SINGAPORE, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Singapore held a memorial ceremony on Sunday to commemorate civilians who died during the Japanese occupation in World War II, with about 500 people attending the annual observance in the city center.
The event, organized by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Central National Education Office of the Ministry of Defense, took place at the Civilian War Memorial on Beach Road. Attendees included government, military and business representatives, diplomats such as Chinese Ambassador to Singapore Cao Zhongming, veterans, victims' relatives and students.
The ceremony coincided with Singapore's Total Defense Day. The Civil Defense Force sounded the "all-clear" signal, wreaths were laid, and attendees observed a minute of silence.
"It was a time of tremendous hardship and suffering," said Singapore's Education Minister Desmond Lee in a speech, noting that tens of thousands of people were rounded up and killed, thousands were forcibly conscripted to build military installations, and many families lost loved ones to starvation or execution.
"We cannot, we must not, and we will not forget this painful history," Lee said.
On Feb. 15, 1942, Singapore fell to the invading Japanese army, ushering in over three years of occupation. Historians estimate that at least 50,000 Chinese Singaporeans were killed by Japanese forces during the occupation.
On Feb. 15, 1967, Singapore established the Civilian War Memorial and designated the date as Total Defense Day. Since then, annual remembrance ceremonies have been held at the memorial every Feb. 15. ■