Let us Build this Invisible Web of Human Rights and Democracy in Asia
-- Ciping HUANG
Dear Vietnamese human rights friends,
On this Vietnam Human Rights Day, I am very pleased to come and speak
on behalf of Mr. WEI Jingsheng, the Wei Jingsheng Foundation, the Asia
Democracy Alliance, as well as those Chinese people who support
Vietnamese human rights and democracy.
Unfortunately, Mr. Wei cannot come this time, although he asked me to
pass on his appreciation and encouragement to you. Currently, he is in
Prague, Czech Republic. He is joining a conference to study and
support the democratic progress of Eastern European countries after the
end of the Communist dictatorship. However, for us, we still have a
way to go to first finish off the Communist dictatorship, and gain
human rights for the people.
The Vietnam Human Rights Day is a great reminder to the international
community, especially here in America, of the severe human rights
abuses in Vietnam, as well as in other parts of Asia, and that
countries still suffer under dictatorship.
For me, this is not the first time celebrating human rights with you.
Yet, each time I come, I am very moved: you are an inspiration, not
just to me, but also to those Chinese who fight for human rights and
democracy just like you do. We are in the same boat. Together, we
wave this invisible web of human rights and democracy. We suffer
through similar human rights abuses and persecution under the
autocratic Communist regime. So we must join together to fight against
our common enemy, for freedom and democracy.
The Vietnamese, the Chinese, the Burmese and the Koreans all share
similar aspects of the human rights problem. Although I will not make
a long list here, I want to point out three aspects in particular: one
is lack of freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of
association, including through the Internet; another is the issue of
labor rights, especially the underpaid workers and abuse of the poor
and powerless; the third is the violation of women and children＇s
rights.
Although the age of the Internet has helped to bring information to
people living under suppressive regimes, yet it has also created a new
category of political prisoners. In China, many Internet writers and
dissidents were persecuted and sentenced because of their opinions and
articles on the Internet. I have noticed that the Vietnamese
government has suppressed the Vietnamese Internet dissidents the same
way. On this issue, we share the web of longing for freedom of speech,
yet the Chinese and Vietnamese governments share the web of suppressing
this freedom. We share opinions and support each other. They share
the firewalls and prisons to suppress us.
Regarding the issue of workers rights, I want to point out that now
more than ever, the Vietnamese workers and Chinese workers share the
same fate, especially after Vietnam joined the WTO, just like China.
Entering the WTO, this world body, does not mean the elevation of the
human rights status in these countries, instead, these governments take
acceptance into the WTO as a license for more freedom to abuse human
rights, and so they carried on as before. What can we do? We must
build our web and join hands together to push the international
community to use its conscience regarding workers＇ rights and demand
these multi-national companies to uphold a basic moral standard as
well.
Regarding the sad reality of women and children, especially those sold
into slavery and the sex trade, I think all of us human beings have the
obligation to speak up. As a woman myself, I surely have an even
stronger sense of obligation, and I want to share the international web
of women＇s rights with those who lost their freedom in human
trafficking and slavery. Maybe each of us feels powerless, but when
united we can gain the power for ourselves, to protect human rights for
ourselves.
Mr. Wei Jingsheng envisions all Asians standing together against the
mighty Communist dictatorships in Asia, for that to happen we must join
together. Just half a year ago, here in the US Capitol, we founded the
Asia Democracy Alliance, which elected Mr. Wei as its first president.
We welcome all Asians and organizations that support human rights and
democracy to join us, to support each other, to work hard together for
a free and democratic Asia.
Finally, I see today as an opportunity to gain inspiration from all of
you, and an opportunity for better understanding and communication, and
in return support you. For this is a celebration of the Asian human
rights effort, not just for the Vietnamese, but also for the Chinese
and the others. In particular, I want to remind you of the upcoming
18th anniversary of the 1989 Democracy Movement. In the past, we have
received a lot of help and support from the Vietnamese community,
especially from Dr. Quan, who would come to our June 4 memorial service
and deliver a speech of support. Thank you for your support.
Let us join hands together to finish off the Vietnamese and Chinese
Communist dictatorships. Let us build this Invisible Web of Human
Rights and Democracy in Asia.
Thank you all!
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