To: afn20372@afn.org
From: trinley@churchward.com (Jack Churchward)
Subject: CACCP Weekly 6/8/97
Focus:
Getting ready for upcoming Florida Splendid China Protest demonstration on 07/13/97 to commemorate the second anniversary of the Grand Opening of ChinaTown.
1. Accomplishments
2. Plans
3. Action List
a. Florida Public School District Campaign !
b. Florida Pleasure Passport Campaign
c. Walk for Tibetan Independence
A Flag Without Freedom: Protest China's Gov't on U.S. Flag Day
d. Collecting letters/articles
4. Misc.
a. Dalai Lama delivers a message of peace
b. A Letter to the Pakistani Embassy from ETNFC
c. Dalai Lama's Message on TianAnMen Anniversary
d. In Memorium...
e. DEMONSTRATION IN MUNICH AGAINST CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION
IN EASTERN TURKISTAN
1. Accomplishments
Received some very interesting documents this week, hope to make them public very soon Wrote letters
2. Plans
Assimilate incoming data...
3. Action List
a. Florida Public School District Campaign !
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1730/fpsd.html
We are putting together a package to send to the green targets and focus on them to start our campaign. Please send in your comments and suggestions.
b. Florida Pleasure Passport Campaign
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1730/fpp1.html
The business arrangement between AAA, Splendid China, Bok Tower, Cypress Gardens, and Fantasy of Flight is known as 'Florida Pleasure Passport'.
We have suggested letters to these establishments to ask them to stop supporting FSC. Your letters are still coming in as well as the responses from the particulars named above (minus FSC).
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO WRITE AGAIN.
Addresses for mailing letters
Bok Tower Gardens
1151 Tower Boulevard
Lake Wales, Florida 33853
Cypress Gardens
PO Box 1
Cypress Gardens, Florida
Fantasy of Flight
PO Box 1200
Polk City, Florida 33868-9417
American Automobile Association
Florida/Louisiana/Missippi AAA
1000 AAA Drive,
Heathrow, Florida, 32746-5080
Phone: 407-444-4000
c. Walk for Tibetan Independence
(see www.rangzen.com for the latest)
"A Flag Without Freedom: Protest China's Gov't on U.S. Flag Day"
COME JOIN THE CONCLUSION of the "1997 March for Tibet's Independence"
WHEN: Saturday, June 14th
- 8AM--Walk Begins from George Washington Bridge, Fort Lee, New Jersey
- 9AM--Welcoming Ceremony, Jay Wood Wright Park (175th St and Fort Washington Ave, Manhattan)
- 4PM--Demonstration and Press Conference, United Nations, New York City Dag Hammarskjold Plaza--47th Street between 1st & 2nd Avenues
LED BY:
- Thubten Jigme Norbu, Tibetan Cultural Center, Bloomington, Indiana
- Palden Gyatso (Tibetan Monk), India
- Gyaltsen Chotso (Tibetan Nun), India
- Erkhtemtsel Borjigin, Inner Mongolian People's Party
- Anwar Yusuf, Eastern Turkistan National Freedom Center
- Peter Chang, World United for Formosa Independence
JOIN PROTESTERS REPRESENTING: Tibet, Eastern Turkistan, Southern Mongolia, Manchuria, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Burma, Native American Nations, Europe, Canada, and the United States.
Walkers will carry flags that China has OUTLAWED.
We will take a picnic lunch at noon. Please bring tea, water, and food to share.
TENTATIVE LIST OF SPEAKERS: Thubten Jigme Norbu, Dawa Tsering, Larry Gerstein, Erkhtemtsel Borjigin, Anwar Yusuf, Peter Chang, Dadon Dawadolma, Maureen Aung-Thwin, Chief Oren Lyons, Adam Yaunch, Palden Gyatso, Gyaltsen Chotso, Tashi Jamyangling, Pema Gashon, Doug Weiner, Thubten Samdup, fools for Love, Chukie Wangdu, Tsoltim N. Shakabpa, Diana Takata, Rinchen Dakpa, Phuntso Thonden, Julie Crow.
