6 Chinese University Scholars’ Open Letter Demanding Human Rights Before Beijing Olympics

The Epoch Times, Aug 20, 2007-

Six university scholars in China wrote an open letter to the communist regime on Aug. 14, demanding human rights compliance before the 2008 Olympics. Their letter follows:

The spirit of the Olympics is peace, justice, democracy, and the sanctity of human rights. The 2008 Olympics will be held in Beijing. We maintain, however, that the Chinese government must improve human rights conditions in China. A government that cannot safeguard its citizens’ basic human rights has no [moral] right to sponsor the Olympics.

Subsequently, we are presenting an eightfold proposal to the Chinese government for the improvement of human rights in China:

1. Release political and religious prisoners. Cease political and religious persecution.

2. Abolish the labor-camp system in China. The system allows the government to deprive citizens of their human rights without observing due process under the law. Millions of Chinese citizens have been imprisoned in labor camps over the past 50 years.

3. End newspaper censorship. Insure freedom of speech and of the press. Stop blocking and interfering with foreign media. Abolish the policy of prohibiting people from installing satellite TV antennae.

4. Abolish the violent “one-child” policy. This policy gravely violates the human rights of women, infants, and other family members.

5. Review cases of injustice. Many unjust cases in China have not been vindicated. The victims and their family members have endured injustice and suffering for years.

The foremost aberrations of justice should be immediately vindicated, such as those relating to the 1989 Tiananmen Square Democratic Movement, Falun Gong, the Anti-Rightist Movement, violently enforced birth control, and the like.

6. Resolutely implement the Property Rights Law, and stop the barbaric demolition of private property and other abuses of owners’ rights.

7. Stop depriving the Chinese people of the right to legally leave and enter China. At present, many Chinese people are restricted from leaving or entering China, based solely on their political views and their beliefs.

8. Abolish torture. All torture methods existing in China should be banned

9. If the Chinese government does not resolve all the forgoing problems, all law-abiding people in China and throughout the world must boycott the Beijing Olympics.

[signed:]

Shi Ruoping (Shandong University)

Li Changyu (Shandong University)

Sun Wenguang (Shandong University)

Hu Fengdazzle (Jiao Tong University)

Teng Biao (China University of Political Science and Law)

Wang Yi (Chengdu University)

Aug. 14, 2007

– Original report : Chinese Scholars Demand Human Rights Before Olympics