UK POLITICIANS SUPPORT BURMA'S DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT ON ANNIVERSARY OF 1990 ELECTIONS

By Jeremy Reynalds
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

LONDON  (ANS) -- Leading British Parliamentarians from all the country’s major parties have sent a strong message of support to Burma’s democracy movement, and a signal to the ruling military regime that it should change its ways.

In a letter signed by more than 25 members from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the Parliamentarians recognized the Burmese Members of Parliament elected on May 27 1990 as the legitimate representatives of the Burmese people. They also expressed hope that those elected would soon be able to take their seats and form a government after 14 years of being denied that recognition by the ruling military regime.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) Burma (officially called Myanmar) has been ruled by a military regime which seized power in a 1962 coup. Elections were held on May 27 1990, and the National League for Democracy (NLD) won over 80 percent of the parliamentary seats. However, the military ignored the results, imprisoned many of the victors and continued to rule, changing its name to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). According to CSW, more than 1,400 political prisoners remain behind bars.

According to a CSW spokesman, “The regime’s actions have completely failed to match its rhetoric about democracy. On May 7, for example, five Burmese were sentenced to long prison terms, accused of contact with unlawful associations in exile, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma).”

The politicians’ letter (initiated by CSW) will be delivered today (the 14th anniversary of the elections) in Rangoon to the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party which won over 80 per cent of the Parliamentary seats in 1990. It will also be read out at a protest outside the Burmese Embassy in Washington, DC organized by the US Campaign for Burma.

The letter read in part that the parliamentarians salute the “dignity, steadfastness and commitment to delivering democracy” of the Burmese democratic parties, and pay tribute to those who died or disappeared in the attack on Aung San Suu Kyi on May 30 last year. “We stand with you in that struggle,” CSW reported the writers commented.

In portions of the letter directed at the ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), which CSW reported disregarded the results of the 1990 elections and imprisoned most of the victors, the writers were direct. British politicians urged the regime “to enter into tripartite dialogue with the NLD and the ethnic national groups, including the Karen, Karenni, Shan, Mon, Chin, Kachin and Arakan, to pave the way for a transition to a democratic, federal system of government.”

In addition, the politicians also called for a nationwide cease fire and an end to the “gross human rights abuses which amount to crimes against humanity,” CSW reported. The parliamentarians also called on the regime to open all of Burma to international human rights monitors and humanitarian relief agencies.

CSW reported that those who signed included Michael Ancram, Shadow Foreign Secretary, on behalf of the Opposition and Oliver Letwin, Shadow Chancellor, Sir Menzies Campbell, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, and Labor MP Glenda Jackson.

In a related move, CSW reported, Baroness Cox introduced a debate in the House of Lords on Tuesday, focused on the persecution of the ethnic nationals. Baroness Cox, Honorary President of CSW-UK, has visited the Karen, Karenni and Shan refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on the Thai-Burmese border many times, most recently in April. In April, she visited the Chin and Kachin refugees on the India-Burma border.

In her speech in the House of Lords, CSW reported that Baroness Cox gave evidence of continuing and widespread human rights violations, including forced labor, rape and religious persecution, and called on the British government to urge the European Union to impose tougher sanctions on the regime.

She also urged the United Kingdom to provide humanitarian relief to the over one million Internally Displaced Persons trapped in the jungles of Burma, without adequate food, medicine or shelter, and called for a nationwide ceasefire in Burma.

According to CSW Baroness Cox said, “We owe it to any people suffering such atrocities to do everything in our power to help them. However, ethnic national groups such as the Karen, the Karenni, the Chin and the Kachin have a historic relationship with us - fighting alongside our soldiers and sometimes giving their lives for them.

“Therefore, they hope that we will not forget their loyalty or let them down now in their hour of need. I hope that this debate will reassure those people of our loyalty to them and our commitment now to do everything possible to ensure they achieve the freedom, peace and justice that they desire so passionately and for which they are paying such a high price."

Additional information is available by contacting Richard Chilvers, CSW’s Communications Manager, at richard.chilvers@csw.org.uk  or by visiting www.csw.org.uk. Chilvers may also be reached at 020 8329 0045.

CSW is a human rights charity which while working on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs also promotes religious liberty for all.