THE ROUTE: 12 miles. Meet at the Parking lot by the toll booth for the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey at 8AM. Walk across the South Side of the Bridge with Traffic and arrive in Manhattan at 178th St and Ft. Washington Ave. Walk South on Ft. Washington Ave. Walkers will be greeted by the Tibetan & Tibet Support Group communities at the Jay Wood Wright Park (175th St & Ft. Washington Ave) around 9AM. Continue on Ft. Washington Ave which turns into Broadway. Take Broadway South to 96th St and turn left (East). Take 96th St through Central Park West. Stop for lunch around 12PM at the large Tennis Courts in Central Park. Continue on 96th St which turns into 97th St through the Park exiting at 5th Ave. Turn right (South) on to 5th Ave and head down to 86th St. Turn left (East) on 86th St and walk to 2nd Ave. Turn right (South) on 2nd Ave and head down to 47th St. Turn left (East) on 47th St and head to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (47th St between 1st & 2nd Avenues) across from the United Nations. Arr
ive at the Plaza around 4PM. Demonstration and press conference between 4-6PM.
We warmly welcome all of your participation on this final day of our 600+mile, three month walk from Toronto to New York City. If you cannot join us in New York City, please show your support for Tibet and FLY THE TIBETAN FLAG ON JUNE 14TH all around the world.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
International Tibet Independence Movement 317-579-9015 (Phone) 1-888-997-1036 (pager) Call after 6PM (EST) Rangzen@aol.com (e-mail) www.rangzen.com (website)
d. Collecting letters/articles
Please send copies of your letters to the editors, school board members, etc., so that they can be included in our web-pages. Let your voice be heard. Thanks to those who have mailed your letters in.
Any articles mentioning Splendid China are welcome also, we prefer to re-print in it's entirety so we can't be blamed for an 'out-of-context' quotations.
4. Misc.
a. Dalai Lama delivers a message of peace
Happiness and tranquillity both begin with individuals, Tibetan leader tells Denver
By Lisa Levitt Ryckman
Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
-----------------------------------------------------------
For Tami Voss' 40th birthday, her best friend and soulmate gave her the Dalai Lama.
"Seriously, it's a birthday gift,'' said Voss as she and friend Angela Bartlett waited in McNichols Arena on Sunday for the exiled Tibetan leader's speech and interfaith celebration.
"I figure there's got to be some reason I'm here,'' said Voss, who at first felt reluctant to attend the event. "There's got to be something he's going to say that I need to hear.''
What she and 10,000 others heard was the Dalai Lama's profoundly simple message about the connection between inner peace and world peace.
It was all part of what Mayor Wellington Webb proclaimed "Dalai Lama Days'' in Denver.
"Some of you may have the wrong impression about me as a mysterious man from a faraway place,'' said the Dalai Lama, who addressed the crowd first through an interpreter and then in broken English.
"That is wrong. We are all the same human being. Same experience, same desire. Everyone has the same potential to have a meaningful life ... happy life, happy family and through that, happy world.''
His message resonated with guilt-free truth for Patrick Casey, 31, who said he had been raised a Catholic.
"I think (Eastern religion tells us) we're coming from a place where we're all created Godlike and the distractions of society get in our way,'' he said. "Whereas other religions kind of tell us we're sinful from the start and we have to repent throughout our lives.''
Casey admitted he's not sold on Buddhist rituals, which remind him too much of Catholicism.
He added, "(Buddhist) monks embrace the teachings of Christ and all the great religious leaders. They walk the walk, and they talk the talk.''
Leaders from the Denver Area Interfaith Clergy Council served up a veritable smorgasbord of religious viewpoints before the Dalai Lama's presentation, with prayers for Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and American Indians.
The Dalai Lama called on the world's religious leaders to promote a message of internal and external disarmament, including the destruction of all nuclear weapons.
"Some people think this goes too far,'' he said. "Certain things look impractical ... (but) once a certain idea is in our mind and accordingly make an effort, then it is possible to achieve.''
The Tibetan leader urged people to love their children, communicate with each other and nurture an optimistic, self-confident, determined attitude in themselves.
"In our society, we pay too much attention to material (wealth),'' he said.
Some of the audience missed that message, busy as they were perusing a table of souvenirs, including bundles of incense, prayer beads and books on Buddhist symbols. Laminated wallet-sized photos of the Dalai Lama were going fast at $4 apiece.
"Peaceful world will not come from sky or Earth,'' the Dalai Lama said. "It's in our own hands.''
Monday, June 02, 1997
b. A letter to the Pakistani Embassy from ETNFC
Eastern Turkistan National Freedom Center
110 Maryland Ave. NE
Suite 210
Washington, DC. 20002
Tel: (202) 544-9590
Fax: (202) 544-9591
June 2, 1997
Abbas R. Kazimi
First Secretary (P)
Embassy of Pakistan
Washington, DC 20008
via fax:202/387-0484
Dear Mr. Kazimi:
I thank you for the time you gave me to discuss the urgent threat facing 130 Muslim students from Eastern Turkistan who are studying in your country.
