jshen@watdragon.waterloo.edu (Jun Shen) (01/28/91)
C h i n a N e w s D i g e s t
( U.S. Supplement )
January 26, 1991
Table of Contents
1. Brief News ....................................................... 32
2. Fang Lizhi Spoke In Los Angeles ................................. 141
3. Senate Letter To President Bush .................................. 70
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1. Brief News
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Edited by: Ya-Gui Wei, yawei@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu
HUNGER STRIKE IN LA -- An 192-hour hunger strike relay-marathon organized
by the Los Angeles Branch of the Federation for a Democratic China (FDC),
was held in Los Angeles China Town from Jan. 12 to Jan. 20, 1991. The
purpose of this hunger strike was to attract more attention of the world to
the human rights situation in China, especially to the recent secret trials
of the democratic activists. Hundreds of people showed up to support,
visit, and accompanied the 19 hunger strikers during the 9 days of protest.
Each of the following hunger strikers fasted for 24 hours during the period:
Wang Chaohua, Cheng Zhen, Lui Yan (all TAM student protesters now in
exile), Mo Weiqiang (member of Supervisory Board of FDC LA Branch), Leng
Song (Beijing worker activist, now in exile), Liu Jianwen (lecturer from
Beijing Central College of the Younth League, activist), Zhou Jianzhong
(computer engineer, member of the Hong Kong Forum), Lian Er (a.k.a. Liang
Qingtun, student leader from Beijing Normal University, #7 on Chinese
Government's most wanted list, now FDC-LA branch Council member), Zhu
Mingzhong (PostDoc from CalTech), Ji Yongxiong (UCLA visiting scholar from
Hong Kong, member of Hong Kong Forum), Andrew Kuang (Chairman of the FDC LA
Branch), Mrs. Deng (a student from Cal. State University Long Beach),
Wu Renhua (a lecturer from Beijing Zheng4fa3 University, now in exile),
and Mr. Chi (activist in exile). (Reported by Wu Fang)
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UMASS DEMOCRACY FUND -- Since the 6.4 massacre, the China Democracy Fund at
the University of Massachusetts-Amherst has actively carried out its
foundation goal of helping massacre victims in China. So far, the Fund has
sent out about $9,100 and have the confirmation that $6,100 has reached
destinations, $3,000 has been spent in China. $1,100 were returned because
recipients decline the money for various reasons. There has been no
operation cost and loss. The remainder of the Fund has been merged with the
June Fourth Foundation in Washington DC. (G Huang)
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2. Fang Lizhi Spoke In Los Angeles
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Reported by: Wu, Fang ( Int3fwu@uclamvs ), Jan. 22, 1991
For CND
More than 1,000 people from Southern California area attended the meeting
with Fang Lizhi and Richard Bernstein today in the Grand Ballroom of UCLA.
This meeting was sponsored by the Human Rights Watch in cooperation with
UCLA's Asian Pacific Coalition, Chinese Students and Scholars Association,
Chinese Student Association, Hong Kong Student Union, and many other
organizations on UCLA campus.
In his opening remark of tonight's meeting, Mr. Bernstein, Chairman of the
Human Rights Watch, introduced Mr. Fang Lizhi as "the man who did not come
to dinner", referring the incident in 1988 when Fang was barred by the
Chinese Government from going to the dinner invited by Bush in Beijing.
Mr. Bernstein stressed that the Human Rights Watch would not interfere the
internal affair of China. Rather, it was the Chinese government which was
interfering the basic human rights of the Chinese people. The human rights
problem has become international, therefore we ought to help each other.
Mr. Fang agreed with Mr. Bernstein's point of view. In his answer to the
question that how would he view the Persian Gulf War and how was that
related to human rights problem in China, Fang Lizhi said that this
happened to be a good example to show how important the human rights issue
was to the world. He said that years ago, there was serious human rights
violation in Iraq when no one in the world was paying attention to it. A
government which did not respect human rights in its own country would not
respect the international principles either. If we did not concern about
the human rights record of the country, when the time came, it would
certainly violate the international principles. Fang Lizhi said several
times in his speech that human rights issue is an international course.
