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Chrétien Must Challenge China On Human Rights

Team Canada's mission to China, February 9th to 18th, 2001

NGOs, trade unions and members of the Chinese community in Canada, today called upon Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to demand clear commitments with timeframes to eliminate specific human rights violations when he meets President Zemin during.

OTTAWA  -  February 8, 2001 -  Non-governmental organizations, trade unions and members of the Chinese community in Canada, today called upon Prime Minister Jean Chr?tien to demand clear commitments with timeframes to eliminate specific human rights violations when he meets President Jiang Zemin during Team Canada's mission to China, February 9^th to 18^th, 2001.

The request comes following a year of increased repression in China. Activists say that despite ongoing economic reforms in China and the continuation of Canada's bilateral human rights dialogue with China, the country's record on human rights has further deteriorated.

"We need more than vague promises. Mr. Chr?tien must raise specific issues and demand clear answers from the Chinese leadership. Increased Canadian investment in China should be linked to tangible progress on these human rights issues," said Warren Allmand, President of Rights & Democracy.

Canadian human rights groups have identified a number of human rights violations and have written to the Prime Minister to bring these to his attention, including the case of political prisoner Xu Jian, the use of torture, labour rights, freedom of expression and religion.

Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International-Canada, said that rampant levels of torture are a "scourge plaguing China unchecked." "Torture leads to countless deaths every year. Chinese authorities continue to ignore numerous recommendations, made by the United Nations and others, which would help bring this horrifying practice to an end. Team Canada must not engage in "business as usual " while so many Chinese men, women and children are tortured on a daily basis."

Ken Georgetti, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, expressed his disappointment that the Prime Minister turned down requests to meet representatives of civil society prior to his departure. "The question is, when will our Prime Minister recognize his responsibility to represent more than the narrow interests of the business ?lite?" Mr. Georgetti said, adding "Clearly, labour rights for millions of Chinese workers, including the young people working in the sweatshops of China's many Special Economic Zones will once again be ignored."

Tibetan activists pointed to the continued detention of the 11-year old Panchen Lama as an issue which demonstrates the fundamental disrespect for human rights in China. "There is no way to justify the detention of a child," said Thubten Samdup, President of the Canada Tibet Committee.

Charles Foran of Pen Canada said his organization "is deeply concerned by the growing number of arrests of writers and journalists in China, including a renewed crackdown on authors using new technologies to communicate."

"The Canadian government must demonstrate its concern for the continuing deterioration of human rights in China and co-sponsor a resolution on China at the UN Commission on Human Rights," said Cheuk Kwan, Chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China. "Prime Minister Chr?tien should explain to his Chinese hosts that trade with China does not necessarily mean that Canada will remain silent at the UN Commission on Human Rights, scheduled to begin March 19^th, 2001."