day of protests held in Beijing that are believed to have
sparked modern Chinese nationalism.
"We are doing this to bring the issue to a head," said
George Chow, 55, an engineer from Canton.
Once at the Japanese consulate, Chow -- an organizer of
the Vancouver demonstration -- presented a list of demands
to consul officials. The demands included a request for a
public apology in Japan's parliament and by Japan's prime
minister, a law mandating that textbooks in Japan reflect
history, and that all denials of the Asian holocaust be
outlawed.
Chow later told the assembled crowd he was disappointed
Japan's consul general, Toshiyuki Taga, did not meet him
in person to receive the demands.
The Japanese consulate issued a statement Wednesday that
said it would forward the protesters' demands to Japan's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo. The statement also
said, "Japan has expressed its deep remorse and deep
regret as well as expressed its sincere apology for damage
inflicted by the acts of Japan, especially in Asian
countries by colonization or aggression."
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