(Clearwisdom.net) Life for ten-year-old Zhang Jiarui in Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province is very difficult as his father is illegally held in a labor camp.

His father Zhang Bin was an employee at the No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of the General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing. He used to indulge in smoking and drinking and as a result was in poor health. His wife Cheng Qinglan, the boy's mother, divorced him in November 1997. Zhang Bin, whose son lived with him, started practicing Falun Gong in early 1998, and he quit those unhealthy habits and started taking his responsibility toward his son Zhang Jiarui seriously. He persisted in practicing Falun Gong and for the past six years has been persecuted. The General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing illegally cancelled his work contract. Zhang Bin was forced to move out of his home with his son who was five years old at the time. The father was abducted for the second time in December 2004 and is currently being persecuted at the Suihua Forced Labor Camp.

Zhang Jiarui is currently attending third grade. His mother Cheng Qinglan said, "He has been living without his father for a long time, and he was discriminated against by his classmates and teachers. He has low self-esteem and is depressed. He has poor grades because of lack of love and attention." Cheng Qinglan asked for the unconditional release of Zhang Bin, Zhang Jiarui's legal guardian, so the boy can have a stable environment. She also demanded that related work units compensate Zhang Bin and her, according to Article 26 and Article 27 of the Compensation Law of the People's Republic of China, for financial loss and emotional distress caused by the persecution during the past few years.

Below is Cheng Qinglan's public letter to the Suihua Forced Labor Camp, an appeal and an application for compensation.

Public Letter to the Suihua Forced Labor Camp

To all authorities and guards at Suihua Forced Labor Camp:

Greetings! I am the ex-wife of Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Bin who is being held at your labor camp. We divorced in 1997 because Zhang Bin used to drink and smoke and was very decadent. Zhang Bin won custody of our son.

Zhang Bin quit the bad habits of drinking and smoking in early 1998. He became positive and healthy, kind and considerate of others. Since 1999 Zhang Bin has been illegally arrested twice. He decided to leave home twice with our son after his release. His work unit illegally cancelled his contract. I had to take over the custody of our son, although I was suffering from numerous illnesses and had no income. The hardships we were forced to endure are hard to describe in words.

In the past few years my son lived without the love of his father. He has lived in fear, prejudice and depression. He missed his father and now earns poor grades as a result. His physical and mental health is severely affected by his father's absence. I have heart disease, kidney stones, dizziness, hypoglycemia and other illnesses. The high expenses associated with my son's schooling have gradually depleted my savings. I have reached my limits, physically, financially and emotionally. I am no longer capable of taking care of my son.

My son and I are having a difficult time sustaining our livelihood. I plead with the Suihua Forced Labor Camp authorities to release Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Bin for humanitarian reasons to help alleviate our situation, so that Zhang Bin can carry out his responsibility as our son's legal guardian.

I have several requests for the labor camp authorities:

Zhang Jiarui's mother: Cheng Qinglan

September 1, 2005

Appeal Statement

Appellant: Cheng Qinglan, female, 35 years old, former employee of the Longfeng Real Estate Company

Addressees: No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing, Daqing City Criminal Police Division, Honggang District Criminal Police Division, Daqing Forced Labor Camp, Suihua Forced Labor Camp

Requests:

Unconditionally release Zhang Bin. As legal guardian Zhang Bin takes care of Zhang Jiarui to ensure Zhang Jiarui's quality of life. Related work units compensate us for our financial loss and emotional distress during the past few years according to Article 26 and Article 27 of the Compensation Law of the People's Republic of China.

Facts to support my claim:

Zhang Bin and I divorced in November 1997 because Zhang Bin smoked, drank and lived a decadent life. Zhang Bin won custody of our child. In early 1998, Zhang Bin started practicing Falun Gong. He quit the bad habits and stayed away from them, and great physical and mental changes overcame him. He adopted a positive outlook on life.

Zhang Bin was abducted twice since the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999. He took our son and left home. They lived in exile. I was indirectly persecuted. During the time he stayed away from home to avoid abduction and when he was held at the labor camp, I had no choice but to take care of our son. I was terminated from my work contract in 2000 because of my poor health. Zhang Bin's work unit, the No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing, forced Zhang Bin to resign from his contract in late 2000 by threatening to fire him. From then on, our son Zhang Jiarui was forced to live in an unstable environment and my life became increasingly difficult.

I was unemployed. I had heart disease, kidney stones, dizziness, hypoglycemia and other conditions. In the past few years when Zhang Bin was persecuted, my son and I were also financially and emotionally persecuted and had to endure great pressure and anguish. My son has lived without his father for a long time and has been discriminated against by his classmates, teachers and others. As a result, he suffers from low self-esteem and depression and earns poor grades. His physical and mental health is severely impaired. The high expenses associated with my son's schooling have gradually depleted my savings, and I have reached my limits physically, financially and emotionally. I am no longer capable of taking care of my son.

I entreat conscionable people and related organizations to extend a helping hand in helping us rescue Zhang Bin, so our son can return to his father, so that his young heart will be comforted, he will have someone to depend on, and so peace in my life can be restored.

Legal citation supporting my petition:

Article 36 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief" and Article 37 of the Constitution, "(1) The personal freedom of citizens of the People's Republic of China is inviolable...(3) Unlawful deprivation or restriction of citizens' personal freedom by detention or other means is prohibited." Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile."

Zhang Bin's work unit, the No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing, compelled Zhang Bin to resign from his contract in late 2000 by threatening to fire him. This company violated Zhang Bin's rights as a citizen and is guilty of abusing their power.

In December 2004, Zhang Bin went to the home of a fellow practitioner. Officers from Daqing City Criminal Police Division and from Honggang District Criminal Police Division planned to and abducted Zhang Bin. They held Zhang Bin at the Sa District Detention Center and Daqing Forced Labor Camp. On March 15 they sent him to the Suihua Forced Labor Camp where he has been incarcerated until now. Persons from Daqing City Criminal Police Division, Honggang District Criminal Police Division, the Daqing Forced Labor Camp and the Suihua Forced Labor Camp violated Article 36 and Article 37 of the Constitution of China, and Article 18 and Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Whereas the aforementioned work units have violated the law, I ask the judicial departments to abide by the Constitution of China, by the the Criminal Law of China, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and by the Compensation Law of the People's Republic of China to unconditionally release Zhang Bin and prosecute work units and persons responsible, and compensate the victims for their financial losses and emotional distress.

To the following departments with respect:

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, People's Republic of China
Supreme People's Procuratorate of People's Republic of China
Supreme Court of the People's Republic of China
The Standing Committee of the Heilongjiang Province People's Congress
High People's Procuratorate of Heilongjiang Province
High People's Court of Heilongjiang Province
Judicial Department of Heilongjiang Province
Heilongjiang Province Labor Reeducation Work Administration Bureau
The Standing Committee of the Daqing City People's Congress
Daqing City People's Court
Daqing City People's Procuratorate
Daqing City People's Government

Appellant: Cheng Qinglan
September 1, 2005

Application for Compensation

Appellant: Cheng Qinglan, female, 35 years old, unemployed

Request for compensation:

I request the No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing, Daqing City Criminal Police Division, Honggang District Criminal Police Division, Daqing Forced Labor Camp, and Suihua Forced Labor Camp compensate Zhang Bin, our son Zhang Jiarui and me for all of our financial losses and emotional distress.

Facts and reasons: please look at the "facts" in the appeal statement.

Applicant: Cheng Qinglan

September 1, 2005