News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: ANZAC Day 2001

Date: April 25, 2001

"ANZAC DAY 2001  
$25,000 for Japanese PoWs only
By MARK FORBES
DEFENCE CORRESPONDENT
Wednesday 25 April 2001Editorial
Anzac Day 2001

Australians held prisoners of war by the Japanese are likely to share in a $67 million compensation payout in the federal budget, but payments for other PoWs have been rejected.

Any payment would recognise the "extreme deprivations" suffered by prisoners of the Japanese, which were more severe than those experienced by Australia's other 1600 surviving PoWs, a spokesman for Veterans Affairs Minister Bruce Scott said.

All 2700 survivors of Japanese PoW camps should receive a one-off $25,000 payment, with Mr Scott backing a request from the RSL and PoW associations. His spokesman said that any payments could not be confirmed as "the budget process hasn't been finalised".

The payout was foreshadowed in The Age in February by RSL president Major-General Peter Phillips who said a trip to Japan convinced him that the Japanese would not be "in the business of paying compensation" to the PoWs.

Previously, the Federal Government and the RSL had rejected special compensation payments. Negotiations began after an approach from the RSL late last year.

The British, Canadian and, this week, New Zealand Governments have announced payouts to PoWs of about $25,000 each.

It is understood the submission to the government requested compensation for all PoWs, while singling out those who suffered at the hand of the Japanese. Of the 22,376 Australians taken prisoner by the Japanese 8031 died, while 265 of those taken by other forces perished during their internment.

"The issue of PoWs of the Japanese is one of a greater dimension because of the harshness of their captors," Mr Scott's spokesman said.

The Japanese did not recognise international conventions on the treatment of PoWs, who were regarded as slaves of the emperor. After the war, PoWs held by Japan died at a much higher rate than those imprisoned by other nations.

Although other PoWs also suffered harshly, the government has resisted a broader payout. It says that the benefits Australia provides to returned PoWs are much more generous than those offered by other countries, including full subsidies of health and nursing home costs.

New South Wales RSL president Rusty Priest said he did not know why PoWs in European camps were excluded from the package."I should imagine that the PoWs from Europe may well have a claim that they would put forward that their conditions in Europe, whilst different to the Japanese camps, were nonetheless harrowing," he said.

The Federal Government has rejected proposals for $1000 fines over the improper or incorrect wearing of veteran's medals, opting instead for an education campaign.

Liberal MP Bruce Billson had demanded increased fines for improperly wearing medals, to target those masquerading as veterans wearing medals on the left of their chests rather than the right.

Only the original medal recipient may wear it on their left breast."