NEWSLETTER ON THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE RADICAL PARTY
#3, April 23, 1996
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Dear friend,
Although during the past year we were able to partially reduce the Party's financial debt, the situation remains particularly difficult. That's the main reason why in this period the information on the Party's campaigns came only via fax and electronic mail, through the newsletters "Freedom for Tibet / Democracy in China - Fax" and this "Transnational Fax", translated in various languages. Notwithstanding the support of those who already joined the Party for 1996, hardly will be possible to change such situation soon. In trying to obviate as much as possible to such lack of information and communication, we believe important to continue in a wider distribution of these two instruments, though insufficient as they are (we are now planning to add to them a third newsletter, a "CoRA Fax", on the issue of drugs' regulation). Therefore we invite you, besides copying and spreading this bulletin, to let us know fax numbers and/or e-mail addresses of people that you think may be concerned in being kept informed on o
ur initiatives.
Warmest greetings !
CHINA. SISTER OF CHINESE DISSIDENT WEI JINGSHENG, WEI SHANSHAN, DENOUNCES AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN GENEVA HIS UNACCEPTABLE CONDEMNATION AND THE RISK THAT HE COULD DIE IMPRISONED.
Geneva, 4/16/1996. With regard to the new 14-year sentence inflicted to her brother for "overthrow aimed plot" against Chinese government (art. 92), in a statement delivered to the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, his sister Wei Shanshan declared his full innocence: "not just because he is my brother, but because no really fair and impartial body would judge him as he was". Indictments for "carrying out violent activities" and "being member of a secret organization", were given "reason" by using: Wei's open proposals to national and regional newspapers calling on them to promote democracy; press articles published in Hong Kong criticizing China's bad record in human rights; his project to establish an independent organization for artistic and cultural events; and, the financial aid he offered to the families of the 1989 Tienanmen massacre's victims. Non of the indictments and evidences shown can be considered "violent" or "underground". Furthermore, in his sister's opinion, Jingsheng was convicted al
so because his assertion that "Historically, there is no doubt that Tibet was an independent country", which assertion is obviously indisputable. In her words: "I repeat that my brother is guilty of no crime. He is only the voice of China's consciousness for democracy, human rights, dignity, tolerance, and reasonableness".
Finally, Wei Shanshan reminds that after 15 years in jail her brother is seriously ill, and during his recent trial he suffered an heart attack. The further sentence is de facto a sentence to death. ShanShan called on the UN Commission on Human Rights to pass a resolution condemning the violations and supporting Wei Jingsheng and thousands of other political prisoners in China as well.
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For the first time since its recognition as a Non-Governmental Organization (Category 1), the transnational and cross-divisional Radical Party took part to the UN Commission on Human Rights that gathered in Geneva. Hereby follows the report.
UNITED NATIONS. RADICAL DELEGATION INTERVENES AT THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN GENEVA
Geneva, March/April 1996. As an NGO with Category 1 status within the United Nations, the transnational and cross-divisional Radical Party participated to 52nd session (March/April 1996) of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, with five written statements and two oral interventions facing the issues of human rights in Tibet, China, Kosova; the global moratorium on capital punishment; and the problems related to pandemic diseases.
Besides radical activists Marino Busdachin, Olivier Dupuis, and Marina Sikora, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Tibetan government-in-exile and Dalai Lama's special envoy Lodi Gyari, Secretary of the Tibetan government-in-exile for Information and International Relations Tempa Tsering, and the sister of Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng, Wei Shanshan, together with other prominent personalities were members of the delegation.
UNITED NATIONS. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. TIBET
The central spot on which the Radical Party's delegation focused its action was the struggle for a Resolution on human rights in China and Tibet to be passed by the Commission, with particular attention to the increasing religious intolerance and the situation of the Eleventh Panchen Lama abducted by the Chinese authorities. RP's delegation also intervened on the question of torture and massive transfer of Chinese population into Tibet, and in conclusion called on the Commission's members asking for the Resolution to appoint a Special Rapporteur to be charged to investigate on the spot.
