World Tibet Network News Thursday, April 09, 1998 - Special Issue

GENEVA, April 9 (Reuters) - Veteran democracy activist Wei Jingsheng, who served more than 18 years as a political prisoner, blasted Western democracies on Thursday for failing to speak out against abuses in China at the main U.N. rights body.

China interrupted his speech to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, saying it was "irrelevant" to the specific agenda item under discussion at the evening session.

But the acting chairman intervened to allow Wei to continue -- albeit with a reminder to stick to the topic of "promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Wei was applauded after delivering his speech.

He charged Chinese activists were being let down and "exposed to further government repression" just as major Western powers had decided to "put money ahead of human rights."

The European Union and United States, pointing to their dialogue with China and Beijing's efforts to improve its rights record, have announced they will not back a resolution on China at the annual session which ends on April 24.

China has escaped scrutiny by the 53-member state body for eight years in a row.

Amnesty International and other rights groups have said pressure on China should be maintained at the meeting. They accuse China of carrying out an excessive number of executions, of arbitrary detentions, and of failure to guarantee basic freedoms.

Some activists have charged that Western powers value potentially lucrative trade and investment ties more than moral principles when China comes up for review at the main U.N. rights body.

Wei was released last November on medical parole and sent into exile.

He addressed the Commission on behalf of the New York-based International League for Human Rights and the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, based in Washington, D.C.

His speech came amid rumours of a Chinese deal with the United States to win the release of jailed student protest leader Wang Dan before U.S. President Bill Clinton visits Beijing in late June for a summit with President Jiang Zemin.

Wei said that due to a long, non-violent struggle, some new freedoms had been acquired in China.

As an example, he cited a growing number of publications available in China, many of which were illegal. "This has become a reality and those in power cannot ignore it any longer.

"But because of every step we take, we are exposed to further government repression.

"This is precisely the time when support from our friends is most needed. And this is precisely the time that Western democracies have chosen to withdraw their support by deciding not to examine China's human rights record at the Commission, in total disrespect of the Commission's own mandate."

"But news that money can be made in China travels fast."

Wei accused Western media of only depicting rich Chinese reaping the benefits of economic development.

"They portray a China of cellular phones, Mercedes Benz and McDonalds. They intend to convince the world that China is a new land of opportunities."

"This rich elite has established its wealth on the deprivation of the basic freedoms and human rights in China and Tibet," he said, adding that hundreds of millions remained poor.

Last month China pledged to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which enshrines freedom of speech, assembly and worship. It is also negotiating the terms of a visit by U.N. rights boss Mary Robinson in September.