Since 1988, the Sakharov Prize has been awarded to individuals or organizations for their efforts on behalf of human rights and fundamental freedoms and against oppression and injustice. Past recipients of the prize have included Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma.
“The announcement that Hu Jia has been awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is welcome news for all those who fight for freedom and human rights in China and Tibet. In addition to advancing human rights, Hu has diligently worked to raise awareness of the needs of AIDS patients and environmental protection – issues the Chinese government must acknowledge. The European Parliament is to be commended for its bold decision.
“Hu Jia is in prison for criticizing the Chinese government’s record on human rights, most recently, his call on the international community to hold Beijing responsible for its promises to improve these rights before the 2008 Summer Olympics. He is risking his life, family and freedom so he can speak the truth. I call on the Chinese government to immediately and unconditionally release Hu Jia from prison and to respect the fundamental freedoms of all the people in China.”
Instead of living up to their commitments it made to be allowed to host the Olympic Games, the Chinese government is using the Olympics as a justification to crackdown on peaceful human rights activists, censor foreign and domestic journalists, and displace Chinese individuals and families who have no legal recourse to protest the seizure of their homes or their land.
From media reports, we are now learning that the Chinese government-designated ‘protest zones’ are a ruse for China to suppress dissent and imprison individuals who speak out against China’s policies.
For instance, Wang Xiuying and Wu Dianyuan, two women in their late 70s, have been sentenced to ‘re-education through labor,’ for applying to hold a legal protest over the seizure of their homes for redevelopment. ‘Re-education through labor’ is a brutal and arbitrary system of imprisonment where the recipient has no right to due process, counsel, or even a hearing.
Another individual, Ji Sizun, a self-described grassroots legal activist from Fujian Province, also applied for a permit for a legal protest. He was arrested on August 11 for asking for a permit.
Despite numerous requests, Chinese authorities have failed to grant any permits for legal protests in their designated protest zones.
Sadly, imprisoning individuals who dare to exercise their human rights is common practice in China. The international community must shine the spotlight on the ordinary indignities and lack of legal and human rights protections that Chinese citizens face every day.
World leaders attending the Olympic Games should use this opportunity to press China’s leaders to live up to the commitments made before being awarded the Olympic Games. I call on the Chinese government to respect the freedom of its own citizens both during the remaining few days of the Olympic Games and after they have concluded.
The United States Olympics team has chosen former refugee from Sudan and Team Darfur member Lopez Lomong to carry the flag at the Olympics opening ceremony, AFP reports.
Lomong, 23, who qualified in the 1,500m on the final day of the US trials last month, was chosen as the flag-bearer on Wednesday, when U.S. captains in every sport met at the Olympic Village to vote.
The decision comes days after Olympic gold-medalist Joey Cheek, the founder of Team Darfur, a group of global athletes who work to raise awareness of the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region, had his visa to visit China revoked.
Speaker Pelosi released the following statement after the Chinese government revoked his visa:
“The Chinese government’s decision to bar Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek from attending the Olympics because of his advocacy for Darfur is reprehensible. This action by Beijing’s leaders is part of an orchestrated campaign to deny entry to individuals because of their political views, beliefs, writings, association, religion, and ethnicity.
“In the coming days, President Bush will arrive in Beijing. I call on President Bush to secure the entry of Joey Cheek and other U.S. citizens who have been barred from attending the Olympics because of their beliefs, advocacy for the people of Darfur and human rights in China and Tibet. It is essential that President Bush show leadership in promoting democracy, freedom, and human rights during his visit to China.
“The Olympic Charter states that ‘Any form of discrimination with regard to a country of a person on the grounds of race, religion, politics, gender, or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.’ The International Olympic Committee is tolerating clear violations of both the Olympic ideals and the commitments the Chinese government made in order to host the Olympic Games.
“Like many Americans, I recall when Joey Cheek won the Gold Medal in 2006 and donated his prize to the children of Darfur. Joey is a magnificent athlete and an optimistic young man, and is to be commended for his advocacy and humanitarianism for the people in Darfur. It is simply wrong for him to be banned from attending the Olympic Games.”
Joey Cheek:
“I think it’s also important to point out that, by choosing to host an Olympics, China in particular looks to use this as their coronation on the world stage. They are an enormously developing nation, they’re going to be a world power, if they’re not yet, very shortly. And you don’t get to host the Olympics, you don’t get to this great event, with all the glow and all the good feelings that come along with it without accepting the responsibility of what you’re proclaiming.”
Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the following letter today to President Bush, ahead of his trip to Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, urging him to make human rights and freedom of the press in China top priorities of his visit.
Below is a text of the letter:
August 1, 2008
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.
Dear President Bush:
On the eve of your trip to China to attend the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, the human rights situation in China and Tibet is worsening and new restrictions are being imposed on international journalists as they attempt to cover the Olympic Games. I am writing to ask that you make human rights and freedom of the press top priorities of your visit.
