Announcement of Global Relay Hunger Strike for March 6-7

Announcement of Global Relay Hunger Strike for March 6-7
Sheng Xue
Updated:

To uphold human rights and call for law and order, we are beginning a worldwide relay hunger strike to protest the ongoing persecution of the citizens of China. We are calling for global participation in this event which will begin on March 6, Beijing time.

In Mainland China today, where the political environment is in the grip of organized-crime and state terrorism, human rights conditions are rapidly deteriorating, and the Chinese people are at the end of their acceptance of the Chinese communist regime.

Recently, the communist regime’s thugs have secretly abducted rights advocates such as Ouyang Xiaorong, Hu Jia, Yan Zhengxue, Zhao Xin, and attorney Wen Haibo, and their whereabouts are unknown. Appellants such as Jiang Meijie, Mo Zhujie, Wang Shuizhen, and Ma Yalian are under suppressive surveillance and house arrest.

Because attorney Gao Zhisheng defended Falun Gong, the regime illegally closed his office and made an assassination attempt on him, which he narrowly escaped, The regime also illegally terminated attorney Yang Zaixing’s employment because he openly defended Falun Gong practitioners.

Many incidents have happened since September, 2005. Professor Ai Xiaoming, attorney Tang Xinling, attorney Guo Yan, Lu Banglie, Wu Yaoqiu, attorney Xu Zhiyong, attorney Li Fangping, Yiao Lifa, Chen Guancheng, Qi Zhiyong, Zhao Xin, and Guo Feixiong were all violently beaten by plainclothes police and organized crime thugs hired by the communist regime.

In Guangdong Province, Taishi villagers were illegally suppressed for carrying on peaceful protests and impeaching village officials in accordance with the law. In Dongzhou, farmers met with bloody suppression when they appealed for protection of their land. Many of them have been killed or injured.

In June, 2003, attorney Zheng Enchong was illegally sentenced to three years in prison because he boldly spoke up for people whose houses were forcibly demolished. In September 2004, human rights attorney Li Boguang was illegally detained by the communist regime. In February 2005, human rights attorney Guo Guoting was deprived of his right to practice law. The regime gave the excuse that he was “gathering the public to disturb the social order.” In May, 2005, human rights attorney Zhu Jiuhu was illegally arrested again with another fabricated charge of “illegal gathering.”

Inside China, the communist regime rigorously censors and monitors the Internet. The Party arbitrarily shut down the popular magazine Freezing Point. Authors and reporters who express independent views are routinely harassed.

In such a large land as China, where can one find freedom without fear? Among disadvantaged social minorities, where can one find freedom without poverty? Searching through all the media in China, where can one find freedom of speech? Ask religious men and women, where can one find freedom of belief?

The regime in Beijing has been committing inhumane and irrational acts that are offensive to God. The regime’s crimes are too numerous to record. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been dictatorial and despotic. The indignation and discontent of the Chinese people is widespread. With all these crimes, the CCP has fallen well below the lowest point of humanity and civilization. If this evil is tolerated and if this tyranny is ignored, China will never be free and this will bring great shame on human civilization as we know it.

We, who come from every corner of the earth, dedicate ourselves to uphold the human conscience and human rights and to reject communist tyranny. We will stage a 24-hour relay hungry strike across the globe.

We urgently call for international communities, democratic governments, political parties of every country, human rights organizations, NGOs, legal professionals, and people of conscience everywhere to pay close attention to the Chinese communist regime.

The CCP regime has rapidly deteriorated our Chinese society into one of gangsters and state terrorism. We strongly protest against the regime’s persecution of the Chinese people. We proceed together as our hearts yearn to help 1.3 billion people be free of oppression and state terrorism. We support the Global Relay Hungry Strike initiated by attorney Gao Zhisheng. Hunger striking is not our first choice, but the only choice left to us, and that is to appeal with the only thing we have left—our physical bodies. The lives of our fellow countrymen in China are in great danger. We cannot sit quietly and do nothing.

Therefore, we announce to the whole world that, during the sessions of National People’s Congress of China and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, we will take action with the Global Relay Hunger Strike to oppose the Chinese communist regimes’ violence. We will start on March 6 at 9 a.m., Beijing time and continue until 9 a.m. on March 7.

We call for the international communities and the media in particular to expose the human rights conditions in China.

We urgently and strongly demand the Chinese Communist regime to:

  • 1. Immediately and unconditionally release all the people who have been secretly abducted and are illegally detained, including Wen Haibo, Ouyang Xiaorong, Ma Wendu, Hu Jia, Yan Zhengxue, Yang Zaixin, and Qi Zhiyong.

  • 2. Immediately and unconditionally release all the writers, journalists and political dissidents who are illegally incarcerated, including Hu Shigen, Wang Bingzhang, He Depu, Zheng Enchong, Yang Jianli, Huang Jinqiu, Shi Tao, Zhang Lin, Yang Tianshui, Zheng Yichun, Xu Wanping, Li Zhi, Zhao Yan, Cheng Xiang (also spelled as Ching Cheong), Qin Yongmin, Luo Yongzhong, Cai Lujun, Xu Wei, Yang Zili, Jin Haike, Zhang Honghai, Yu Huafeng, Li Minying, Ye Guozhu, Cai Zhuohua, Feng Bingxian, Li Yuanlong.

