Richard FlanaganWhat was a prisoner of war anyway? Less than a man, just material to be used to make the railway, like the teak sleepers and steel rails and dog spikes.
About This Quote
I was a prisoner of war for three years. I was one of the “walking wounded” who needed to be carried around by my fellow prisoners, with all the risks that entailed. I say “were” because now I am free and my experience is like many others. The reality is that this material I was used to make the railway has now become worthless. The value of our bodies has diminished way beyond what it would have been had we not been used as material.
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