Bo Chi <chi@vlsi> (02/18/91)
* C h i n a N e w s D i g e s t *
(News General)
February 18, 1990
Table of Contents # of Lines
1. A Letter to CND ................................................... 23
2. The Holiday and the Jailed Activivist Families .................... 95
3. Lunar New Year in China ........................................... 32
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1. A Letter to CND
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A Student in Canada
from aaa@cs.bbb.ca
Sat Feb 16 21:45 GMT 1991
Dear Editor:
Recently when I read some academic books and papers of Baltic
scholars, I found many dedications of them is to their homeland,
such as to "reviving Latvia" (please notice that these publica-
tions were published within Soviet Union around 1987). I was
moved deeply by their spirit. Before outstanding scholars, they
are Lithuanians, Latvians, ....
On the other hand, the Peking regime often spread such propaganda
as some Chinese students studying abroad dedicated their thesis
to "the great socialist motherland".
Therefore I will add in my thesis the following dedications: " At
same time, the author dedicate this thesis to the dear homeland,
China, which is suffering from a long nightmare, and to its peo-
ple, who are fighting for freedom and human rights."
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2. The Holiday and the Jailed Activivist Families
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From: "Wu, Fang" <INT3FWU@mvs.oac.ucla.edu>
BY: KATHY WILHELM
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DATE: February 14, 1991
Bursts of fireworks Thursday night ushered in a gloomy Year of
the Sheep for the families of newly sentenced democracy
activists, many of whom face financial hard times.
``We don't feel too much like celebrating this year,'' said the
wife of one jailed activist, who said she and her daughter would
spend the lunar new year, China's biggest holiday, quietly at
home.
There was no word from authorities of a hoped-for holiday visit
with her husband, whom she hasn't seen since his arrest 21 months
ago.
But few people seem to believe that the cause of democracy in
China has been dealt a death blow with the sentencing of the
leaders of 1989's massive demonstrations. Conversations with
intellectuals, freed protesters and relatives of those still in
jail are sprinkled with references to ''when things change.'' No
one believes future protests must wait for the release of student
leader Wang Dan, serving a four-year term, veteran dissident Ren
Wanding, who has a seven-year term, or intellectuals Chen Ziming
and Wang Juntao, sentenced to 13 years.
``China has a way of churning out new generations of reformists
very quickly,'' said a Western diplomat, speaking on condition of
anonymity. workers and intellectuals waiting in the wings.''
For those in jail and their families, the immediate future is
bleak. Most of the jailed students and scholars were held before
trial at Beijing's Qincheng Prison, a high-security facility for
political prisoners.
An atmosphere of collegiality prevailed, according to released
prisoners. Students, sleeping six or eight in a cell, tutored
each other in English and other subjects and held spirited dis-
cussions on politics and the economy. Now that they have been
sentenced, they may be moved to ordinary prisons and labor camps
where the routine is less stimulating. At Beijing Prison No. 1,
considered a model facility, prisoners work eight hours a day
making plastic sandals and nylon socks, followed by two hours of
mandatory group political study.
Each prisoner must write a monthly essay analyzing his crime and
how he should reform. The state allocates about $7 for each
prisoner's monthly food bill, making meat and eggs rare luxuries.
Prison No. 1 holds only people sentenced to 10 years or longer.
Of the 25 protesters given prison terms in the recent sweep of
trials, only two Chen and Wang qualify. But prison officials
said last May that two dozen other protesters were already there.
So far, most of the 1989 protest leaders are said to be in good
spirits. Liu Gang, a 30-year-old researcher sentenced Tuesday to
six years, told his family that prison was like a ``new school.''
But there are unconfirmed reports one jailed scholar tried to
commit suicide. The system has crushed previous dissidents: Wei
Jingsheng, serving a 15-year jail term for publishing pro-
democracy essays in 1978, reportedly has become mentally ill.
Several families have found themselves without their main wage-
earner. Zong Jingshan, a Capital Steel worker sentenced last
summer to three years in jail, supported his retired parents.
Chen's parents, both past retirement age, have become the sole
supporters of his wife, sister and brother-in-law, who lost their
jobs when his private research institute was closed by the state.
Ren's wife was forced to move from their apartment to a small,
single room and fears she may be evicted from that, too. She has
been unable to find a job.
But many families say they have been treated warmly by neighbors
and co-workers, unlike the past when relatives of political
offenders were ostracized.
``So many people have come to me to say they admire him,'' said
the wife of one jailed dissident. ``They say if I need money
they will help cover my living expenses.'' Some relatives hope
political change will come quickly enough to win early release
for the activists. Others say it could take decades before any
force emerges powerful enough to supplant the Communist Party.
But the belief that the party has lost its popular mandate and
eventually must fall is widespread. In Beijing, ordinary people
complain openly about corrupt officials and the monotony of lec-
tures on socialist ideology.
Intellectuals ponder the best way to reform the system, but for
now think it wisest to keep quiet.
``It will take a long time to recover,'' a freed protester said,
referring to China's democratic forces. ``I'm more than 40 years
old. Ten years from now, I can still take part'' in the next
demonstrations.
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3. Lunar New Year in China
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From: "Wu, Fang" <INT3FWU@mvs.oac.ucla.edu>
BY: CHARLENE L. FU
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DATE: February 14, 1991
Chinese all over the country gathered with their families today
to eat and drink their way into the lunar new year, the nation's
biggest holiday.
Senior leader Deng Xiaoping celebrated in the coastal city of
Shanghai, extending his wishes for a happy new year in a rare
appearance on the state-run television network's evening news
broadcast.
Also called Spring Festival in mainland China, the holiday com-
bines the gift-giving of Christmas, with the family reunions and
feasting of Thanksgiving and the merrymaking of the Jan. 1 New
Year.
The festivities climax with a deafening roar of firecrackers at
the stroke of midnight tonight to greet the year of the sheep,
which fortune-tellers are predicting will be a year of disarray
and confusion, natural disasters and economic disorder.
The Chinese 12-year zodiac cycle assigns a different animal to
each year.
The dire forecasts appeared to have little affect in Beijing.
Firecrackers have been going off for days and residents began
planning weeks in advance for the celebrations.
That contrasts with the gloom that hung over the city last year,
when memories of the crackdown on the 1989 democracy movement
were still fresh and martial law had just been lifted.
The Communist government has criticized some traditional aspects
of the lunar new year. This year, the state press targeted the
custom of giving children money, criticizing elders for giving
out exorbitant amounts of cash.
The average gift is about $15, while some doting relatives give
upwards of $100 to each child, the People's Daily said. Other
traditions, however, have been revived. Temple fairs made a
comeback in Beijing in the mid-1980s, bringing together variety
shows, amateur Peking opera performances, animal exhibitions and
stalls selling snacks, traditional foods and toys.
Firecrackers, thought to scare off evil spirits, remain an essen-
tial element of the holiday. In Beijing, street-side stalls
opened late last month to sell 1.2 billion firecrackers, down 11
percent from last year. Authorities have reduced the firecracker
supply for the past three years to cut down on injuries and
fires.
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