DATE=4/5/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / HUMAN RIGHTS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260966
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Forty human rights organizations and
prominent Chinese dissidents are urging the
international community to support a resolution
condemning human rights violations in China.
Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the resolution,
which is sponsored by the United States, will be
submitted at the United Nations Human Rights
Commission next week.
TEXT: The human rights activists allege China is
waging a widespread campaign of political and
religious persecution. They say the victims are
members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement,
evangelical Christians, Roman Catholics,
Buddhists and Muslims.
They call on the United Nation Commission on
Human Rights to vote against China's so-called
"no-action motion." This is a procedural measure
that China has used for several years to prevent
a resolution condemning its human rights policies
from coming to a vote.
Liu Quing is president of Human Rights in China
and a veteran of the Democracy Wall Movement. He
says the human rights situation in China has
worsened. He says more people are being arrested
and many are being tortured in prison. He says
China allows virtually no domestic dissent and is
sensitive to outside criticism. He speaks
through an interpreter.
/// QUING ACT. BEGIN WITH CHINESE AND FADE UNDER
///
If there has been some sort of improvement
during the 1990's, it is entirely due to
the fact that pressure has been exerted.
So it is absolutely necessary to continue
to exert pressure on China if we want to
see more progress in that respect. This is
why we insist so strongly that you should
all push for the resolution condemning
Chinese human rights violations in this
United Nations.
/// END ACT ///
Wang Dan was a student leader in the 1989
uprising in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. He spent
seven years in prison for his human rights
activities. He now lives in the United States.
He believes it is important for the West to
establish close cultural and economic ties with
China. But, he says, the West must continue to
press China to improve its human rights record.
The European Union has not yet announced whether
it will support the United States backed
resolution on China at the U-N Human Rights
Commission. Executive Director of Human Rights
in China, Xiao Qiang asks why not?
/// QIANG ACT ///
France upholds human rights
and democratic values in the world. I
respect a great deal. I'm not proud. But,
so far what I have heard, the French China
policy on human rights in terms of blocking
European Union's decision from co-
sponsoring this resolution.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Qiang says it is crucial for the U-N Human
Rights Commission to censure China's human rights
record. He says the commission will not be
fulfilling its mandate if it once again fails to
do so. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/KL
05-Apr-2000 11:11 AM EDT (05-Apr-2000 1511 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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