Presenter(s): Lauralei Singsank
Faculty Mentor(s): Tuong Vu
Oral Session 4 M
Sook Ching is a Chinese term meaning “purge through cleansing.” Operation Sook Ching took place in Singapore from February 21 to March 4, 1942. The Sook Ching was a military operation carried out by the Japanese with the intent of executing anti-Japanese Chinese men between the ages of 18 and 50. Ultimately, it is impossible to know exactly how many people were killed; the Japanese official figure is 5,000, while unofficial estimates reach as high as 50,000. These men were called into screening centers, where it was decided if they were anti-Japanese.These determinations have been said to be extremely disorganized. The legacy of the Sook Ching lives on to today as one of the greatest tragedies in Singaporean history.
The intent of this paper is to argue for a redefinition of the Sook Ching as a genocide rather than a massacre. The United Nations’ definitions and qualifications of genocide, as well as contemporary sources discussing the event, act as the cornerstones of the research. This research is important because it sets a precedent of accountability, as well as acknowledging the wrongs that the Japanese committed during the second World War. This presentation will discuss the Sook Ching, its legacy, and the steps required to address the incident and right the wrongs that occurred. It will also examine the racial and political environment that set the stage for the tragedy, as well as the scars it left behind.