. 12:37:39 PM    comments []

CHINA COVERS UP MURDER OF HOUSE CHURCH TEACHER, SISTER SAYS
As more house church Christians are detained

By: Stefan J. Bos
Special Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

 BEIJING, CHINA  (ANS) -- The sister of a house church teacher who was allegedly beaten to death last month by Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) forces says the authorities paid her family money in an attempt to cover up the crime. (Pictured: A recently destroyed church in China).

In a letter received by ASSIST News Service Wednesday, May 26, Gu Xiangyan said her brother Gu Xianggao, 28, was also falsely accused of murder after police raided his 500-thousand strong house church movement known as "Three Grades Servants" last month in Heilongjiang Province, northeast China.

Several other believers were detained, including the group's leader Xu Shuangfu, who has been a well-known house church official since the 1980s. Xu Shuangfu was arrested more than 20 times, and spent more than 20 years in prison, human rights groups say.

In addition well-known house church leader Zhao Wenquan, 60, was arrested May 9 in Hegou Town in Meng Cheng County of China's Anhui Province, where thousands of Christians gathered in the village for a special harvest celebration, Christian rights watchdog ChinaAid said. Christians fear he could be sentenced, without a trial, to three years of so-called “re-education through labor.”

COMPENSATION

Apparently fearing an international outcry, PSB officials "compensated" the family of teacher Gu Xianggao who died in custody and forced his parents to accept cremation, his sister said in a letter. She added that her parents were paid 230,000 RMB, about 28,000 US$, a fortune to most impoverished Chinese families, and then ordered not to tell what had happened.

"They told us, my brother was arrested on April 26, and died during the interrogation on the following day. He died either of heart disease or stroke. He was in no way tortured to death," Gu Xiangyan explained in the letter distributed by ChinaAid.

"If we doubt about it, they can have the body anatomized. My father said, “Do not chicane. I have some questions for you. Was my son in good health when he was arrested?” They answered, “Yes.” My father then asked, “Did my son die here?” And they affirmed. My father then said, “No matter what crime my son might commit, the PSB has no right to claim his life.”

BODY

The family arrived at the PSB office in Harbin after officials called them to pick up the body as "they could not afford to keep the body refrigerated," his sister recalled. After her shocked mother asked plain clothes police officers how he died, "one of the leaders said that my brother was a suspect of murder," Gu Xiangyan explained.

"My mother, who then was very angry, rebuked him, saying, “You are framing up my son. Give me evidence, and show me whom my son murdered. Dare you be responsible for what you said just now? If my son did murder someone, I have nothing to say about it. If my son is a bad guy, I have no courage to show up here. If my son did commit murder, he deserves punishment. However, the fact is that my son is a good citizen, who has not violated any laws and regulations. It is you who kill my son. Now give me back my son.”

The leader allegedly said, “What I mean is that your son is just a suspect of murder. A suspect is not necessarily an actual murderer. It is the driver of your son who committed the murder.” Gu Xiangyan said her family was only allowed to see him two days after they arrived. After intervention from an attorney, the PSB gave them the controversial compensation.

TORTURE?
"My father asked for a document which could illustrate why the compensation was made. They rejected his request, saying, “The money is yours now. It is no use of the paperwork.” My mother and I felt uneasy about the radical change of the situation. Why did the PSB suddenly agree to compensate us? So we wanted to request an autopsy. Our attorney got angry with us, saying, “If you can settle down everything, why bring me here?” Therefore, we gave up." (Pictured: methods used to torture Christians,  according to ChinaAid).

Yet she suggested her brother may have been tortured. Just before he was transferred to the cremation site on May 3, "I found out that my brother’s eyes were black and blue. We were unable to take a close look, for they dragged us to another room. I made a hard attempt to approach my brother, and was forced to leave the scene. They told me, the eyes looked different due to the refrigeration. I yelled at them, and called them liars."

Chinese authorities have not reacted to the case. Human rights groups say there is evangelical Christians are persecuted throughout China by Communist authorities. Despite the difficulties, the country over over 1 billion people is experiencing the largest church growth in the world, church analysts say.