These 130 students entered Pakistan legally, with active Chinese passports and appropriate Pakistani visas. They have been studying at religious schools.
These students now fear that the government of Pakistan may deport them to China as it did recently 13 young people who had illegally entered Pakistan.
As you know, once in control of the Chinese authorities these young people disappeared from view, and there are now indications that at least one of them has died.
There are, unfortunately, indications that the Pakistani government will yield to Chinese pressure to return the 130 students -- though, as I note, they are studying in your country legally. We understand that your country's embassy in Beijing is no longer issuing visas to Eastern Turkistanis who wish to visit or study in Pakistan. We understand also that China's embassy in Pakistan is no longer granting extensions for passports belonging to students from Eastern Turkistan. Equally disturbing is the news that Pakistani authorities have closed certain religious schools which Eastern Turkistanis students have been attending.
We ask that your government confirm its respect for human rights. Pakistan must not deport to China innocent Muslim students who have committed no crime -- in your country or mine -- except the crime of being born in Eastern Turkistan. These young people seek only the right to continue their religious studies, and all Muslims should be proud of their commitment to our faith.
In those limited instances where the passports of these students have expired, and China refuses to extend them, we ask that you allow these students the opportunity to request asylum from Pakistan or some other nation. Again, these young people are innocent, and should not be forced to return to an unknown fate.
Again, I thank you for taking the time to discuss this urgent issue. I will be happy to provide any additional information you may require.
I look forward to your response as soon as is possible.
Sincerely,
Anwar Yusuf
President
c. Dalai Lama's Message on TianAnMen Anniversary
June 4, 1997
MESSAGE
The massacre of June 4, 1989 at Tiananmen Square was one of the significant turning points in the history of modern China. This tragic outcome of a peaceful movement made the world focus its attention not only on the Chinese people's inherent desire for democracy and human rights but also on the totalitarian Chinese government's intolerance of any open display of people's yearning for freedom.
Today as our Chinese brothers and sisters commemorate the anniversary of the June 4 massacre, I wish to pay my respects to those who died for freedom, democracy and human rights in your great nation. I pray also for those of your compatriots who are imprisoned because of their courageous advocacy of these universal and inherent human values, and for the success of your democracy movement.
I still consider the Tiananmen Square tragedy as only a temporary set-back for the Chinese democracy movement. Brute force, no matter how strongly applied, can never subdue the basic human desire for freedom. People do not like to be bullied, cheated or lied to by either an individual or a system.
As a believer in non-violence, peace and freedom, I have from the beginning supported the non-violent democracy movement in China. Despite the brutality of the Tiananmen Square massacre and the continued suppression of activities related to human rights, I pray that the Chinese democracy movement will always remain non-violent, for that is the human approach to solving problems.
China is presently in transition to a new era. The absence of Mr. Deng Xiaoping provides new opportunities and challenges for the Chinese authorities. On this anniversary of the June 4 massacre at Tiananmen Square. I appeal to the leadership in China to act with wisdom, in a spirit of tolerance, reconciliation, and compromise, to bring an end to the suffering of the Chinese people and those under their rule, including the Tibetans. The fate of China is crucial to peace, freedom, and security in Asia and the world, and is of great concern to the international community.
I therefore also appeal to the freedom loving people of the world to support the movement for freedom and democracy in China.
The Dalai Lama
d. In Memorium...
Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death by T.C. (http://ppc.westview.nybe.north-york.on.ca/WWW/lit/tong.html)
On April 15th, 1989 following the death of former Communist Party General Secretary and democratic reformer Hu Yaobang, students began peaceful memorial demonstrations in Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities. Hu became a hero among Chinese liberals when he refused to halt unrest in January 1987.
The pro-democracy demonstrations continued with people calling for the removal of China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and other Communist officials. The government's demand to end the demonstrations on April 20th was ignored. On May 4th, approximately 100,000 students and workers marched in Beijing demanding democratic reforms. On May 20th, the government declared martial law, however the demonstrations continued while the government wavered between the leadership of Li Peng and Zhao Ziyang.
Eventually choosing the hard-line approach of Li Peng, with the support of Deng, the government ordered troops to Tiananmen Square. On June 3-4, 1989, the People's Liberation Army brutally crushed pro-democracy supporters killing an estimated 3000-5000, injuring another 10,000, and arresting hundreds of students and workers. Following the violence, the government conducted widespread arrests, summary trials, executions, banned the foreign press and strictly controlled the Chinese press. Although similar protests had been quelled by the government since the mid-1980s, the extremely violent suppression of the Chinese government of the Tiananmen Square protest caused widespread international condemnation of the Chinese government.
