Chicago Sun Times: U.S. urges China to clean up its act on human rights

By Richard S. Williamson

April 1, 2004

[Editor's note: the author is the U.S. ambassador to the U.N Human Rights Commission. He wrote this article as a guest columnist. Below is an excerpt that is relevant to the persecution of Falun Gong.]

"However, the human rights situation in China has worsened. Therefore, more in sorrow than in anger, the other day I announced in the U.N. Commission on Human Rights that the United States will propose a resolution about China's human rights violations.

"In 2002, China's human rights record improved modestly. So, last year we did not introduce a resolution on China. This year's human rights setbacks in China, including stalled human rights bilateral talks, gave us no choice. The United States has an obligation to the values we cherish and to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which we support to give voice to the victims in China.

"In China there has been an increase in arrests of democracy activists, individuals discussing on the Internet subjects deemed sensitive by the government, HIV/AIDS activists, protesting workers and defense lawyers advocating on behalf of dissidents or the dispossessed. Harsh repression of the Falun Gong continued.

"Meanwhile, the Chinese government's record in Tibet remains poor. Ongoing abuses include execution without due process, torture, arbitrary arrest and lengthy detention for peacefully expressing their political or religious views.

"The United States is not naive. We realize the political realities that make it very difficult in the Commission on Human Rights for many other countries, especially smaller ones, to join us in raising concerns about China's human rights failures. Their own economic and political interests quiet them. Our China resolutions may not pass.

"However, the United States' leadership role in the world, our size and strength, and, most important, our conscience and commitment to transcendent values and inalienable rights of all men and women, not just the lucky few, compel us to give voice to the Chinese victims of human rights abuse who have no voice at home. And by raising this important issue in this forum, we increase international pressure on China to do the right thing.

"Hopefully, soon advances in human rights in China will further cooperation and progress in United States bilateral relations with Beijing."

Source: http://www.suntimes.com/output/otherviews/cst-edt-ref01.html

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