China Aid said that protest letters can be addressed to:

Ambassador Yang Jiechi
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20008
Tel:(202) 328-2500 Fax:(202) 588-0032
Director of Religious Affairs: (202) 328-2512

Read more on these and other news stories on news agency BosNewsLife at website http://www.bosnewslife.com

. 12:45:14 AM    comments []

In east-central China, well-known house church leader Zhao Wenquan was arrested May 9 in Hegou Town, Meng Cheng County, Anhui Province.
More than 4000 Christians gathered in the village for a special harvest celebration, sponsored by a six-year-old local house church. The church usually has only 2-300 for gatherings, so the large meeting was quickly noticed by officials.
The Domestic Security Protection Division Team of the Meng Cheng County PSB raided the large gathering. Their first action was to arrest the church watchman, a disabled man. He was later released.
Zhao, who is more than 60 years old, was arrested after the harvest celebration ended. He has been working in China’s unregistered churches for more than 30 years. About a dozen other church leaders escaped and are still on the run.
Zhao has been charged with “disturbing the social order” and with organizing an “illegal religious gathering.” He is believed to be incarcerated at the Meng Cheng County PSB Detention Center. He could be sentenced, without a trial, to three years of so-called “re-education through labor.”

Meanwhile, Gu Xianggao was beaten to death on April 27 while in the custody of Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers. He was 28 years old.
Gu was a teacher in a controversial house church group known as "Three Grades Servants" in Heilongjiang Province, northeast China. The leader of the group, Xu Shuangfu (also known as Xu Shengguang, which means "holy light"), has been a well-known house church leader since the 1980s. Xu Shuangfu has been arrested more than 20 times, and spent more than 20 years in prison. His group is known for the secrecy of its work, but is believed to have more than 500,000 members.