* * * * *
[Jeff Widener - Photographer]
I could see him bravely standing there with clenched fists and both feet planted firmly on the ground. It would seem to me that nothing or anybody was going to move him from that spot. I think I heard some people in the large crowd say that his name was Ming Lieu Zhang. I asked myself, what would prompt an individual to approach a fleet of moving tanks, and attempt to block its path by standing in its way? It just frightens me to see that this will only be another attempt to stall the progression of the People's Liberation Army into Tiananmen Square - how much longer do we intend to carry on like this? But for some reason, the driver of the tank stops just meters away from where the brave student is standing. I can see a small figure reaching its head out from the top of the tank, like a ground hog looking for his shadow.
With both sets of eyes locked on target of each other, a deadly silence falls from the crowd of frightened and angry protesters. Except for the loud humming of the armored military vehicles, there is just a long moment of silence from the onlookers. The silence is finally broken with a plead for mercy from the young man in front of the tank. I couldn't exactly make out what he was saying, but it definitely looked like some form of pleading. Although my Mandarin is extremely rusty, I believe that I heard words like, "stop", and "no more killing" - everything else was muffled out by the noise of the tanks. From what was happening then, and from what I could see, it would appear that not only did this one individual managed to stop an army of tanks, but also transfer some of his emotions into the mind of the confused soldier - otherwise, he would already have been crushed flat into the ground of Changan Boulevard.
[Ming Lieu - Facing tanks]
I have already seen two of my fellow classmates fall to the mercy of the evil, power hungry government - I can not let their deaths go in vain. The power of their army does not frighten me, their large numbers don't frighten me, and neither will the size of their killing machines. I will only make my country stronger by fighting back. Standing here acting as a wall against an army of tanks, I have no fear - we mustn't show fear. I can see the past two days of our battle flash before my eyes in Tiananmen Square. I knew all along, that once we have started, there would be no turning back. There was no such thing as a peaceful expression of criticism towards the communist party. As seen in the past, innocent citizens were brutally crushed by this merciless army, and once again, the same thing has occurred. As the tanks advance closer, I started to feel chills running down my back, but I could not show fear. Although not many would show it, I had the support of many of my friends, families and fellow citizens.
As I recalled the night before, I saw people laying on the road to block off military vehicles from entering. It worked before, perhaps it would work again. Even though we way outnumber the army, in China, the Communist Party is the super power, and would still crush us like ants - no matter how many of us there were. The killing had to stop - Ming Lieu was going to do it.
I've already lost three friends during the protests, I don't want to lose any more - please stop the killing.
* * * * *
May 19th - In a demonstration that seemed momentarily to breathe new life into China's faltering democracy movement, protesters started at midnight to assemble a bright white miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty in Tiananmen Square. Some demonstrators were unclear about the identity of the statue, but looked on admiringly. More than 100,000 demonstrators and sympathetic onlookers cheered as the statue was erected. Elsewhere close by, fireworks could be seen streaking through the night sky, exploding in bright flashes above the crowd. A few people could be seen weeping openly;
others chanted high-spirited slogans calling for free speech and other political rights. The rumors of a military crackdown had been confirmed - the big guns were moving in.
Human barricades were the only things that would temporarily hold back the military. People were laying on the roads in the 100's trying to keep out armored vehicles. The selfless sacrifice shown during these past few days shows how determined the citizens are about democracy.
[Day 1 of violence - June 4]
[Jeff Widener - Photographer]
On the dawn of June 4th, tanks and dead bodies could be seen lying on the street. The scene here in the third day of violence was horrific! This event would soon eventually gain worldwide attention - there was no way the Chinese government could come out of this one looking good. From this point on, Tiananmen Square turned into what would begin to look like a war zone.
Everywhere you turned dead bodies could be seen scattered everywhere. The number of casualties were difficult to say, but the injuries must have been in the hundreds.
, a middle aged man showed me. I could see that the shells and bullets were almost the size of my thumb., the man tells me in an angry voice. I could see tears in his eyes, but there was nothing I could do.Help was scarce, there was no room for ambulances. In this time of desperate need, citizens came together and helped one another. Another reporter could be seen helping an injured student to shelter. Others removed bloody corpses off the road. It looked like they were using the Post and Telecommunications Hospital as a makeshift morgue for all the casualties.
