patth@cmcl2.nyu.edu (Patt Haring) (05/27/89)
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CATHOLICS BEATEN IN CHINA - Urgent Action Appeal Amnesty Intl
The following Urgent Action Appeal was released for general
external distribution by Amnesty International. It is included in
the TIBET conference to indicate that religious opression familiar
to Tibetans also occurs in China. Chinese concerned with freedom
cannot ignore the situation in Tibet.
Indira Singh Moderator TIBET Conference Fidonet 1:107/501
email: ...!uunet!rutgers!rubbs!107!535!Indira.Singh
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UA 117/89 Ill-treatment/Legal Concern 3 May 1989
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: Several hundred Catholics in Hebei
Amnesty International has received information that several hundred
Catholic villagers were severely beaten by police on 18 April 1989
during a police raid on the village of Youtong, located in
Luancheng district, near Shijiazhuang city in Hebei province.
Over 300 if them, including old people and children, are alleged
to have been injured during the raid. Eighty-eight suffered serious
injuries and two youths are reported to have died following the
incident. In addition, 32 people are reported to have been taken
away by police and are believed to be detained.
According to the report, Youtong village has more than 1,700
Catholics. Two hundred of them have joined the official Patriotic
Catholic Association (which does not recognize the authority of the
Vatican over the church's affairs, but some 1,500 have remained
loyal to the Vatican in opposition to the official religious
policy. The 'local' Catholics are said to have asked thea
uthorities on several occasions to return the Church's former
properties, which had either been confiscated or destroyed during
the Cultural Revolution (1966-76). As this was denied, on 17 March
1989, they erected a big tent on the site of their former church,
in which Mass was celebrrated every morning. During the following
month, local governemnt officials and security personnel tried
repeatedly to stop them and ordered then unsuccessfully to
dismantly the tent.
[The following report was sent out of China] -->
At 8am more than 5,000 policemen and security personnel, driving
more than 270 vehicles, came into Youtong village and surrounded
it, blocking all exits. Several trucks with water cannons kept
pressure on us. They wanted to arrest Father Fei and four Catholic
leaders, and to demolish the big tent. Becuase all the Catholics
stayed together in protection, no one was areested and the
demolition work was impeded.
At 4pm, an order was given ... Around 4,000 uniformed policemen,
carrying in their hands electric batons and bricks, began the
killing. The whole village, streets and rooftops, were swarmed with
police. Those on the rooftops threw bricks, some used electric
batons to give shocks to people, others used batons to beat people
in the head, others still whipped them with belts, kicked them with
their boots and trampled people who had fallen on the ground. They
did not differentiate between men and women, old and young - if
they were Catholic, they were to be beaten - even 70 and 80 year-
olds and small children. Even a disabled beggar was unable to
escape their viciousness.
The whole place was splattered with blood. The beating lasted from
4 to 6pm. Everywhere there was an unsightly display of debris,
broken bricks, shoes and blood... The officers prevented the
injured from receiving medical attention. The hospitals were given
orders not to accept them.
Amnesty International has received confirmation in general terms
of the attacks on Catholics in Youtong on 18 April but has been
unable to verify the specific details provided in the above
account. Over the past few years the organization has received
several reports about the harassment, arrest and ill-treatment of
Catholics by police in Hebei province.
RECOMMEDED ACTION: Telexes/express letters/airmail letters
- expressing concern at the reported ill-treatment by police of
several hundred Catholics in Youton village of Heibei province,
including two who are said to have died as a result, and at the
arrest of 32 of them on 18 April 1989
- asking the government to set up a public inquiry into the police
actions to ensure that all those injured are allowed access to
medical treament and to make public infomration about all those
detained on 18 April including their whereabouts and any charges
against them.
APPEALS TO:
YUE Qifeng Shengzhang
Li Pen Zongli Hebeisheng Renmin Zhengfu
Guowuyuan Shijiazhuangshi
Beijimngshi Hebeisheng
People's Republic of China People's REpublic of China
Copies to: Diplomatic reps of the PRC in your country before 14
June 1989.
--
[This message was apparently forwarded from a system called Unitex.
The forwarding software stuck on an amazing amount of stuff. The
following is what I have distilled from it. --clh]
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Patt Haring | My other site is a Public Access UN*X
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