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法兰克福第61届书展将于本周(10月13日至18日)拉开序幕。劳改基金会的创始人吴弘达会全程出席这次书展。华盛顿的劳改基金会十年来持续地出版了政治犯、良心犯的传记系列《黑色文库》,目前已出了28册。这个系列是中华人民共和国建国60年来,历来政治运动下 的受害者的一幅最忠实的浮世绘。这次在书展上,基金会在宾主国展馆的6号楼的一楼设有一个展台,展出《黑色文库》的所有书籍。另外基金会的其他人权书目如 《零八宪章》、刘晓波的《自由中国在民间》、关于计划生育的《国策下的国难》、《劳改与动教养》、余杰的有关教育制度的《不要做中国人的孩子》也都将展 出。基金会每两年出一次的、罗列了中国大部分的劳改营(监狱)的《劳改手册》也将展出。今年刚出版的关于劳改制度的画册——《劳改》也显目地出现在展台 上。

质询奥巴马总统:诺贝尔和平奖得主何以如此趋炎附势?

2009年10月9日,美国现任总统奥巴马因致力于倡导全球去核化而成为本年度诺贝尔和平奖得主。而另一位诺贝尔和平奖得主、西藏流亡精神领袖达赖喇嘛周一抵达华盛顿之后,却遭奥巴马的冷遇。从老布什政府开始、到随后执政的克林顿以及小布什,美国历任总统都曾在任期内会见到访的西藏精神领袖。这是达赖喇嘛18年来第一次没有与在任的美国总统会晤。

虽然美国国务院表示这并不表明美国的西藏政策有所改变,但奥巴马政府极力向中共示好的急切心情确是可见一斑。对于一直难以走出经济低迷状态的美国来说,现在的中共政权无疑是得罪不起的金主:2009年7月份,中国当月持有的美国国债高大8005亿美元,稳坐美国第一大债权国的位子;此外,在伊朗以及朝鲜核争端中,中国也被美国视为重要的合作伙伴。因此人权、西藏、新疆等问题便成了目前两国关系中触碰不得的禁忌话题。今年2月,美国现任国务卿希拉里·克林顿在访华前曾强调:人权问题不会妨碍美中有关世界经济危机、气候变化和安全形势的讨论。况且,法国总统萨克奇与达赖喇嘛的会晤显然对中法两国关系产生了负面影响,有了这个“前车之鉴”,奥巴马总统自然不惜牺牲人权道义,也不愿为自己的首次访华蒙上阴影。

如此“识时务”的奥巴马总统也许会备受中共青睐。但相比不畏强权、毕生致力于实现西藏和平与藏人权利的达赖喇嘛,奥巴马总统获得的这个诺奖,确实受之有愧。

Dalai Lama Visits the Laogai Museum

On Wednesday, the Laogai Museum was honored by a visit from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  We were of course overjoyed, but at the same time disappointed that President Obama did not see fit to meet with the Dalai Lama at this time.  As we saw from the press this morning, the Chinese still kicked off about the fact that the “reviled” Dalai Lama received an award in Congress. 

Obama may have thought that by not meeting with the Dalai Lama before his upcoming trip to Beijing, he would somehow gain favor with the Chinese government on other issues.  In reality, they’ll leverage this decision by pressuring the Obama administration to lower the bar even further when it comes to human rights.  Back in the spring during her trip to Beijing, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said human rights would not be allowed to “interfere” with other strategic issues like climate change or the financial crisis.  But what good is a climate change agreement in a world where the Chinese government routinely imprisons environmental whistleblowers?  And what good is a Chinese-led solution to the global financial crisis without a free press to make sure that the financial sector is transparent?

President Obama came into office promising to do more on human rights, and we congratulate him on being awarded a Nobel Prize today.  Winning a Nobel Peace Prize carries with it a huge responsibility to stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and to bear witness to injustices wherever they appear.  It is imperative that President Obama use his position and influence on the world stage to support other advocates for peace – just like His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  The dictators in Beijing might put up a fight for a few days, but they’ll settle down and come back to the negotiating table.  And we will not have compromised our most sacred ideals in the process.   

Frogs in the Well: China's Ethnic Policy

Late Sunday evening, the PRC government issued a white paper entitled “China's Ethnic Policy and Common Prosperity and Development of All Ethnic Groups.”  In an all too common attempt to "harmonize" the historical record of the Middle Kingdom, the report details the full economic integration of modern China's 56 nationalities, complete with charts and graphs.