Fang Lizhi talked about his personal experience as an example of human
rights violation in China. He was expelled by the CCP and fired from his
position as the Vice-President of the University of Science and Technology
in China because of his speaking out. During the 1989 democracy movement,
Fang was not able to come out with the students since he was closely
monitored by the Government 24 hour a day. He and his wife Li Shuxian had
to seek refuge in the American Embassy after the June 4th massacre, where
they spent about 13 months in the rooms with closed and wood-covered
windows.
Mr. Fang told the audience a story with a smile on his face. Once James
Lillie, the ambassador of the United States apologized to him. He said to
Fang Lizhi:"You are an astrophysicist, I am so sorry for not being able to
provide you a window to look at the sky." Fang Lizhi said to James
Lillie: "It is ok. Just because I am an astrophysicist, even I can't see
the sky, I'll still know what's happening out there." He was writing.
Four papers came out from the Embassy, some got published. Among those
papers, Mr. Fang Lizhi said, was one about the "Small Universe Theory",
which was completed in a real "small universe" in the U.S. Embassy.
In his first public appearance after the June 4th in the west coast of the
United States, Mr. Fang Lizhi stressed that there was no sign of
improvement of human rights record in China. Besides the political
prisoners in the country, the intellectuals are by no means living in China
with their very basic rights. Fang said that many of his colleagues were
not able to have their academic articles or books published, especially
those who cited Fang's works. Scientists were barred from going to the
international conferences held outside of China. Many professors were not
allowed to accept graduate students in their fields. Fang Lizhi's book
which is co-authored by his wife Li Shuxian was taken away from the book
stores in China. Students had to recycle their books in order to take the
classes which used Fang's book as the text. Fang Lizhi asked, without even
these very basic human rights, without the freedom for the scientists to do
academic research, could we say that human rights situation in China has
improved? No. Rather, as we all could see, the Chinese Government
intensified its persecution to the individuals who were involved in the
1989 democracy movement when the Persian Gulf War is taking place in the
other side of the world.
Mr. Fang Lizhi told the audience, that while he and his wife were free now,
while the difficulties seemed to end for them after they left the country,
his heart was by no means lighter than before, because in China there were
still many political prisoners in jail suffering from the hardship.
Compared with the famous "Gulags" in the Soviet Union which had been
closely watched by the world, Mr. Fang indicated that there was no
information such as the number or other things about the Chinese "Lao2gai3"
places. One American professor from Stanford did a research on this issue.
He publicized his incomplete research finding and found that there are now
978 locations of "Gulags" in China. According to this professor, each
location contains about 5,000 to 8,000 prisoners. Mr. Fang appealed to the
world to continue watching China's human rights record closely. He called
for cooperation among the international organizations to improve human
rights situation in China.
After his speech, Mr. Fang Lizhi answered a few questions from the
audience. Then he had a chance to meet with the Chinese students. A
student asked what was his opinion about the recent visiting to China by Ge
Xun, Mao Jiye, and other concerned people, whether or not he thought was
useful when this kind of action was too risky for the students' family and
themselves. Professor Fang Lizhi said, "don't only do things that you
believe is very significant. No matter how big or small the matter is, if
you are capable of doing it, just go ahead do it. I respect Ge Xun's
effort. It was a very important move. Although not too many people in
China knew about him, he had put a lot of pressures on the Chinese
government, which was really significant." Professor Fang admitted that he
himself sometimes also felt incapable in terms of doing things to help
China from overseas. "However, we still need to do our best. We still
need to do things to remind people about the human rights violation in
China. We ought to continue our effort. When time comes, the change will
take place."
Professor Fang said to the students, even outside of China, there were
still cases of human rights violation of the Chinese government. For
example, the famous writer Liu Binyan did not dare to go to the Chinese
consulate to extend his passport. He was afraid that the government would
cancel it. Fang Lizhi said, there were many similar cases among the
Chinese students. This passport issue was actually a doable thing for the
students. They should fight for their constitutional rights.
Some students were concerned about the future plan of Professor Fang Lizhi.
