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Jubilee Letter of Support

 

May 18, 2012, Jubilee * Campaign USA sent a letter to Chinese Ambassador in Washington DC, to urge Chinese officials to cease all restictions and harassment toward Wu's followers, especially when they are doing charity work.

 

May 18, 2012

 

His Excellency Zhang Yesui

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States

3505 International Place, NW

Washington, DC 20008

 

Dear Ambassador Zhang,

 

Over the past year, the imprisonments, disappearances, and harassment of peaceful advocates for human rights have damaged China’s international reputation. We do not believe those targeted by your government are a threat to China’s political stability, but rather are advocates for the fundamental freedoms found in your Constitution and treaties to which China is a party.

 

One such individual is Wu Zeheng, a prominent Buddhist leader with millions of followers, students, and supporters in China and abroad. Though his teachings relate to peace and developing stronger communities, he spent 11 years in prison for writing public letters to the Chinese authorities whose contents offered constructive suggestions for how the Government could be more effective in serving its citizens.

 

Since his release in February 2010, Wu continues to be monitored closely by the Chinese authorities and his students face harassment and arrest for the charitable activities that they carry out consistent with their Buddhist faith. On at least a dozen occasions over the past two-and-a-half years, Wu’s students in four Chinese provinces have endured harassment, detention, and/or arrest by local police and security officials.

 

In March 2012, students in Wei-hai city (Shan-dong Province) were attempting to hold an online charity gathering, “Fasting for Charity and A Good Deed Per Day.” However, public security officials from Wei-hai city told the students “having an online gathering is okay, doing charity work is okay, but because this Fasting for Charity and Doing a Good Deed Per Day was promoted by Wu Zeheng, anything he said is not allowed. He runs an illegal organization and is promoting an evil religion.” The police then blocked the web channel. 

 

Police and Security officials have also denied Wu’s students their freedom of movement. On at least six occasions, students have attempted to visit Wu to gain guidance on Buddhist ideology only to be told they were forbidden from visiting him, or for those who had already begun their trips to see him, they were forced to return back home.

 

On August 24, 2010, public security officials in Shenyang city (Liaoning Province) went to students’ homes to prevent them from going to visit Wu and told the students they would use any means to prevent them from visiting. The same incident occurred with different students the following day. And on August 26, nine students who were on their way to visit Wu were stopped at Shenyang airport, forced to refund their tickets, and cancel their trip. Similar incidents occurred elsewhere in China: on August 24, five students at Shanghai’s Pudong airport were forced to return home; students traveling by bus to see Wu were forced to return home by police in Guangzhou; and on August 26, students who had arrived in Wu’s home town of Zhuhai were told by police that they had to return home as soon as possible.

 

Finally, and of the greatest concern to us, are incidents where students have been illegally arrested and detained in their local cities for doing charitable activities consistent with their faith or for gathering in homes for the purpose of religious study.

 

On November 2 and 5, 2010, three students were detained in Bengbu city (Anhui province), two of them for seven days and one for 10 days, without a detention warrant being presented or issued, as required by Chinese law. On March 30, 2011, police from Shenyang city took five students to the local police station to inquire about matters concerning “Fasting for Charity and A Good Deed Per Day.”The police detained two people for 24 hours without a warrant and confiscated printed materials valued at RMB 5,000.

 

Most recently, on February 3, 2012, students in Shenyang city donated RMB50,000 to help a cancer patient. Upon visiting the patient in the hospital, the public security bureau arrested the students, confiscated their computers, and told them they would be arrested if they again engaged in similar activity.

 

Such treatment of Wu’s students is greatly concerning. We have repeatedly heard from Chinese leaders about your government’s commitment to improving human rights in your country. Yet, the stories of arrests and abuses faced by individuals like Wu and his followers and students – especially when they relate to helping others through charitable activities–only tarnish China’s international reputation. We ask that your government cease all restrictions and harassment directed at Wu and his followers. Doing so will help promote your Government’s campaign of Social Harmony and provide the numerous NGOs that are following Wu’s case, including my own, confidence-building measures that show China is working toward respecting the human rights found in Chinese law and the international treaties to which is a party.

 

Sincerely,

       

Ann Buwalda, Esq.

Executive Director

 

 

 

* About Jubliee

 

Jubilee Campaign USA promotes the human rights and religious liberty of ethnic and religious minorities in countries which imprison, terrorize or otherwise oppress them. Jubilee advocates the release of prisoners of conscience and the change of laws as necessary to effect these purposes and against the exploitation of children, paying particular attention to the sex industry in Asia.