************************************************************** IFCSS Headquarters News Release No. 4083 January 4, 1993 INTRODUCTION TO IFCSS ************************************************************** Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars (IFCSS) 733 15th Street, N.W., Suite 440, Washington, D.C.20005 Tel. (202)347-0017 Fax: (202)347-0018 Email: ifcss@wam.umd.edu Introduction to IFCSS ===================== Dear IFCSS Members: Happy New Year! In order to expand the influence of IFCSS, the HQ has prepared an information brochure about IFCSS to be widely distributed among the CSS community and the American society. The brochure contains sections on the founding of IFCSS, its objectives, organizational structure, achievements and current agenda. In the week before Christmas, the HQ has sent out about 10,000 brochures in an effort to raise more funds for IFCSS operation. The HQ officers also distributed the brochure during the Thanksgiving holiday trips to the Northern Pacific and Southeasten states. So far, the HQ has received about 30 donations from the American public, several of them are in the range of $100-200. The following is the English version of the brochure. Please make a copy of it and distribute to the new Chinese students, to your American friends or carry it in local CSS newsletters. The following information will also be stored in the IFCSS/CCIC Bulletin Board. For information about CCIC, please send email to ccic-info@ifcss.org Thank you for your cooperation. =============================================================== Founding of IFCSS In the early morning of June 4, 1989, the Chinese government crushed peaceful prodemocracy demonstrators with tanks and machine- guns. The blood of innocent students and civilians soaked the streets around Tian An Men Square and painted red TV screens across the world. On July 28, 1989, over eight hundred delegates representing about 40,000 Chinese students and scholars in the U.S., with tears in their eyes and sorrow in their hearts, gathered in Chicago to found the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars (IFCSS). The Objectives of IFCSS IFCSS is the national coordinating organization of Chinese students and scholars in the United States. Its goals are: to promote freedom, democracy, human rights, and rule of law in China, to represent and protect the rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars in the U.S., and to assist the development of education, science, technology and culture in China. What IFCSS Has Accomplished Three years have passed since the establishment of IFCSS. Our organization has travelled over a path strewn with obstacles and threats to wage a persistent struggle for promoting democracy in China. The following are some highlights of what we have done: * On October 1, 1989, the National Day of P.R. China, IFCSS organized "Washington March for Democracy in China." Over 4,000 Chinese students across the U.S., some driving as long as 60 hours, came to Washington D.C. to participate in the March. The event, which took place at a time of mass arrest in China, demonstrated the will and courage of China's younger generation to fight for democracy and freedom. * Since 1990, on every June 4th anniversary, IFCSS sponsored memorial events honoring those who laid down their lives during the 1989 Democracy Movement. Such events have generated pressure on the Chinese government and encouraged progressive forces inside China. * IFCSS has provided the U.S. government with information on human rights violations in China and urged the Congress and the White House to use economic leverage to apply pressure on the Chinese government. Partly due to our efforts, hundreds of political prisoners were released and a number of dissidents were allowed to leave the country. * IFCSS has established a variety of connections with democracy activists in China and channeled a considerable amount of donations to victims of political persecution. * Through newsletters, press releases, seminars, and computer network, IFCSS has helped Chinese students better understand democracy and inform the American public of the human rights situation in China. * IFCSS has successfully won President Bush's executive order of 1990 and the enactment of the 1992 Chinese Student Protect Act which provided continued protection to Chinese students and nationals in the United States. Priorities on Current Agenda * Continue to monitor human rights situation in China and keep the international community informed of the latest development; * set up a special committee to expand existing relief projects so that less well-known political dissidents and "June 4th" victims will be reached; * use various means to inform the Chinese people of what is happening in the outside world, particularly the concern and support of overseas students and the international community; * send a delegation back to China to collect information on human rights abuse and push for positive changes; * organize lecture tours by leading Chinese dissidents and American scholars to educate Chinese students on the brutalities of the totalitarian rule and the advantages of a democratic government; * establish a research group to study recent social and economic changes in China and explore their impact upon the political system. * expand circulation of IFCSS Newsletter by setting up a computer distribution network. Manifesto of First Congress of Chinese Students & Scholars in the U.S. (July 30, 1989, Chicago) We, the delegates of the Chinese students and scholars from all over the United States, with our belief in democracy, with deep love for our motherland, and with our historical responsibility of promoting the democracy movement in China, solemnly declare the establishment of the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars. We hereby proclaim our