Some suggested him to become a professional activist and a leader of the
overseas democracy movement. Some asked Prof. Fang if he would like to
organize an opposition party. Fang Lizhi replied that he would like to
continue his role as a scientist. At the same time, he will also
participate in the democratic movement. He thought that the pure political
activities such as organizing opposition party etc. should take place
inside of China. With his limited time and effort besides his academic
work, Prof. Fang would like to do whatever he could to help improving the
human rights situation in China.
When asked about his perspective on the peasants in China, Fang Lizhi told
the students that democratic ideas was not the privileges of educated
people. To state it simply, the basic concept of democracy was free
choice. The Chinese peasants had very strong and clear ideas in terms of
free choice. They knew how to compare, and they could tell which was
better or worse. For example, during the Cultural Revolution, when the
peasants were asked to recall their hard lives in the "old society", they
tended to say things happened in the early 60's instead of before 1949. If
you went to the south coast of China, you would find that all the TV
antenna of peasants were set toward Hong Kong. Although they might not know
it was democracy, they did know how to choose, and they always chose the
best.
"I respect human rights. I respect free choice. I respect human being,
which is the most important aspect above any thing else." Fang Lizhi
summarized before he ended his meeting with the students.
Professor Fang Lizhi has recently accepted by the Institute for Advanced
Study at Princeton, USA. He will start teaching in the institute soon.
Fang will visit Los Angeles again in March 1991 when he comes for a
academic conference.
"I am hoping to attend conferences in China too." Fang Lizhi said.
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3. Senate Letter To President Bush
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From: ZHAO@HUXTAL.BITNET (Zhao Hai-Qing)
The CCSA of IFCSS urges Chinese students and friends to call their Senators
to sign the following letter to President Bush. Ask your senator to Jim
Schufreiter in Sen. Dixon's office to sign on (202-224-8825) if he/she's a
Democrat, Kevin Linskey in Sen. D'Amato's office to sign on (202-224-6542)
if he/she's a Republican.
The CCSA Communique asked, "If we Chinese students don't care about the
prisoners in China, why should the U.S. Congress and Americans care so
much?"
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Dear President:
We are writing at this time of urgent concern about China's continuing and
deepening persecution of pro-democracy leaders. We urge that you put China
on notice that actions it takes to improve human rights and release
political prisoners will affect decisions on renewal of most-favored-nation
trade status.
We are alarmed in particular because of the recent convictions and
sentencing of seven persons who, as the State Department stated on January
8, "were guilty of nothing more than the peaceful advocacy of democracy...
These persons were apparently charged and tried and convicted for actions
which under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "any person should
be allowed to take without fear of punishment." We also agree with the
State Department that " No sentence of any length on purely political
charges can be characterized as lenient.
While the world's attention is focused on the Middle East, China apparently
intends to hide behind the Persian Gulf crisis to "convict and sentence" in
the next several days or weeks other peaceful pro-democracy advocates. We
urge you in the name of the American people, to add your personal
condemnation to the State Department's protest.
We hope that the Chinese government would respond positively if you express
in a personal communication, as the State Department already has stated,
the hope that "anyone convicted solely for the exercise of their right
peacefully to express their views will be released and that ... other
political prisoners now held for non-violent activities protected by the
Universal Declaration will e released without having to stand trial."
It is also important that any "trials" be held in public, open to the world
press and international observers in order to cast international scrutiny
upon the chinese judicial process.
Most urgently, we hope that you will join us in making clear to the Chinese
government that the American people expect the release of all pro-democracy
prisoners and compliance with the Universal Declaration for Human Rights.
We do not intend to allow China to use a public relations campaign of
"lenient sentences" or the release of a handful of political prisoners to
mask the reality that hundreds if not thousands more continue to languish
in prison.
Mr. President, we are aware of the burdens of your international
responsibilities at this time. We are writing you with a sense of urgency
because the actions which you and we take in the next few days may be
critical to the fate of hundreds of pro-democracy leaders now detained in
China's prisons.
We fervently hope that the American people will speak with one voice on
this matter of vital interest to the community of nations.
Sincerely,
Alan J. Dixon Alfonse M. D'Amato
United States Senator United States Senator
Paul Simon Carl Levin
United States Senator United States Senator
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Editor of this issue: Ya-Gui Wei yawei@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu
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