Dear Mr. Kofi A. Annan,
China announced yesterday (Dec. 8, 1998) it will launch a television series on human
rights, aimed a police sweep of pro-democracy activists attempting to establish China's
first opposition party. The program, consisting of 24 installments of 15 minutes each
aired over three months, aimed to "promote universal education on Marxist human
rights concepts and basic knowledge about human rights" it said.
China's communist government raised hopes at home and abroad that it had
accepted the universality of human rights when it signed the international covenant on
civil and political rights, a treaty incorporating the 50-year old universal
declaration.
However, since the Oct. 5 signing, government officials have made
statements defining rights on Beijing's terms and police have round up leading
pro-democracy activists and domestic rights monitors.
Paris, Dec. 8 ---
The Dalai Lama Tuesday (Dec. 8, 1998) indirectly criticized mainland China and other
Asian countries on rights issues, "Some governments have contended that
the standards of human rights laid down in the universal declaration are those advocated
by the west and do not apply to Asia and other parts of the Third World because of
differences in culture and social and economic development" he said in
a speech to UNESCO for the 50th anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights. "I
do not see any contradiction between the need for economic development and the need to
respect human rights" he added.
Beijing blasted France for inviting the Buddhist leader to attend the rights ceremonies
saying he was an exile engaged in "splittist activities" and had violated human
rights in Tibet (?)
It is an old song for singing that:
We urge the French side to proceed from the overall situation of bilateral relationship
and not invite the Dalai Lama to participate in these activities, and not invite him to
attend the luncheon hosted by the French President" Foreign Minister spokesman Zhu
Bangzao said at a press conference.
In our view; French has the right to invite whoever he wants to participate
in any event; nobody can hurt human rights. On the other hand; communist
China's human rights must be under controlled by authority, is that's right ?
The human rights of mainland China need your concern.
Sincerely Yours,
Yang Hsu-Tung.
President of
Taiwan Tati Cultural
And Educational Foundation
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