unyielding pursuit of democracy, which include our claims for such basic human rights as life, freedom, prosperity and pursuit of happiness; our belief that people have the right to choose the form of their government, to participate in political processes that affect their lives, and to decide the fate of their nation. Our cause, for which millions of Chinese with lofty ideas have devoted their lives since the May 4th Movement in 1919, is based upon conscience and common knowledge accepted throughout the civilized world. It represents a historical trend of human society, the progression from barbarism to civilization, from backwardness to advancement. This trend cannot be held back by any force. We hereby express our admiration for the 1989 Democracy Movement in China. This great movement signifies the new awakening of the Chinese people. It Challenges the feudalist dictatorship that has dominated China for over 2,000 years and all that runs counter to democratic principles. It inspires our best hope for revitalizing China. We hereby strongly condemn the crimes committed by Deng, Li, Yang Regime. Their suppression of the democracy movement and persecution of advocates of democracy have revealed their fear and weakness as well as their meanness and brutality. In today's China, hope has not died and the seed of fire is still alive. The day is not far off when the people will bring Deng, Li, Yang to trial. We hereby demonstrate our unity and power. Our purpose is not to become a special interest group. Rather, we shall make the best use of our present favorable environment in the U.S., work hard, gather strength, and expand the basis for promoting the democracy movement in China. The support that we have received transcends the boundaries of nations, nationalities, and political differences. All the Chinese people and democratic forces all over the world are with us. This is the source of our power. History is calling upon us. Though the struggle will be long and hard, we are determined to defeat tyranny and dictatorship by peaceful, rational, and nonviolent means. May our ideas of democracy, freedom, equality, and rule of law succeed in China. Organizational Structure (Fourth Term, 1992-1993) Headquarters ============ Xiao Geng President (Univ. of Arizona) Baoping He Vice President (Virginia Tech) Qingsong Zhang Executive Director (Univ. of Virginia) Heping Shi Director of Government Affairs & Public Relations (Virginia Tech) Council ======= Jianxin Tang (Brandeis University) Yi Xu (Univ. of Connecticut) Bing Xu (U. of Pennsylvania) Liyue Mo (Univ. of Rochester) Kai Huang (Virginia Tech) Yuhe Liu (Univ. of Maryland, College Park) Hongran Fan (Univ. of Miami) Gang Li (Emory University) Chenjian Li (Purdue University) Jinghong Li (Univ. of Dayton) Yenong Qi (Oregon State Univ.) Liqun Dong (Univ. of Washington) Wenyan Li (New Mexico Highland Univ.) Jianjun Qian (Univ. of Texas, Dallas) Songyun Huang (Univ. of Arizona) Tong Shen (Foothill College) Supervisory Committee ===================== Liu Zhendong (Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison) Lu Chengdong (Yale University) Luo Lishi (Los Alamos National Lab) Pang Yang (Arizona State Univ.) Zhao Yue (Univ. of Buffalo) Dear Friends: Ours is a long and arduous journey. The odds against us are overwhelming. However, we are fortunate to have the American people behind us in our pursuit of freedom. In this free land, we have kept alive the voice of democracy which has been subdued in China. Without your support, IFCSS would, like the independent student organizations in Beijing, have been destroyed by tyranny and violence. Therefore, we hereby ask for your continued support. Should you want to help IFCSS in any way, please contact us at (202)347-0017; fax: 347-0018. IFCSS is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Maryland under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and entitled to tax-deductible donations. Its Emmployer Identification Number is 52-1653928. If you wish to make a contribution, please make it payable to IFCSS Foundation and send it to IFCSS, 733 15th St. N.W., Suite 440, Washington D.C. 20005. The following form is provided for your convenience. ______________________________________________________ IFCSS: I am with you in your pursuit of democracy and freedom. As an expression of my support, I am sending you a contribution of $ 5.00____ $ 10.00____ $ 20.00____ $ 50.00____ $ 100.00____ Other________ Name________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________ Date_________________________________________________ Contact: IFCSS 733 15th Street, N.W., Suite 440, Washington D.C. 20005 Tel. (202)347-0017; Fax (202)347-0017 Email: ifcss@wam.umd.edu For more information on IFCSS, please send email to ccic-info@ifcss.org Thank you. ********************************************************************* * IFCSS Headquarters Office * *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * * PBS-L is IFCSS's news distribution list for individuals. To sign * * on or off from the list, please send email to listserv@ifcss.org * * leave the subject line open and put in the mail body: * * (For signing on) sub pbs-l last name first name * * (For signing off) unsub pbs-l last name first name * * For more information about IFCSS, write to ccic-info@ifcss.org * ********************************************************************* From human-net-dist-request@Virginia.EDU Tue Jan 5 12:49:28 1993 Received: from Virginia.EDU (uvaarpa.Virginia.EDU) by wor-srv.wam.umd.edu with SMTP id AA12057 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for ); Tue, 5 Jan 1993 12:49:23 -0500 Received: from Virginia.EDU by uvaarpa.Virginia.EDU id aa02500; 5 Jan 93 12:37 EST Received: from pg2-srv.wam.umd.edu by uvaarpa.Virginia.EDU id aa02489; 5 Jan 93 12:37 EST Received: from rac1.wam.umd.edu by pg2-srv.wam.umd.edu