The PSB in Harbin City, Heilongjiang province, conducted major raids on the group in April, and Gu was one of those arrested April 26th. Xu Shuangfu was also taken into custody.
On April 27th, Harbin city PSB official Hou Naifeng told local police at Gu's hometown in Laiyang city, Shandong province to deliver Gu’s parents to Harbin city PSB offices. There, they were shown their son’s body, which was then immediately cremated. The parents were paid 230,000 RMB (almost 28,000 US$)—a fortune to a Chinese family—then ordered not to tell what had happened. (China Aid received a letter from Gu’s sister today detailing her eyewitness story regarding her brother’s death)
“This is another case of religious persecution in China,” said Bob Fu “We strongly urge the Chinese relevant authorities to release pastor Zhao Wenquan immediately.”
“We also appeal to the Heilongjiang provincial government for an independent inquiry over the death of Mr. Gu. No one, no matter their religious background, deserves this kind of treatment.” said Fu , “we call the Chinese government to stop its repressive religious policy toward these peaceful religious groups,”. Letters can be addressed to:
Ambassador Yang Jiechi
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20008
Tel:(202) 328-2500 Fax:(202) 588-0032
Director of Religious Affairs: (202) 328-2512
A Letter from Gu Xiangyan
May 24, 2004
I am Gu Xiangyan, Gu Xianggao’s sister. I’d like to share the following experience of mine with you.
On April 28, I received a phone call from the Public Security Bureau of Harbin, and an oral message from the local police station and the security officer of our village, which notified me of the death of my brother. The village security officer told me that he had no idea about what crime my brother had committed, who died during the interrogation. The PSB officer told me that my brother was a suspect of murder. And I asked him whether my brother was dead or alive. He said he was dead. Then I asked him how he died. The officer gave me no answer, and asked me to go to their office to talk about this matter. I told him what they had done was in violation of human rights.
On April 29 and 30, the PSB called me again, urging me to come over to Harbin, and telling me that if I failed to do so, they would anatomize the body soon, for they could not afford to keep the body refrigerated.
On April 30, we approached Huang Yuanxin, an attorney of Licheng Law Firm of Laiyang.
On May 1, we flew from Qingdao to Harbin, and then went to the railway station by bus, where we were met by Hou Naifeng and some other PSB officers. They led us to Room 302, the Agricultural Bank Hotel, where some PSB leaders, who were all in plain clothes, met us. My mother said we were all here, and now you told us why my son died, and how he died. One of the leaders said that my brother was a suspect of murder. My mother, who then was very angry, rebuked him, saying, “You are framing up my son. Give me evidence, and show me whom my son murdered. Dare you be responsible for what you said just now? If my son did murder someone, I have nothing to say about it. If my son is a bad guy, I have no courage to show up here. If my son did commit murder, he deserves punishment. However, the fact is that my son is a good citizen, who has not violated any laws and regulations. It is you who kill my son. Now give me back my son.” The leader said, “What I mean is that your son is just a suspect of murder. A suspect is not necessarily an actual murderer. It is the driver of your son who committed the murder.” My mother told him, “You are setting someone up.” And I said, “My brother is now dead. Whatever crime you impose upon him, he is no longer able to defend himself. Behold, what a big allegation you have filed against him. It is sheer nonsense. Now tell us how my brother died.”
They told us, my brother was arrested on April 26, and died during the interrogation on the following day. He died either of heart disease or stroke. He was in no way tortured to death. If we doubt about it, they can have the body anatomized. My father said, “Do not chicane. I have some questions for you. Was my son in good health when he was arrested?” They answered, “Yes.” My father then asked, “Did my son die here?” And they affirmed. My father then said, “No matter what crime my son might commit, the PSB has no right to claim his life.”
At that time, we did not ok the autopsy, for we thought that the PSB, the Prosecutor, and the Court are close relatives to each other. And if they did perjury, we could do nothing about it.
On May 1, we requested to see my brother’s body. They told us to take a rest, and do it the following day. We were arranged to stay respectively in Room 308 and 309. And two PSB officers stayed in Room 302, who were supposed to “take care of ”us. One of them was called Zhou Hongwei.
On May 2, my parents were not feeling well. My father had bloody bowel movements, and my mother got stomachache. So I advised them to take some medicine and some rest, and to see the body in the afternoon. But in the afternoon they told us that, the official in charge was in Beijing. And they could not let us see the body. Our attorney, after discussing the case with the PSB, informed us that the situation was very complicated. And he said, if certain disease were identified in the autopsy, the PSB would bear fewer responsibilities for my brother’s death. The attorney seemed to tell us that we might not get satisfactory results. I was angered and said to my mother, “Tomorrow we will not stay in the hotel anymore. Let us sleep on the street.” And the attorney responded, “It is no use to take to the street. They are not afraid of that. It can solve no problem.” Then I said, “Let us have a sit-down demonstration at the entrance to the PSB. We will not leave until we are given a rational explanation.” At about 8:30 that evening, the PSB asked our attorney to come over. And two hours later, he came back, telling us that the PSB agreed to pay RMB 230,000 Yuan (originally we claimed 500,000, which the attorney said was impossible). My mother, without seeking my advice, accepted the compensation. I felt we were all fooled.
On the morning of May 3, the PSB asked my father to come over to confirm the agreement, which says that, the two parties have reached an agreement on the compensation, and no party shall pursue the case again, and the body will be cremated. My father asked for a document which could illustrate why the compensation was made. They rejected his request, saying, “The money is yours now. It is no use of the paperwork.” My mother and I felt uneasy about the radical change of the situation. Why did the PSB suddenly agree to compensate us? So we wanted to request an autopsy. Our attorney got angry with us, saying, “If you can settle down everything, why bring me here?” Therefore, we gave up.
At 2:00 that afternoon, the body was transferred to the cremation site. Over 20 policemen showed up. We had no idea why so many policemen came here. We were not allowed to approach the body. My mother requested to check my brother’s chest. They swiftly removed the covering a little bit. Then one of them lifted a little bit the white towel which covered my brother’s face. At that moment, I found out that my brother’s eyes were black and blue. We were unable to take a close look, for they dragged us to another room. I made a hard attempt to approach my brother, and was forced to leave the scene. They told me, the eyes looked different due to the refrigeration. I yelled at them, and called them liars.
Once again we asked for a document illustrating why the compensation occurred. They tried to refuse us by various reasons. Then my mother said, “If you decline our request, we will not leave this place.” So they reluctantly gave us a document, which is now in our hands.
This is how the case has developed. I might miss something somewhere. For further information, you may contact me anytime. Thanks.
China Aid Association, Inc.
P. O. Box 263,
Glenside, PA 19038 USA
Tel: +1-215-886-5210
Fax: 215-886-1668
Email: bobfu@ChinaAid.org
Web address: www.ChinaAid.org

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. 12:41:45 AM    comments []