UNITED NATIONS. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. AIDS
A document presented by the Radical Party against discrimination of PWA denounces violations of their human rights (particularly in Colombia, Russia, China, Hungary, Belgium, Venezuela, Myanmar, Thailand, Cuba, Croatia, Brazil, and Mexico), in disrespect of international standards and UN resolutions. Therefore the document asks the Secretary General and the Commission to arise with the governments, and to prepare a report on the issue elaborating as well the proper intervention actions.
UNITED NATIONS. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. KOSOVA
Another statement presented to the Commission highlights Kosova's situation in the frame of a lasting peace for the Balkan region. Referring to recent reports by international humanitarian organizations, the document denounces continuing serious violations of freedom of expression, personal security, justice, education, work and house. With regard to the obvious danger for the situation to worsen, the document asks for the Kosova's issue to become part of the international negotiations for the Balkan reconciliation, and to restore the international institutions' observers.
UNITED NATIONS. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. DEATH PENALTY
A special statement on imprisonment, torture, and capital punishment, reiterates the serious situation in Tibet and Kosova. It particularly mentions the increasing rate of executions in the US, and the thousands of people all over the world who are waiting the execution even more than ten years, so that the death penalty can be considered as a blatantly obvious "cruel and inhuman treatment".
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ABOLISHMENT OF THE DEATH PENALTY. CATHOLIC CHURCH'S CATECHISM DELETES THE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Rome, 4/19/1996. The "New Catechism" does not consider the capital punishment anymore, after the "Evangelium Vitae" by Pope John Paul II already marked the time for a definitive decision. With regard to that, Secretary of "Hands off Cain" association, Sergio D'Elia, stated that "This result turns out to be very important, especially in consideration that it affects an ancient text as the Catholic Church' Catechism is, thus it surely will have a significant effect. The goal achieved today by the modification of the "New Catechism" also represents a success for the struggle we are going to carry out this year at the UN for the abolishment of the death penalty by mean of a global moratorium of capital executions".
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UNITED NATIONS. ESPERANTO
New York, 4/19/1996. The Transnational Radical Party and the Universala Esperanto-Asocio submitted to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a document over the issue of an international auxiliary language. The text, reminding that translation costs make up to one fifth of the total UN budget, looks forward for an international auxiliary language to be adopted, markedly Esperanto. The document is currently under examination by the Presidency, which will decide on whether or not put it on the Council's agenda.
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INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT. WORLDWIDE PARLIAMENTARY APPEAL TO UN SECRETARY GENERAL AND MEMBERS OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE.
Collection of signatures continues in numerous parliaments all around the world for a quick approval of the Tribunal's Statute. Hereby follows the situation as of today:
Adhesions by 234 parliamentarians from
26 countries: MEPs MPs Total
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Albania - 37 37
Austria 1 1 2
Azerbajdzan - 43 43
Belarus - 1 1
Belgium 4 4 8
Bulgaria - 13 13
Croatia - 9 9
Czech Republic - 2 2
Denmark 1 - 1
Finland 1 - 1
France 9 4 13
Georgia - 7 7
Germany 4 - 4
Italy 27 2 29
Luxembourg 1 3 4
Macedonia - 3 3
Moldavia - 2 2
Netherlands 4 - 4
Portugal 3 - 3
Rumania - 7 7
Russia - 20 20
Slovenia - 1 1
Spain 6 - 6
Sweden 4 - 4
Ukraine - 2 2
United Kingdom 8 - 8
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Total 73 161 234
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DRUGS. CO.R.A.'S ACTIVITY IN BELGIUM
Brussels. Since January the Anti-prohibitionist Radical Coordination (CoRA) is active in Belgium too. Among the members of the association, which goal is the legalization of all forbidden drugs, there are prominent political personalities like MP Patrick Moriau, MEP Anne Andre-Leonard, Senator Pol Boel, Senator Pierre Lenfant, MP Henri Simons, and numerous medicines, lawyers, and citizens. The Association's coordinators are Michel Hancisse ed Eric Picard. CoRA follows the Belgian Parliament's works of the Commission on drugs, as well as other institutions' works, its activity mainly consisting in monitoring them through intervention on the Belgian press.