with SMTP id AA11712 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for ); Tue, 5 Jan 1993 12:37:45 -0500 Received: by rac1.wam.umd.edu id AA28343 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4); Tue, 5 Jan 1993 12:37:33 -0500 Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 12:37:33 -0500 From: IFCSS HQ Message-Id: <199301051737.AA28343@rac1.wam.umd.edu> To: chnt@wam.umd.edu, lobby@wam.umd.edu Subject: Introduction to IFCSS (IFCSS HQ NR-4083) Status: R ************************************************************** IFCSS Headquarters News Release No. 4083 January 4, 1993 INTRODUCTION TO IFCSS ************************************************************** Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars (IFCSS) 733 15th Street, N.W., Suite 440, Washington, D.C.20005 Tel. (202)347-0017 Fax: (202)347-0018 Email: ifcss@wam.umd.edu Introduction to IFCSS ===================== Dear IFCSS Members: Happy New Year! In order to expand the influence of IFCSS, the HQ has prepared an information brochure about IFCSS to be widely distributed among the CSS community and the American society. The brochure contains sections on the founding of IFCSS, its objectives, organizational structure, achievements and current agenda. In the week before Christmas, the HQ has sent out about 10,000 brochures in an effort to raise more funds for IFCSS operation. The HQ officers also distributed the brochure during the Thanksgiving holiday trips to the Northern Pacific and Southeasten states. So far, the HQ has received about 30 donations from the American public, several of them are in the range of $100-200. The following is the English version of the brochure. Please make a copy of it and distribute to the new Chinese students, to your American friends or carry it in local CSS newsletters. The following information will also be stored in the IFCSS/CCIC Bulletin Board. For information about CCIC, please send email to ccic-info@ifcss.org Thank you for your cooperation. =============================================================== Founding of IFCSS In the early morning of June 4, 1989, the Chinese government crushed peaceful prodemocracy demonstrators with tanks and machine- guns. The blood of innocent students and civilians soaked the streets around Tian An Men Square and painted red TV screens across the world. On July 28, 1989, over eight hundred delegates representing about 40,000 Chinese students and scholars in the U.S., with tears in their eyes and sorrow in their hearts, gathered in Chicago to found the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars (IFCSS). The Objectives of IFCSS IFCSS is the national coordinating organization of Chinese students and scholars in the United States. Its goals are: to promote freedom, democracy, human rights, and rule of law in China, to represent and protect the rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars in the U.S., and to assist the development of education, science, technology and culture in China. What IFCSS Has Accomplished Three years have passed since the establishment of IFCSS. Our organization has travelled over a path strewn with obstacles and threats to wage a persistent struggle for promoting democracy in China. The following are some highlights of what we have done: * On October 1, 1989, the National Day of P.R. China, IFCSS organized "Washington March for Democracy in China." Over 4,000 Chinese students across the U.S., some driving as long as 60 hours, came to Washington D.C. to participate in the March. The event, which took place at a time of mass arrest in China, demonstrated the will and courage of China's younger generation to fight for democracy and freedom. * Since 1990, on every June 4th anniversary, IFCSS sponsored memorial events honoring those who laid down their lives during the 1989 Democracy Movement. Such events have generated pressure on the Chinese government and encouraged progressive forces inside China. * IFCSS has provided the U.S. government with information on human rights violations in China and urged the Congress and the White House to use economic leverage to apply pressure on the Chinese government. Partly due to our efforts, hundreds of political prisoners were released and a number of dissidents were allowed to leave the country. * IFCSS has established a variety of connections with democracy activists in China and channeled a considerable amount of donations to victims of political persecution. * Through newsletters, press releases, seminars, and computer network, IFCSS has helped Chinese students better understand democracy and inform the American public of the human rights situation in China. * IFCSS has successfully won President Bush's executive order of 1990 and the enactment of the 1992 Chinese Student Protect Act which provided continued protection to Chinese students and nationals in the United States. Priorities on Current Agenda * Continue to monitor human rights situation in China and keep the international community informed of the latest development; * set up a special committee to expand existing relief projects so that less well-known political dissidents and "June 4th" victims will be reached; * use various means to inform the Chinese people of what is happening in the outside world, particularly the concern and support of overseas students and the international community; * send a delegation back to China to collect information on human rights abuse and push for positive changes; * organize lecture tours by leading Chinese dissidents and American scholars to educate Chinese students on the brutalities of the totalitarian rule and the advantages of a democratic government; * establish a research group to study recent social and economic changes in China and explore their impact upon the political system. * expand circulation of IFCSS Newsletter by setting up a computer