[Day 2 of violence - June 5]
Monday morning gave light to an even more horrifying sight. The enormous stench from the dead is hardly noticeable because the sight is enough to put you at a loss. In the daylight, people can be seen rushing injured friends and relatives to the hospital; a rickshaw driver fiercely peddles wounded people with help of bystanders to a nearby hospital while soldiers fire hundreds of rounds into angry crowds gathered outside Tiananmen Square. Relatives at the Beijing's Post and Telecommunications Hospital identify and mourn the piles, and piles of bloodied bodies. A crowd of over 30 students swarm four uniformed officers and manage to kill 2 of them before they were broken up by spray of bullets from other military personal. By noon, the death toll had tripled, almost quadrupled by the evening. More tanks make way through the crowd on Changan Boulevard where...
[Ming Lieu]
... I walked up to the middle of the boulevard and stopped directly in the path of the on coming tanks. Two weeks ago, when a million people took to the streets to prevent the army from entering Beijing to enforce martial law, it seemed as if people power was winning. But all I know right now is that we've come too far to back down from our current position. I don't know if it was wise to defy my parents request when they told me not to get involved, but now it is too late. The tank stops just meters in front of me... I didn't move a muscle. The silence is deadly.
Long pause...Crowd roars...
...roars die down
The silence returns with both of us motionless for a moment. Just as tears begin forming in my eyes - I am approached by 6 soldiers. The next thing you know, I'm inside a packed cell with over 100 people.
[Day 3 of violence - June 6]
Immediately after the arrest of Ming, a group of fellow friends and classmates have already come up with a plan to free him. The loss of life has finally calmed down. But still with bodies scattered on the streets, we can not say that the violence has ended. By now, the morgue is over flooded with reeking dead bodies, and now with family and friends here to identify
them. This unpleasant sight is enough to make you sick. But at the same time, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the dead, and anger towards the government.
The original 6 member group has now turned into over 200 angry protesters.
As they all march down to the Beijing Prison not knowing what to expect, police in riot gear were already prepared to meet them. For some reason, this only encouraged the protesters. All of a sudden, over 200 people charged the police station - throwing rocks and bricks, practically anything that wasn't nailed down. During the mass confusion, rioters somehow managed to free all the prisoners. Soon, the violence begins again.
Policeman were being beat up by the hundreds - their weapons were useless, they were too crowded to use their guns. However, the police already in riot gear did not have much to fear. They were simply on the defensive. The government would soon hear of this, and the violence will either end, or continue.
[But finally in the end...]
I do wish to be reminded of the events that have just occurred. Now that it is over, let us all leave it in the past - don't worry about who was wrong, and who was right. As a militant attender in this movement, and absolute patriotic Chinese, I couldn't help but to feel cheated and my emotions manipulated. I didn't begin to feel this until I moved here to LA - and now, the feeling is even stronger. The party that I paid great respect to during the movement were using this as a step or means for their own political gains. They did not want a strong China while they dressed in democracy and undermined the development of the home land. Although they have claimed to have built this country, it would appear that during that time, they accomplished nothing - that is why political reform became necessary. We can't just blame the citizens. Just as I was naive enough to follow such a government, I shall rethink what we have done to our own country during the movement. Sometimes it helps just to rethink something, it
's too bad we can't go back and change it. After all that we have gone through, we must unite together and rebuild our once mighty China.
Tong Chieng.
(Some of the names were changed to protect the identity of some individuals. The dates according to my research were accurate at the time this story was written - any discrepancies are not necessarily false.)
e. DEMONSTRATION IN MUNICH AGAINST CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION IN EASTERN TURKISTAN
Eastern Turkistan Information Center, 7 June 1997
[ETIC, 6/7/97] About 400 people demonstrated against human rights violations in Eastern Turkistan and in China at the center of Munich on June 7. The Demonstration was organized by the East Turkistan Union in Europe and Amnesty International, and continued for about 4 hours. The participants hold and chanted the following slogans:
FREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS IN EASTERN TURKISTAN !
STOP MASSACRE OF THE UYGHURS !
SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE UYGHURS!
STOP CHINESE MIGRATION TO EASTERN TURKISTAN !
STOP FORCED ABORTIONS !
STOP NUCLEAR TESTS IN LOPNOR !
After the demonstration, the Uyghurs prayed for the victims who lost their lifes in fighting against the communist Chinese state's colonialism and despotism. [Abduljelil Karkash, Munich]
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This issue of the WUNN News was prepared by Abdulrakhim Aitbayev. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
For the back issues of WUNN newsletter visit our WUNN web site http://www.uygur.com/wunn/wunn.html
For more information on Eastern Turkistan visit
http://www.ccs.uky.edu/~rakhim/et.html
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