蜜芽传媒

Good morning. As we have been hearing, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced alarm "over reports of atrocities against a large number of civilians" happening right now in Aleppo. With rebels on the brink of defeat, perhaps 50,000 people remain in the besieged part of the city. In the horror of war, how those who are victorious behave and control their fighters not only demonstrates basic humanity but also can affect the world for generations to come. If this battle of Aleppo is a decisive moment for the entire war, then it could be also a decisive moment for the region and for hope for the future.

On this day 79 years ago, the Rape of Nanking began and lasted some six weeks as part of the second Sino Japanese war. While some of the details and figures are unclear, when this capital of the Republic of China was captured, soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army went on to murder thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed combatants and carried out widespread rape and looting. Though some Japanese dispute the scale of the massacre, the legacy of this action continues even today to cast a powerful shadow and indeed stumbling block over relations between Japan, China and other Asian countries.

Perhaps even more important the unspeakable cruelty and dehumanisation of war leaves a scar on our collective humanity. Yet there are some stories which remind us of those who in small ways signalled that human beings can be better. Among those a German Christian John Rabe saved many Chinese girls by somewhat bizarrely using a swastika as a talisman to frighten Japanese soldiers away. Missionaries such as Minnie Vautrin is remembered in a statue in modern day Nanjing with arms and skirt spread wide, chin and chest stretched forward, refusing to let soldiers through to women and girls crouching behind her. She and other heroic people helped create a safety zone through which thousands were saved. Her denomination, the Disciples of Christ, speak of a critical presence of those who in the face of horror are prepared to stay and demonstrate true humanity.

There will be those of all faiths and none doing that right now in Aleppo. It will remain to be seen whether the forces of Syria, Russia and pro-government militias find humanity in victory and whether our own government can use its influence to stop a slaughter. For the next few days in Aleppo can determine the future for generations to come and will demonstrate both the sinfulness and goodness of humanity.

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