China Aid Association
(Midland, Tex—Feb. 10, 2011) ChinaAid has just learned that on the evening of February 8 (because of the communication difficulty with the source, we are still reconfirming whether the incident occurred on 8th or 9th), Chen Guangcheng and his wife were beaten severely by officers from the Public Security Bureau of Linyi and Shuanghou (Chen’s hometown).
The violence was inflicted because of the video the couple recorded, which ChinaAid released yesterday. Chen and his wife were beaten so severely that they are not able to move from their bed, and they were denied the right to go to the hospital for medical care.
“By taking further brutal action against this family,” said Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association, “the Chinese government has not only shown total contempt for the rule of law in China, but also its determination to continue this absolute wrong path toward more disregard of its own citizens’ basic rights and freedom.” This morning, Bob Fu raised Chen’s case, and another human rights defender raised Dr Fan Yafeng’s case, in a meeting with Mr. Scott Busby, the director for the Human Rights Office of the White House National Security Council. Fu said, “We call for the leaders of the free world, especially the US and the European Union, to take immediate steps to help this family before more tragedies occur.”
Today, China Aid received and is authorized to release the following open letter to US leaders in light of deteriorating situation of China’s renown legal blind activist Chen Guangcheng. The following is the text:
Dear Mr. President, Secretary of State and Congressmen,
Greetings!
I believe you have already watched the video of Mr. Chen Guangcheng. In the video, Chen Guangcheng’s wife says that if something bad happens to them, they would like their friends to take care of their two children. They have prepared for the worst. This is the video of a blind person. They are doing their best and speak out to the world at the risk of their very lives. They will never succumb to tyranny and their motto is “Give me liberty or give me death.”
Ladies and gentlemen, we believe in America and the American values of equality to all, democracy and freedom. Today, a blind Chinese is trying to defend these values with his life.
I would like to remind you that the Chinese who are supporting and helping him are not the pro-democracy activists or human rights fighters in the traditional sense of the word. No, they are not these people. Instead, they are the people from the middle-class that is gradually expanding. They have donated their cars, high-end video equipment and their money. They are using the emerging Internet technology that they have mastered in the efforts to rescue Chen Guangcheng in the hope of promoting social progress in China. It is time for America to demonstrate once again the Americas values.
If America fails to demonstrate its values and its power in this incident, I believe that not only will people be disillusioned with American values but that America will lose the hearts of thousands and thousands of emerging middle class people in China.
—A growing group of Chinese citizens and netizen organizations
China Aid Contacts
Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director
Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.chinaaid.org