  • 3. Immediately end the illegal and atrocious seven year persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Immediately and unconditionally release all people who are illegally incarcerated for their beliefs, including Christians and Catholics. Immediately restore the rights of the human rights lawyers who were deprived of their right to practice their legal profession. These lawyers include Zheng Enchong, Gao Zhisheng, Guo Guoting, and Yang Zaixin.

    List of co-initiators to date:

    Asia and the Pacific Region

    Yuan Hongbin(law professor), Zhang Qingxi (also spelled Chang, Ching-His, economics professor at the National Taiwan University), Huei Ling Tsao (publisher of the Taiwan Edition of the Epoch Times), Ming Chu-cheng (politics professor at the National Taiwan University), Yan Peng (former Chinese democratic activist who is in exile in Taiwan), Wen Jinke (Taiwanese scholar), Chen Yonglin (former political counselor at the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney), Hao Fengjun (former Chinese National Security Bureau officer), Chen Wenjian (Chief Editor of New Zealand Chinese newspaper New Times Weekly), Pan Qin (committee member of the Federation for a Democratic China), Eastern Hunter, Lu Yi (democratic activist), Li Bing, Lucy Zhao, Li Song (Vice Chairman of the Federation for a Democratic China), Hon. Albert Ho Chun-yan (Hong Kong lawyer and member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council)

    North America

    Guo Guoting (exiled Chinese human rights attorney), Wei Jinsheng (Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition), Xu Wenli (Chairman of the Chinese Democratic Party Coalition), Chen Kude (Editor-in-Chief of Observe China), Ren Bumei (scholar), Liang Yufeng (contact person for the Global Coalition to Bring Jiang to Justice), Li Dayong (contact person for the Global Quit the CCP Service Center), Wang Yuhua (sister of democracy advocate Wang Bingzhan, who has been sentenced to life in prison by the CCP regime), Wang Dan (Deputy Chairman of Civil Human Rights Front), Zhen Yi (writer), Tang Boqiao (Chairman of China Peace), Ying Hongshan (entrepreneur), Yanming (reporter), Wu Fan (host of China Affairs website), Liu Yingquan (scholar, democratic activist), Philip Adams (PEN Canada), Michael Craig (Canadian Amnesty International), Yirong (former China trade diplomat), Huo Zhuang (former Chairman of Toronto Civil Human Rights Front), Xiaojing, Ye Ping, Liu Jinan (Chairman of the Toronto branch of the Global Alliance to Say Goodbye to the CCP), Lin Zhengyang, Huang Xiang (poet and writer), Qiuxiao Yulan (writer), Caoan Jushi (economist), Mo Fengjie (democratic activist), Chen Yihua (democratic activist, artist), Yi Jun (Chairman of Canadian branch of Civil Human Rights Front), Liu Wei (U.S. student), Yang Wei (democratic activist), Zhao Youming, Yi Ran (physiotherapist), Sun Jiake (doctor), Liao Dongqing (political critic, U.S.), Hungerstriker (Chinese residing in the U.S.), Jing Wai (poet), Zhou Xingchi (Chinese Canadian citizen), Su Ning (Chinese Canadian citizen), Su Junyan (Chinese scholar), Shi Xingjian (democratic activist), Sheng Xue (writer and Vice Chairman of Civil Human Rights Front).

    Europe

    Fei Liangyong (nuclear energy expert and Chairman of Civil Human Rights Front), Pan Yongzhong (secretary of Civil Human Rights Front), Peng Xiaoming (Chairman of Germany Student Union), Huang Heqing (writer), Zhou Lei (Chief Editor of the European branch of The Epoch Times), Qian Yuejun (Chief Editor of Chinese European Times), Zou Haixia, Zhang Yuan, Wang Yonggang (Chinese scholar in Finland), Yang Guang, Yang Long, Lan Wei, Cao Guoxing, Liu Ying, Liu Xiaotian, Li Lu, Dan Ting, Ling Yi, Zhu Xuezhi, Yang Guang, Chen Yangchao (scholar, democratic activist).

    Proposal

    Those participating in the relay hunger strike on the aforementioned days, please wear a blue ribbon to symbolize the relay hunger strike against violence and for justice and human rights. Around the world, everyone should start on March 6, at 9:00 a.m., Beijing time and end on March 7, at 9:00 a.m. Please specify a public area in every city or town, where relay hunger strikers can meet. Hunger strikers who cannot join the public relay hunger strike can participate in their workplaces or study environments.

    Please prepare English and Chinese information material on the background of the relay hunger strike and publicize our appeal in each region. Please inform as many Chinese and foreign media in each region as possible about the hunger strike activity and invite local government officials and members of society, especially human rights activists, to participate.

    February 28, 2006