Summer 1999: Special June Fourth 10-Year Anniversary Issue
HRI C Bulletin
U.N. ADVOCACY
In April Xiao Qiang, Béatrice Laroche, Wang Yu and Liu Nianchun traveled to Geneva as HRIC's delegation to the 55th session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights.
Each spoke during the Commission plenary, delivering statements on behalf of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights (RFK) and the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH). HRIC co-organized a briefing on the human rights situation in China and Tibet ten years after the June Fourth Massacre with FIDH, the Transnational Radical Party and RFK, and participated in a FIDH briefing on the use of national security laws in Asia to curb the exercise of fundamental human rights. Both meetings were attended by government delegates, representatives of the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, reporters and NGO representatives. In addition, HRIC had private meetings with High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson; a member of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; and the special rapporteurs on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, on the independence of judges and lawyers, on torture and on violence against women. Both in preparation for the Commission and du
ring the session, HRIC issued a series of press releases highlighting the status of the resolution on the rights situation in China.
ZHU RONGJI VISIT
Liu Qing and Xiaorong Li participated in a press conference held by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi on the occasion of Prime Minister Zhu Rongji's U.S. visit. Liu called on Zhu and U.S. leaders to hold substantive discussions on China's human rights situation, and presented a statement calling for the release of June Fourth prisoners, including Li Hai and the 144 individuals in Beijing still serving long sentences for their participation in the 1989 democracy movement. HRIC also raised the issue of June Fourth prisoners with New York Governor George Pataki, who presented the list of 144 prisoners to Zhu during their meeting in Manhattan.
EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
- On March 29, Xiao Qiang participated in a seminar on "Religious Rights Monitoring in China" held by the U.S. State Department. Ambassador Robert Seiple, Special Representative of the Secretary of State for International Religious Freedom spoke about the Commission on Religious Liberty Abroad. In the afternoon, NGOs engaged in a roundtable discussion on verifying information and reporting on religious rights.
- Xiao Qiang spoke at a panel discussion entitled "Human Rights, China and U.S. Foreign Policy" at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University on April 26. Other panelists included Lobsang Sangay, a Tibetan scholar and human rights activist; and Xiaojiang Hu, president of the Harvard Chinese Students and Scholars Association.
- On April 16, Xiao Qiang spoke about the current situation of human rights in China at a press conference sponsored by the Milarepa Fund. The event was focused on promoting international political action for this year's global Tibetan Freedom Concert.
- On May 1-2, Sophia Woodman attended a conference on the theme "Towards a Democratic China," sponsored by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. Woodman spoke on promoting international scrutiny of China's rights record in a difficult global environment.
OUTREACH
- On April 29, HRIC held an informational luncheon on the current human rights situation in China. Professor Andrew Nathan spoke on the present social and political climate in China; Liu Nianchun described his experiences as a labor activist and political prisoner; and Liu Qing and Xiao Qiang spoke about HRIC's work. The event, held at the Cornell Club, was attended by interested individuals from the media, NGOs, foundations and philanthropic sectors.
- On April 20, a group of HRIC staff and board members held an informal meeting with representatives from the Asia Foundation. Allen Choate, director of program development, and Barnett Baron, executive vice president, described the Asia Foundation's goals and programs in China, and HRIC explained its monitoring, research, advocacy and education work.
- Xiao Qiang, Bob Bernstein and Derrick Wong attended the annual conference of the Committee of 100. The conference, which was held from April 30 to May 1, featured speakers from international organizations, diplomatic circles, the business sector and the arts.
THANKS
HRIC would like to thank Derrick Wong, Marie Holzman, Cheuk Kwan, FIDH, RFK, the Transnational Radical Party, Elizabeth Cole, Yuanyuan, Hsi-Yun Hsiung and Mary Anne Le Bas.
Xiao Qiang
Copyright (c) 1999 China Rights Forum. Published by:
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