Texts: Press Release, Letter on Arrest of Chinese Bishop
(Urges Chinese government to end religious persecution)Calling it "a disgrace" that "China should not get away with," Representative David Bonior (Democrat from Michigan) issued a press release April 26 criticizing the Chinese government for its arrest of Bishop Shi Enxiang on Good Friday (April 13), and announcing a Congressional letter to be forwarded to Beijing urging an end to religious persecution.
Bonior, the Democratic Whip, is the second-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives and a long-time critic of Beijing's communist regime.
In the press release, the Michigan Democrat announced that he has begun circulating a bipartisan letter among members of the House of Representatives calling on China's President Jiang Zemin to release the 79-year-old Catholic bishop and other religious leaders immediately.
The release says almost 120 lawmakers have already signed the letter.
"If China is to be treated as a "strategic partner" and be taken seriously on the world stage, the Chinese government must treat its people with respect and dignity," the release says.
Following are the texts of the press release and the letter:
(begin text of press release)
Bonior Calls for Immediate Release of Chinese Catholic Bishop
On April 13th, Good Friday, millions of Catholics around the world observed one of our most important holy days. We went to church with our families and prepared to celebrate Easter just two days later. Unfortunately, not every Catholic was able to observe Good Friday or celebrate Easter this year.
On Good Friday, seventy-nine year old Bishop Shi Enxiang was arrested by the Chinese government. He was arrested because he is a Catholic and he practices his religion. Bishop Shi has been imprisoned by the Chinese government before for a total of 30 years. We have also recently heard reports of several Catholic priests who have been arrested by the Chinese government and sent to labor camps
This is a disgrace and China should not get away with it.
Here in the United States, one of the fundamental tenets that our nation was founded on is the freedom to choose and practice one's own religion -- Americans take this freedom for granted, but in China, religious freedom is far from assured.
The human rights situation in China has not improved over the years, in fact it's gotten worse. From the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 to the massacre just reported this morning of farmers in a small rural village, the Chinese government shows little value for human life.
Despite the passage of permanent most favored nation trade status last year, China continues to suppress the rights of its own people.
The United States has a moral obligation to promote religious freedom both at home and abroad. If we continue to look the other way, China's abuses will never end.
I have circulated a bipartisan letter among my House colleagues calling on China's President Jiang Zemin to immediately release Bishop Shi and other religious leaders. We already have almost 120 signatures and the list is growing.
The Chinese government must end its religious persecution immediately. If China is to be treated as a "strategic partner" and be taken seriously on the world stage, the Chinese government must treat its people with respect and dignity.
President Jiang, release Bishop Shi and the others now.
(end text of press release)
(begin text of letter)
President Jiang Zemin Attention: Ambassador Yang Jiechi Embassy of the People's Republic of China 2300 Connecticut Ave., NW Washington, DC 20008
Dear President Jiang:
We are deeply concerned about the detention of Bishop Shi Enxiang and other religious leaders and write to urge their immediate release.
We understand that the 79-year-old Bishop of Yixian in China's northern Hebei province was arrested on Good Friday during a visit to Beijing. Bishop Shi Enxiang's current arrest by Chinese officials was not the first time he has been arrested for his religious beliefs. Indeed, this arrest was preceded by earlier detentions, bringing the total time the Bishop has spent in jail to nearly 30 years.
In recent days, numerous priests, including Li Jianbao and Lu Genjun, have also been arrested -- all during the most holy season in the Roman Catholic year. While the recent crackdown has been targeted at Catholics, many other religious leaders of numerous faiths remain detained as well.
We are deeply concerned by this pattern of repeated abuses of human rights and abrogation of religious freedom. As we attempt to work out a cooperative relationship between our two nations, we urge that you recognize that freedom to worship and the freedom of speech are basic human rights to be protected, not silenced.
Sincerely,
(end text of letter)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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