A researcher excavates part of remains of Chinese WWII soldiers buried in Myanmar. (Photo/Beijing Times)
(ECNS) -- An NGO from China is working to recover the buried remains of Chinese WWII soldiers from Myanmar, despite many of the burial sites being damaged, Beijing Times reported on Friday.
The group aims to locate and recover the remains of Chinese Expeditionary Force members and return these to China for a proper burial.
Each set of remains will also undergo DNA testing to establish a database, maintaining a glimpse of hope that families could account for loved ones lost, said Sun Chunlong, president of Shenzhen Longyue Charity Foundation, which initiated the project.
Beginning in 1942 during WWII, hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers fought the Japanese in Myanmar, with approximately 100,000 bodies remaining in the country.
A significant number of Chinese graves were destroyed in the 1960s while, in contrast, those of British soldiers were well respected. Japan, the then invader, even created tombs for 763 of its warhorses in the country.
Except for one memorial facility in the Kokang area, almost all Chinese gravesites in Myanmar were destroyed, said Ge Shuya, a researcher.
Ge witnessed "about two dozen Burmese soldiers, monks and young men" destroy Chinese tombs on March 27, 1962. Remains of the dead were scattered.
It is believed that about 2,180 soldiers were buried in Myanmar across 18 cemeteries, which might have since been replaced by houses, schools or temples after decades of change.
The project has already recovered some remains. One of which is reportedly incomplete, with the upper body missing and the skull in pieces. It also carries an easily recognizable Kuomintang badge.
