Family Fast Vigil - For Dr. Yang Jianli

My husband Yang Jianli is a strong and outspoken advocate for democracy and human rights in China and a firm believer in political changes through non-violent means. On April 26, 2002, he was detained by the Chinese authorities on a trip back to China and has been held incommunicado ever since.  For the past nine months, no member of my family has been given any written notice about his status or whereabouts or allowed to communicate with him, not to mention to visit him or to obtain a lawyer for him in China.  My family has written more than 20 letters to the Chinese Embassy in Washington and various ministries in China, but we received no reply.  We repeatedly requested an appointment with the Chinese Ambassador in Washington, but what we got were cold-blooded insults.

Out of desperation and deep concerns for our loved one in China, myself, my 7-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter, their grandmother and grandfather who are respectively 70 and 92 years old, and relatives of my family in the U.S. have decided to hold a one-day hunger strike on the Chinese New Year’s Day (Saturday, February 1) in front of the Chinese Embassy at 2300 Connecticut Ave., NW. Washington D.C.

We are staging this hunger strike with the following thoughts in mind:

1. The Chinese New Year is the most important traditional holiday for Chinese families.  It is a time for family reunion and gathering to enjoy good food, to celebrate the happy time of the past year and make good wishes for a new year.  However, as our loved one spends his lonely time in a far away Chinese prison, we find it impossible to eat any food on this day.  We want to show our love for Jianli and tell him that we are remembering him and we are dedicated and determined to help him in whatever way we can.

2. Since we are not allowed to go to China (my visa application to go to China was repeatedly denied by the Chinese consulate), this very place, the Chinese Embassy in Washington, is a symbol of China to us.  We want to feel that we are physically close to our loved one on this special holiday.

3. We want to voice our frustration and disappointment with regard to the Chinese government’s handling of my husband’s case.  This prolonged isolation of Jianli is in violation of China’s own constitution and laws. Our fear comes from not knowing anything.  We do not know if our loved is safe or healthy right now, nor do we know what will happen to him.  My children are terribly frightened.  Every day is an excruciating experience for our family, and it is getting worse with each passing day.

4.   US senators and congressmen, the faculty of Harvard University, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Chinese human rights groups, and many of our friends in schools and churches have been pleading for my husband’s release.  I would like to ask everyone who sees us here today to support my family by writing to President George Bush and to the Chinese President and Ambassador (their addresses and a sample letter can be found on the back of this page).  You can also show your support by sending a message to supportyou@yangjianli.com.

On behalf of everyone in my family, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Christina Xiang Fu

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----------------------- Source: "ChinaEWeekly"