distribution network. Manifesto of First Congress of Chinese Students & Scholars in the U.S. (July 30, 1989, Chicago) We, the delegates of the Chinese students and scholars from all over the United States, with our belief in democracy, with deep love for our motherland, and with our historical responsibility of promoting the democracy movement in China, solemnly declare the establishment of the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars. We hereby proclaim our unyielding pursuit of democracy, which include our claims for such basic human rights as life, freedom, prosperity and pursuit of happiness; our belief that people have the right to choose the form of their government, to participate in political processes that affect their lives, and to decide the fate of their nation. Our cause, for which millions of Chinese with lofty ideas have devoted their lives since the May 4th Movement in 1919, is based upon conscience and common knowledge accepted throughout the civilized world. It represents a historical trend of human society, the progression from barbarism to civilization, from backwardness to advancement. This trend cannot be held back by any force. We hereby express our admiration for the 1989 Democracy Movement in China. This great movement signifies the new awakening of the Chinese people. It Challenges the feudalist dictatorship that has dominated China for over 2,000 years and all that runs counter to democratic principles. It inspires our best hope for revitalizing China. We hereby strongly condemn the crimes committed by Deng, Li, Yang Regime. Their suppression of the democracy movement and persecution of advocates of democracy have revealed their fear and weakness as well as their meanness and brutality. In today's China, hope has not died and the seed of fire is still alive. The day is not far off when the people will bring Deng, Li, Yang to trial. We hereby demonstrate our unity and power. Our purpose is not to become a special interest group. Rather, we shall make the best use of our present favorable environment in the U.S., work hard, gather strength, and expand the basis for promoting the democracy movement in China. The support that we have received transcends the boundaries of nations, nationalities, and political differences. All the Chinese people and democratic forces all over the world are with us. This is the source of our power. History is calling upon us. Though the struggle will be long and hard, we are determined to defeat tyranny and dictatorship by peaceful, rational, and nonviolent means. May our ideas of democracy, freedom, equality, and rule of law succeed in China. Organizational Structure (Fourth Term, 1992-1993) Headquarters ============ Xiao Geng President (Univ. of Arizona) Baoping He Vice President (Virginia Tech) Qingsong Zhang Executive Director (Univ. of Virginia) Heping Shi Director of Government Affairs & Public Relations (Virginia Tech) Council ======= Jianxin Tang (Brandeis University) Yi Xu (Univ. of Connecticut) Bing Xu (U. of Pennsylvania) Liyue Mo (Univ. of Rochester) Kai Huang (Virginia Tech) Yuhe Liu (Univ. of Maryland, College Park) Hongran Fan (Univ. of Miami) Gang Li (Emory University) Chenjian Li (Purdue University) Jinghong Li (Univ. of Dayton) Yenong Qi (Oregon State Univ.) Liqun Dong (Univ. of Washington) Wenyan Li (New Mexico Highland Univ.) Jianjun Qian (Univ. of Texas, Dallas) Songyun Huang (Univ. of Arizona) Tong Shen (Foothill College) Supervisory Committee ===================== Liu Zhendong (Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison) Lu Chengdong (Yale University) Luo Lishi (Los Alamos National Lab) Pang Yang (Arizona State Univ.) Zhao Yue (Univ. of Buffalo) Dear Friends: Ours is a long and arduous journey. The odds against us are overwhelming. However, we are fortunate to have the American people behind us in our pursuit of freedom. In this free land, we have kept alive the voice of democracy which has been subdued in China. Without your support, IFCSS would, like the independent student organizations in Beijing, have been destroyed by tyranny and violence. Therefore, we hereby ask for your continued support. Should you want to help IFCSS in any way, please contact us at (202)347-0017; fax: 347-0018. IFCSS is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Maryland under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and entitled to tax-deductible donations. Its Emmployer Identification Number is 52-1653928. If you wish to make a contribution, please make it payable to IFCSS Foundation and send it to IFCSS, 733 15th St. N.W., Suite 440, Washington D.C. 20005. The following form is provided for your convenience. ______________________________________________________ IFCSS: I am with you in your pursuit of democracy and freedom. As an expression of my support, I am sending you a contribution of $ 5.00____ $ 10.00____ $ 20.00____ $ 50.00____ $ 100.00____ Other________ Name________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________ Date_________________________________________________ Contact: IFCSS 733 15th Street, N.W., Suite 440, Washington D.C. 20005 Tel. (202)347-0017; Fax (202)347-0017 Email: ifcss@wam.umd.edu For more information on IFCSS, please send email to ccic-info@ifcss.org Thank you. ********************************************************************* * IFCSS Headquarters Office * *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * * PBS-L is IFCSS's news distribution list for individuals. To sign * * on or off from the list, please send email to listserv@ifcss.org * * leave the subject line open and put in the mail body: * * (For signing on) sub pbs-l last name first name * * (For signing off) unsub pbs-l last name first name * * For more information about IFCSS, write to ccic-info@ifcss.org * *********************************************************************