THE CASE OF ZHANG SHUYUN: IN AN OPEN LETTER TO SUSANNA AGNELLI, ITALIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, RADICAL PARTY SECRETARY OLIVIER DUPUIS CALLS UPON ITALY TO RECEIVE THE CHINESE DISSIDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISCLOSURE OF THE TRAGEDY OF CHINESE ORPHANAGES AND TO WHOM FRANCE HAS RECENTLY DENIED POLITICAL ASYLUM

Brussels, February 7, 1996

Excellency,

It is with great astonishment that I learned of France's denial of political asylum to Zhang SHUYUN, Chinese doctor at the infamous orphanage in Shanghai.

As you may already know, and thanks to the report from the "Human Rights Watch" Organization, it is, indeed, from this notorious Chinese orphanage that the first reports came disclosing the deliberate and systematic policies within the Beijing Government to limit the number of orphans by letting them die through deprivation and malnutrition.

This represents a policy of organized elimination, intent on curbing the growing health costs incurred by "unnecessary" expenditures, in comparison with, for example, "necessary" expenditures on nuclear testing which the Chinese - contrary to French President Jacques CHIRAC - seem not to want to interrupt.

In light of the position taken by the French government, clearly based on realpolitik, I now turn to you with the hope that Italy can fill in for France by offering political asylum to Doctor Zhang SHUYUN, to a person who found the courage to denounce the atrocities so well know to you now and who, therefore, as is the custom in China towards its dissidents, risks her own life.

With the hope that through your intervention, Doctor Zhang SHUYUN can escape this fate, I ask you to kindly accept my best wishes in the work ahead,

Olivier DUPUIS

(Head Secretary)