In a strangely Stalinist assertion, the report claims, “The common cultural and psychological characteristics of all ethnic groups in China became increasingly more mature and outstanding.  Today, the Chinese nation has become a name with which all ethnic groups in China identify themselves and to which they give their allegiance.”  The report boldly concludes, “Sixty years of experiences have proved that China’s ethnic policies are correct and effective…”
 
But if China's inter-ethnic relations are in fact “harmonious,” why did the 2008 riots in Tibet and the 2009 riots in East Turkestan happen?  And, if ethnic relations in China are indeed doing so greatly, why would China need to issue a white paper on ethnic policy begin with?

While no one can deny the immense innovation on the part of the entire PRC public relations team, the true situation has been well noted by international media, for example, the continued coverage of persons charged in connection with the 2009 Xinjiang Riots. Maybe its time the frogs hopped out of their well, as per the old Chinese saying, and took a good look around.

For the full text of,“China's Ethnic Policy and Common Prosperity and Development of All Ethnic Groups,” click here. 

2009年9月25日星期五,五七學社於香港中文大學舉行了主題名叫<勞改下的中國人>的圖片展及研討會。是次活動由勞改基金會贊助,並得到中文大學學生會協助。南方民主同盟等維權組織,亦有派員出席。

研討會由香港記者協會主席麥燕庭主持,程翔、鄭宇碩教授、王友金教授及蔡耀昌等嘉賓,亦先後發言。

南方民主同盟主席龍緯汶表示,是次活動很有意義,讓香港人更了解中共執政以來,帶給國人的苦難。[更多详情请点击这里]

"The Dalai Lama later toured a museum on China's human rights abuses run by exiled dissident Harry Wu and met key US senators, including John Kerry, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee."

But President Barack Obama will not see the spiritual leader, marking the first time in 18 years the Dalai Lama has visited Washington without a presidential meeting. The White House said Obama will meet him after visiting China next month."

《这次刘晓波先生被冠以莫须有的“煽动颠覆国家政权”罪,正式遭逮捕,惊动了国际舆论。虽然大家都猜测到当局会拖过六四之后才动手,但是用如此低级的手段和为自身打上专制独裁的标签来制造诬陷,对付一个国际声望极高的异议知识分子,还是令人不得不怀疑北京高层的智力和内部权力斗争的乱麻一团。如此不顾国际的视听,如此忽视民意的向背,真的再次打破许多人的幻想,应当认识到专制政权是不能改良、改革和改变的。》。。。多念

《  记者日前了解到,四川社会科学院硕士研究生刘建永应美国笔会之邀,于四月24日出访美国,因访问过程中会见、拜访了包括西藏精神领袖达赖喇嘛和民主党主席刘东星等敏感人士,5月8日回国后多次被劝退学,6月24日被四川省社会科学院借故开除学籍。刘建永已经向学院提出申诉。
   
四川省社会科学院在开除决定书中认定,刘建永在就读研究生期间多次旷课,经过处分后不思悔改,继续旷课,根据相关规定给予开除学籍处分。
刘建永在申诉书中认为,四川社会科学院开除决定所依据的事实并不真实,自己不是旷课而是请假,学校开除自己实际上是一种政治报复行为,所谓旷课不过是托辞。》。。。多念

《中国总理温家宝曾经告诉记者,古罗马皇帝奥勒留的《沉思录》,是他必备的一本“枕边书”。爱读书固然是一个好习惯,但爱读书的领导人未必就真正热爱真理与正义:因为更关键的是,要看此人喜欢读的是哪些书。暴君毛泽东就很爱读书,几乎到了手不释卷的地步,但他读的都是《资治通鉴》、《孙子兵法》、《三国》、《水浒》等等中国的古书,他从中汲取权谋术和厚黑学,用以巩固自己的统治、维持自己的权力。所以,毛泽东读书越多,中毒越深,给人民造成的苦难也越大。与毛泽东不同,温家宝对外透露的那些“必读书目”,大部分还都算是好书,比如这本奥勒留所著之《沉思录》。奥勒留既是罗马帝国的皇帝,又是一位充满智慧的哲学家,他虽然掌握着那个时代的最高权力,却并没有“欲与天公试比高”的狂妄,而是谦卑地仰望星空,寻求宇宙理性和天道神意。那么,作为奥勒留的热爱者,温家宝从中寻觅到了哪些做人与治国的道理呢?》。。。

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