Lindsey's blog

Since the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, 1989, the United States government has conducted 12 rounds of human rights dialogue with China.  During this time, while commitments were made, minimal achievement on the front of human rights actually occurred as a direct result of three factors: the decoupling of human rights from the strategic economic dialogue, the absence of any concrete benchmarks being created, and the inability of non-governmental organizations to participate in the process.  In the words of Kelley Currie from the 2049 Project, “Using a combination of incentives, coercion and cooptation, China has been incredibly successful in its long-running efforts to reshape the international discourse on its human rights record, and marginalize human rights advocacy directed at it.”

After more than a year missing, prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng made contact with international media and his family earlier this week.  Gao was abducted by police in February of 2009 and has been missing since that time.  As stated by BBC's Michael Bristow this recent development provides further confusion about Gao's current situation. 

In speaking with Gao's friend and fellow human rights lawyer, Li Heping, news outlets indicated Li felt that he was being followed or watched.  "I believe he does not have freedom," Li said. "First, when we were speaking, he sounded like he wanted to hang up. He told me that he had friends around him. I'm sure that the people around him are limiting what he can say." 

Gao told Reuters that he was living at the Buddhist landmark Wutai mountain.  When asked if the location had any significance, Gao responded, "I want to live a quiet life for a while." 

"I feel tremendously relieved that my husband is alive," said Gao's wife Geng He in a statement offered by Freedom Now.  She continued, "I am so happy that my children were able to speak to him. My children and I have not seen their father since January 2009. We urge the Chinese government to allow Zhisheng to leave the country and be reunited with us in the United States.” 

Unfortunately, Gao was not able to state the reason for his detention or when he would be able to see his family again.  "It's not that easy," he stated. 

For more information leading up to this week's update on Gao, click here. 

New Haven, CT --> Prague, Czech Republic

Welcome to our first segment of "Where in the World is Harry Wu?"  It is Harry's personal belief that the world needs to know the truth about the Laogai and other human rights abuses committed by the Communist regime - that the more people who know the truth, the closer we will come to ending the brutal Laogai system. As such, Harry travels the world sharing his story and we wanted to share his travels with you.

It’s been a very busy week for human rights activist and LRF founder Harry Wu.  Monday, February 22nd, 2010, Harry spoke at a Branford Master’s Tea at Yale University where he addressed how Chinese Americans can take action against China’s Laogai.  Wu spoke to about 40 students, and the event was sponsored by the Chinese American Student Association. 

Also this week, Wu journeyed to Prague, Czech Republic to offer the keynote address at the "Crimes of Communism" conference hosted by the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.  The conference seeks to address the legacy of communism in Europe, the continuance of Communism in other parts of the world, and how to address crimes against humanity committed under Communist regimes.  Wu spoke on the continued struggle for freedom from Communist tyranny in China, "Communism is a crime. But today you have a conference to talk about it, and that's great," Wu said. "We have to clean it up. But the communists are still running things inside China. We cannot forget that."  (Read more after the jump)

There appear to be fewer people in China.  In a disturbing trend, the government has recently seemingly lost track of some of its most ardent critics. Most recently, the government’s inability to “locate” prominent human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng and 20 Uyghurs who were forcibly returned to China from Cambodia has become a cause for great concern in the international community. 

Despite its immense system of internal travel controls and required registration, known as the Hukou system , the CCP has an extensive history of “losing” those who are hard to ignore.  Prominent figures such as Deng Xiaoping and Li Peng were lost for significant periods of time during discord within the government, the Panchen Lama has been missing for over a decade, and, more recently, China has continued to lose NGO workers and protestors who portray the regime in a less than flattering light. 

Largely, the cases of these “missing” persons have been met with outrage in the international community.  Rosanne Rife of Amnesty International put it best when she offered, “It is a disgrace that Chinese law enforcement agencies disobey the law in such a blatant manner.”  Not only is “losing” people against Chinese domestic law, but it is a blatant violation of international law as well.  Hopefully, pressure from the international community can render these lost persons found before the CCP’s absent-mindedness continues.

Noted author and Charter '08 signatory Zhao Dagong has been detained by Chinese authorities in Shenzhen.  Zhao has been missing since yesterday without any further notice to his family.  According to his wife, Zhao Dagong's home was searched yesterday morning at 10 am.  Zhao, his wife, and his son were separately questioned by police until 6 pm last night.  At that time, Zhao was taken away with his computers and notes.  No official reason has been given for his detention. 

Zhao is a famous author and human rights defender in Shenzhen.  He is one of the original 303 signatories of Charter '08.  Zhao been continually harassed by police for his activism in recent years especially since the arrest of democracy activist Liu Xiaobo.  In the recent judgement and sentencing of Liu, Zhao Dagong was mentioned as a witness for the prosecution.  At this time it is unknown whether or not his detention is related to Liu's case.

