On this day, 12 December 1948, the Batang Kali massacre took place in Malaysia (then Malaya) when British troops massacred 24 unarmed rubber plantation workers as part of their campaign against a communist insurgency in the British imperial colony.
Malaya was at the time the world’s biggest exporter of rubber and tin, which Britain needed to tax to pay debts to the US.
One of the survivors, Tham Yong (pictured), whose fiancé was killed, later recounted:
“After the shooting we survivors were left without clothing, a home or any money. We had had nothing and had to rely on others for support. We were very sad because all these people who had been killed were innocent. They were not communists, nor had they seen any communists, yet they were killed.”
Yong has fought for justice for the victims and survivors ever since, stating: “I will not give up, because innocent people were killed and those who survived went through a very difficult life.”
None of the murderers, members of the Scots Guards, were charged with any offences. https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/2159245534260585/?type=3