The Olympic Charter states that the goal of the Olympic Games should be to promote “a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.” Sadly, the Chinese government has failed to create an atmosphere that honors the Olympic traditions of freedom and openness. In fact, human rights conditions have worsened in the time leading up to the Olympic games as Chinese authorities have intensified efforts to detain and imprison people who have publicly spoken out about conditions in China and Tibet.
In exchange for the privilege of hosting the Olympic Games, the Chinese government made commitments regarding freedom of the press, human rights, and the environment. Many of these commitments have been violated repeatedly and blatantly. Prominent human rights defenders have been arrested and imprisoned. International and Chinese journalists have been censored, threatened, and detained. Most recently, we have learned that international journalists are being blocked from accessing websites deemed offensive by the Chinese government. This action is in direct contradiction of Beijing’s commitment to allow international media free access to cover the Olympics in China.
The recent dialogue between the Chinese government and representatives of the Dalai Lama did not result in any progress. Thousands of peaceful Tibetans still languish in prisons in the aftermath of protests that began in March. Chinese authorities stepped up their so-called “patriotic education” campaigns that require Tibetan Buddhists — regardless of their true thoughts, beliefs, and convictions — to publicly denounce the Dalai Lama.
On the international front, the Chinese government’s policies of supporting the genocidal regime in Sudan and the military junta in Burma run counter to the interests of peace and stability in the world. It is my hope that you will persuade China to end its support for the human rights abuses in these countries.
On July 30, the U.S. House of Representatives considered a resolution calling on the Chinese government to end abuses of human rights, cease its repression of Tibetan and Uighur citizens and end its support for the governments of Sudan and Burma. The resolution also calls on the President to make strong statements on human rights and meet with the families of jailed prisoners of conscience while in Beijing. It passed by a vote of 419-1.
Your recent meetings with Chinese dissidents at the White House are to be commended. However, your participation at the opening ceremony of the Olympics will send a signal to the Chinese people and the international community that could be misperceived as your approval, and that of the American people, for the draconian policies of the Chinese government. Therefore, it is essential that you unambiguously speak out for human rights and meet with the families of jailed prisoners of conscience while you are in Beijing.
The House has just passed a resolution calling on the Government of the People’s Republic of China to immediately end abuses of the human rights of its citizens, to cease repression of Tibetan and Uighur citizens, and to end its support for the Governments of Sudan and Burma to ensure that the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games take place in an atmosphere that honors the Olympic traditions of freedom and openness. It passed by a vote of 419-1-1.
Speaker Pelosi spoke in favor:
Speaker Pelosi: “It is in this context that President Bush is traveling to China to attend the Olympic Games. To my knowledge, a sitting president of the United States has never attended an Olympics on foreign soil. That gives the President tremendous leverage with the Chinese government as he gives them tremendous face by attending the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. I have no objection to the President attending the Olympic Games. I do hope, though, that with all, all of the face, for lack of a better word, that the government will receive by his participation in the opening ceremony that he will take the opportunity to use his leverage to speak very forcefully to the Chinese regime, not only about human rights in China and Tibet — of course, that is a top priority — but also about the… barriers to US products going into China, about the dangers that are foisted upon our children and the American people by the lack of safety in the production of foods.”
“Today the House took an historic vote to pass landmark legislation to reauthorize our initiatives to fight infectious diseases in the developing world.
“I thank the Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman and Congresswoman Barbara Lee for their tremendous leadership on this legislation.
“This bill is appropriately named the Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde U.S. Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act.
“Under the leadership of Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde, we passed the first President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) legislation that authorized $15 billion over five years. Today, we honor their legacy with this legislation.
“Working together with the Bush Administration and the Appropriations Committee, we succeeded in providing life-saving anti-retroviral treatment to nearly 1.5 million people, supporting care for nearly 6.7 million people, including nearly 3 million orphans and vulnerable children, and supporting prevention of more than 150,000 infant infections.
“Now we must take the next step in fighting infectious diseases in the poorest countries of the world.
“The legislation Congress has passed will move us from the emergency phase to the sustainability phase in fighting AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. It will authorize $48 billion over five years to provide life-saving HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention for men, women, and children in the poorest countries of the world.
“The legislation will dramatically strengthen health care delivery systems, encourage new and innovative ways to deliver the ABC prevention message, improve relationships with governments and NGOs, eliminate the requirement that one third of the funding be used for abstinence programs, eliminate the travel ban for visitors who are HIV positive, improve services for women and girls, and build stronger linkages to health care and hunger initiatives.
“Few crises have called out more for sustained, constructive America leadership.
“Across the developing world, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has destroyed the very fabric of nations, devastated the most productive members of these societies, discouraged economic development, and orphaned 13 million children.
“The Leadership Against HIV/AIDS Act is our compact with developing nations across the globe. It says that America stands with them in this fight, that our commitment will not waver, and shows them America’s true face of compassion.”
Foreign Affairs Chairman Howard Berman closed debate on the bill:
Chairman Berman: “The notion that there are now pregnant women who because of new discoveries in medicine can take drugs which allow their baby to be born without being HIV-positive, I call that saving lives. And curing a problem. This is happening all over the countries where these programs are working. The notion that the United States is helping to take care of the orphans and other vulnerable children who are left without parents as a result of this epidemic, I call saving lives and curing a problem.”
Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL-23) spoke in favor of the bill and denounced Republicans attempts to delay the bill in favor of drilling in pristine areas.
Rep. Hastings: “This bill that we are here on, Madam Speaker, is named after two of the most distinguished persons that have ever served in this body. My colleague from Florida and all of us that are here knew both of these men and knew their seriousness when they came to this floor about matters. We commemorate their memory with this bill, but what we do is we denigrate their memory by bringing up political hyperbole, political grandstanding and bumper stickerism. Enough of this… How dare we come here with this pitiful excuse for a previous question and say to the American people that on a matter of this consequence, on a matter of dealing with malaria and tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS that we would come here and denigrate the name of the two persons that we commemorate with such a foolish pop significance.”
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 by Office of the Speaker
Washington, D.C. — Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after the House yesterday passed amendments to a bill that will tighten sanctions against Burma and ban the importation of Burmese gems. The bill now goes to the Senate.
“The House of Representatives has passed legislation that will strengthen the economic pressure on the regime in Burma as it continues its campaign of repression and violence. This legislation reflects a bipartisan agreement between the House, Senate, and the Bush Administration that will tighten economic sanctions on Burma and ban the importation of Burmese gems. It is estimated that these actions will take hundreds of millions of dollars out of the hands of the government.
“For the last 17 years, the military junta in Burma has accumulated one of the worst human rights records in the world. It has held Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically-elected leader of the National League for the Democracy Party, under house arrest for most of that time. In the wake of the extreme devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis, the Burmese people desperately need legitimate leadership.
“In May 2008, President Bush signed a congressional resolution to award the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award which may be bestowed by the United States Congress, to Aung San Suu Kyi in recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma. I look forward to the ceremony honoring her and bringing attention to the situation in Burma.”
Subcommittee Chairman Jerrold Nadler questions the witnesses:
Chairman Nadler: “Is there any set of facts that would justify the President in violating a statute?” Addington: “I’m not going to answer a legal opinion on every imaginable set of facts any human being can think of, Mr. Chairman.” Chairman Nadler: “Do you believe that the… torture of a restrained detainee could be allowed under the theory of self-defense and necessity?” Addington: “I haven’t expressed an opinion on that.” Chairman Nadler: “Do you have such an opinion?” Addington: “I haven’t researched the issue myself, I’ve relied on opinions on the subject issued by the Department of Justice.”
Full Committee Chairman John Conyers questions the witnesses:
Chairman Conyers: “I didn’t ask you if you ever gave him advice, I asked you do you think the President could order a suspect buried alive?” Yoo: “Mr. Chairman, my view right now, is I don’t think a president would — no American president would ever have to order that or feel it necessary to order that.” Chairman Conyers: “I think we understand the games that are being played…”
Chairman Nadler: “Despite his prior commitment to testify, this morning Mr. Feith informed the Committee through his counsel that he would not appear today because he is not willing to appear alongside one of our other witnesses. Needless to say this is an extraordinary disappointment for this witness not to come here and to go back on his promise to the Committee to appear today. Individuals often must appear before congressional committees alongside witnesses that they disagree with, such concerns are no reason to decline to appear when you said you will. We will reschedule a hearing in which Mr. Feith will appear so we can elucidate his testimony on this issue.”
Daniel Levin, a United States Assistant Attorney General in 2004 who was forced to resign, gives opening testimony and addresses a particular claim made by Republicans on the Committee:
Levin: “If I could just add one point. As a witness sitting here and hearing this, I feel some obligation to say something about this, and I’m very limited I think in what I can say, but if the subcommittee has been informed that there was a total of three minutes of waterboarding I would suggest the subcommittee should go back and get that clarified because that, I don’t believe, is an accurate statement.”
Larry Wilkerson, who served as Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, gives opening testimony:
Wilkerson: “I knew such things were wrong and I knew that they represented a failure of leadership. What I didn’t know was at what level that leadership failed. So I set out to find the answer and I think I did. Secretary Powell and I also knew what extreme danger to America’s real power in the world could be done by such a failure. America, as you well know, is an idea as much as it is concrete buildings, sweeping prairies, stock markets and land from one ocean to another. Infect that idea, corrode that idea, tarnish that idea and you don’t just diminish perceived power you diminish our real power. You, in fact, do the terrorists’ job for them.”
Full Committee Chairman John Conyers questioned the witnesses:
Chairman Conyers: “The Secretary was of the mind that the President was fully complicit in everything that had happened, but I must add that at the time neither of us was really confident that we knew exactly what had happened, so I’ll qualify it with that.”
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 by Office of the Speaker
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks at a rally on Capitol Hill today to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing on June 4, 1989. Below are the Speaker’s remarks:
“Thank you all very much for your wonderful welcome.
“Nineteen years ago, Chinese students, workers and citizens marched in peace in Tiananmen Square. They raised the Goddess of Democracy in the image of our own Statue of Liberty. They quoted America’s Founding Fathers. We remember with sadness and outrage how the Chinese government unleashed an army on its own people…”