In a not-so-surprisingly Orwellian twist, Vice Minister of Public Security Yang Huanning announced two days following the arrest of Liu Xiaobo, that the Public Security Bureau would be "striking hard against hostile forces at home and abroad by striving to prevent and staging preemptive attacks."  According to Reuters, one of Yang's overarching themes was the need to keep, "The schemes of Western anti-China forces seeking to Westernize and split us, friction and disputes between countries, and hostile forces stirring up chaos and sabotage ..." at bay as they, "remain major factors affecting our national security and social stability."

One shocking element of Liu's sentence and Yang's subsequent address is not merely the complete and total absence of rule of law, order, or even logic on some counts, but the seeming CCP fascination with "Western anti-China forces."  As the Wall Street Journal offered, this pattern of action is "revealing because it shows not confidence and strength, but insecurity and vulnerability." 

But fear of what or whom?  Surely not international human rights activists, President Obama, or even the United Nations. Rather, it is Chinese citizens who engage in the ultimate crime against the state, independent thought, who the regime fear most. It is those who suggest self-governance and other democratic reforms, like Liu Xiaobo, who frighten the Party's leadership.  By painting these independent thinkers (criminals?) as anti-Chinese, the CCP wins the ultimate PR battle by appointing itself the champion of China. 

In perhaps one of their more unorthodox interview situations, the Associated Press interviewed petitioner and protester Zheng Dajing from inside one of China’s increasingly infamous “black jails.” Zheng was only partially visible from behind a thick plastic sheet and confirmed his identity by reciting his wife’s cell number.  Zheng was jailed for organizing protests associated with “Legal Publicity Day,” meant to promote the Chinese legal system.

While protesters in the U.S. petition with relative ease - for everything from tax reform to protecting the livelihood of certain small animals - in China, petitioning the government can be met with an immense amount of graft and even jail.  

Despite the current political atmosphere, where complaints can land one in a "black jail," China has a historical legacy of petitioning.  Petitioning in its current form began during the Ming dynasty (1300 AD).  At that time, it was used as a means for citizens to complain about corrupt local officials (sound familiar?) to the Imperial government. 

Reports of the increasing prevalence of “black jails” are cause for concern.  Recently, the Communist Party’s state run magazine ran an expose on the subject of these jails, particularly their profitable nature.  Local officials pay black jail guards to keep petitioners in jail.  Their incentive? To keep the number of people filing grievances against them low and giving citizens no recourse.  If ever there were a need for strong legal reform in China to protect citizen’s rights, it would be now.

While the Chinese Communist Party has been in the business of persecuting independent thinkers for decades, there tend to be a few wiley rascals who just won’t learn.  These so-called “bad elements “ tend to be a thorn in Beijing’s backside on the worst of occasions, usually when a foreign dignitary is coming to town.  Even though many of these “subversives” most certainly have opinions about the up-coming visit of President Obama to the PRC, no one had the guts to write him a letter and hand it to the international press.  Well, except one.

In an incredibly bold move, former “New Youth Study Group,” member and Black Series author Yang Zili, did just that.  Risking re-arrest, Yang wrote the letter on behalf of friends and fellow group members Xu Wei and Jin Haike who each have two years remaining in their 10 year sentences.  In an interview with the Associated Press, Yang stated, "I have no choice but to take this risk because I feel I have a responsibility to help them.  If I don't make an appeal that is particularly on behalf of these two people, they might just slip through the cracks."

Yang, Xu, Jin, and Zhang Honghai (who also signed Yang’s appeal) were arrested in 2001 for their private meetings of the “New Youth Study Group,” in which they discussed the possibility for democratic reforms in China.  Despite their small number and benign activity, their group was seen as a threat to the CCP, and, all four men were jailed.  Clearly, the People’s Armed Police were no match for them, however, as they are still “subversive” almost 10 years later.

In a joint report issued Tuesday the United Nations and the Council of Europe declared a new international pact is needed to ban trafficking in human organs, tissues and cells, with the object of protecting victims and punishing offenders.

This announcement came almost 6 weeks after Chinese Minister of Health Huang Jiefu announced the launch of an organ donation system to, “eliminate illegal organ trading and encourage people to become donors.”

According to the United Nations’ World Health Organization, 90 percent of the organs transplanted in China each year come from executed prisoners, and the process of organ extraction from executed prisoners has become even easier in recent years with the utilization of lethal injections and mobile execution vans.

Late Sunday evening, the PRC government issued a white paper entitled “China's Ethnic Policy and Common Prosperity and Development of All Ethnic Groups.”  In an all too common attempt to "harmonize" the historical record of the Middle Kingdom, the report details the full economic integration of modern China's 56 nationalities, complete with charts and graphs.

In a strangely Stalinist assertion, the report claims, “The common cultural and psychological characteristics of all ethnic groups in China became increasingly more mature and outstanding.  Today, the Chinese nation has become a name with which all ethnic groups in China identify themselves and to which they give their allegiance.”  The report boldly concludes, “Sixty years of experiences have proved that China’s ethnic policies are correct and effective…”
 
But if China's inter-ethnic relations are in fact “harmonious,” why did the 2008 riots in Tibet and the 2009 riots in East Turkestan happen?  And, if ethnic relations in China are indeed doing so greatly, why would China need to issue a white paper on ethnic policy begin with?