Arthur Liu begins hunger strike; CSN releases plans, and a public appeal
Agitating for Chinese democracy leads up to the 15th
anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre
CSN
June 1, 2004 (CSN) -- Arthur Liu (Liu Junguo), a student leader from 1989's pro-democracy uprising in China, has begun a hunger strike for Chinese democracy, for the release of all political prisoners in China, and for particular emphasis on the freedom of Yang Jianli. Yang is a Boston-based Chinese dissident who was recently sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment in China. Yang's case has been a special focus of attention, with international leaders and law makers demanding his release. The United Nations found Yang's case to be one of 'arbitrary detention.' The Chinese pro-democracy movement has been livid about the treatment accorded to Yang, after he re-entered China and was arrested in April, 2002.
Mr. Liu commenced his hunger strike at 10a.m. Tuesday, and plans to continue until Friday at 5p.m. Relatives of Yang Jianli, other student leaders, and CSN's John Kusumi will join Liu for portions of the hunger strike. Kusumi announced his intention to fast the final 24 hours of the hunger strike in solidarity, from June 3-4.
CSN visited the site of the hunger strike, outside Washington's Chinese embassy, mid-Tuesday. Mr. Liu was flanked by two family members of Yang Jianli, his mother and his sister. We were also able to learn more of Arthur Liu's story.
At the time of the Tiananmen uprising, Liu had already completed his undergraduate degree, and was a 24-year-old graduate student. He became President of the Autonomous Students' Union of Guangzhou Universities. That is in Guangdong province, and the organizing there was able to benefit by solidarity with Hong Kong and Macao organizations. Liu was able to organize protests of between 500,000 and 1 million people. After the crackdown, he was not on Beijing's "21 most wanted" list, but he was at or near the top of the "4 most wanted" list in Guangdong province.
He escaped, first to Hong Kong, and then to the United States. Here, he worked his way up from being a busboy, through completing an M.B.A. and then law school, which he finished in 1998. With another attorney, he opened his law firm in California, and he remains a practicing attorney. He described himself as a team player, and seems quite comfortably fluent in English. Like many in this cause, he still wants to do more for China, on the path to democracy and the rule of law. This is that type of cause; no matter how much one has done, it still is not enough.
This week, he is sitting in front of the Chinese embassy, on a hunger strike that echoes an earlier one, 15 years ago in Tiananmen Square. He is expected to be at one or more press conferences this week, together with other student leaders of Tiananmen Square. Also on Thursday evening, he will have company opposite the Chinese embassy, as a crowd gathers to hear speakers in a memorial candlelight vigil and rally. The vigil expects to hear from Wang Dan, Xu Wenli, Wang Youcai, Christina Fu, and John Kusumi, with more speakers expected to be added to the list.
CSN plans to be represented by Kusumi at that vigil, and at one or more press conferences this week. CSN is also appealing to the public for its participation in the Global Light Vigil, and Minute of Silence to take place on Thursday, June 3 at 7:00p.m. "No matter what time zone you are in, it is at 7p.m.," said Kusumi. "When you think of that globally, it will be a rolling, 24-hour observance."
The initiative for a Global Light Vigil came from Olympic Watch, a group in Europe that is concerned that the 2008 Olympics must take place in a free and democratic country. They have created the web site, www.tiananmenvigil.org, to ask that people put a light in their window at 7:00p.m. on June 3, 2004 in remembrance of the victims of Tiananmen Square.
The initiative for the Minute of Silence came from the China Support Network (CSN), a group begun by Americans in the wake of the Tiananmen Square massacre. CSN has been assisting and boosting the Chinese pro-democracy movement since June 5, 1989. "As long as the global public is now being approached with the vigil idea, to add a minute of silence smoothly dovetails into the contemplated action. CSN calls upon the world public to participate in this observance. Place a light, and observe a minute of silence at 7:00p.m. Thursday," concluded Kusumi.
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Source: "China Support Network".
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