************************************************************** IFCSS Headquarters News Release No. 5056 Sept 20, 1993 ************************************************************** 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 The IFCSS Human Rights Award to Mr. John Kamm ============================================= During the IFCSS 5th Annual Conference, a resolution was passed to confer to Mr. John Kamm a Human Rights Award for his effort to promote human rights in China and to help the release of prisoners of conscience. To carry out the resolution of the 5th Congress, the IFCSS HQ organized an event on September 17 at Zenger Room, the National Press Club, to confer the award. The IFCSS HQ sent out around 70 invitation letters, and several major news agencies arrived to cover the event. Senator Baucus and Congressman Barton also sent their legislative assistants to attend the ceremony. The IFCSS staff, Shi Heping, Huang Songyun and Liu Xiaozhu were present. Mr. Huang Songyun, chief of staff, hosted the ceremony. Mr. Xiaozhu Liu made an opening speech. Then Ed Gresser, legislative assistant to Senator Baucus, and Liang Er, the IFCSS board member, also addressed the audiance. Mr. Shi Heping, Vice President, presented the award to Mr. John Kamm, who made a speech expressing his gratitude to the Chinese students and scholars. Mr. Kamm indicated that he would continue to work on the improvement of human rights in China. The meeting was cordial and warm. Mr. John Kamm answered many questions raised by reporters. The following are some written records of the ceremony: ------------------------------------------------------------------ THE CONSCIENCE OF A BUSINESSMAN: A SPEECH AT THE IFCSS HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD CEREMOMY HONORING JOHN KAMM, SEPTEMBER 17, 1993, THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB, WASHINGTON D.C. -- Liu Xiaozhu, Executive Director of IFCSS Ladies and gentlemen: On behalf of the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars, I'd like to welcome you and thank you for attending this ceremony. In a few minutes, we are going to present the IFCSS Human Rights Award. In our Fifth annual Congress held in the past July, a resolution was passed to establish an IFCSS "Human Rights Award" and our friend John Kamm was chosen as the recipient. There were many candidates for this Award indeed. Many people in U.S. Congress, in American human rights organizations (such as the Amnesty International and Asia Watch, in Chinese human rights organizations such as the New York based Human Rights in China and San Francisco based Silicon Valley for Democracy in China) have worked tirelessly on China's human rights issues. But we selected Mr. John Kamm. Mr. Kamm has a business background and he is also a human rights activist. He realized several years ago that the bad human rights record was one of the major obstacles to trade relations between China and western countries. He was also concerned with the conditions of those prisoners jailed for political and religious reasons. Since then he has worked on cases involving approximately 200 individuals. Among those who he helped to gain releases are: The Li Brothers (Li Lin and Li Zhi), Lo Haixing, Han Dongfang, Wang Xizhe, Bao Zunxin and any others as well as some Catholic clergymen. In addition to working on releases, he has also helped secure passports for dissidents (Li Hunglin is a recent case), improved family access to prison (in Bao Tong's case), reduced harassment once out of jail (in Pastor Jin Xiangao's case). He has also lobbied the Chinese Government to carry out systematic changes including: * Abolition of the crime of counterrevolution and amnesty for counter-revolutionaries; * Reform/abolition of administrative detention without trial; * Provision of comprehensive information on prisoners of conscience; * Greater international access to Chinese prisons; * Normalization of relations with the Vatican. In addition to working on the Chinese Government, Mr. Kamm has also tried to generate more awareness in the American business community and to get more support for his efforts. He has been frequently traveling around the country and giving speeches on the need for more involvement by American business people in lobbying Chinese Government for human rights improvement. Mr. Kamm has made a right connection between business and human rights. Improvements in human rights would result in better trade relations and more business opportunities. He has given the Chinese Government a clear message: if it wants to attract more international business and investment, it has to improve its human rights record. We hope that American business people will share Mr. Kamm's as well as our view that, in order to achieve a long term stability, prosperity and abundance of business opportunity, China has to improve its political and legal infrastructure and adopt the principles of freedom, democracy, human rights and rule by law in addition to the change to a market economy. We hope that American business people will help China move in the direction of a liberal and democratic society. I am honored that Mr. Kamm is here today to accept the Award in person. Our award does not contain a money prize. It is a token, but it carries the appreciation and recognition of Mr. Kamm by tens of thousands of Chinese students and scholars in the U.S. We hope that more and more people in American business community will realize the pressing need for improving human rights in China. Thank you for coming, and thank you for your support for promoting human rights in China. ================================================================== REMARKS OF ED GRESSER, LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT TO SENATOR MAX BAUCUS AT THE IFCSS HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD PRESENTATION Good morning. I will begin my brief remarks by thanking the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars very sincerely for inviting me to participate in this ceremony. Senator Baucus and I consider this invitation a great honor. The Senator himself is in Montana today and is thus unable to attend in person; but he asked me to send thanks for the invitation to the Federation, its members and new officers, and to give his very warm congratulation to John Kamm on his receipt of the first annual IFCSS Human Rights Award. It is quite interesting and appropriate that the Federation is holding this ceremony in the Zenger Room. That is because John Peter Zenger, for whom it is named, helped to create America's modern concepts of free speech and universal human rights. Zenger arrived in New York as an immigrant from Germany in 1710, and the age of thirteen. He was trained as a printer, and in 1733 was appointed editor of a newspaper called the New York Weekly Journal. The newspaper was a sharp critic of the colonial Governor at the time, William Mosby. Zenger ran a seried of articles exposing scandals in the Administration; and in 1734, Mosby had Zenger arrested and charged with "seditious liber". Zenger spent ten months in jail and then went to trial. In court, the government argued that criticism of government -- whether the charges are true or false -- is a crime and must be punished. The reply Zenger's lawyer gave was a classic statement of the right to speech, and in particular the right to dissent. "While men keep within the bounds of truth, I hope they may with safety both speak and write their sentiments of the conduct of men in power ... were this to be denied, then the next step may make them slaves; for what notions can be entertained of slavery beyond that of suffering the greatest injuries and oppression; with without the liberty of complaining, or if they do, to be destroyed, body and estate, for so doing." I think everyone will be happy to know that Zenger was acquitted and freed. And the arguments he and his lawyermade helped provide a fundation for the Revoluationary war generation forty yearslater, and for Aemical's present views on democracy, freedom and speech, and basic human rights. What Zenger tried to do -- to speak the truth as he saw it, without regard to personal consequences -- has been the mission of IFCSS since it foundation. And while Senator Baucus has not always agree with IFCSS, for example on the MFN question, he has always admired your partriotism and courage, has listened closely to your views and has been bery happy to work with you whenever possible. Mr. Kamm has also taken risks. His outspokenness on behalf of human rights, combined with his views on the MFN question, have at one time or another raised eyebrows on all sides of the debate over China policy -- whether it be the human rights groups, the American business community, or of course, the Chinese government. But, as the Federation recognizes by giving him this award today, he has approached the question of human rights in China with a clear head and a good conscience. Mr. Kamm has taken a long view. He thinks at all times about giving ordinary Chinese people a better life through trade and economic development, as well as about how to help them win their human rights. And most important of all, of course, he gets results. Senator Baucus, influenced on many occasions by Mr. Kamm's thinking, has tried to take a similar approach. He has held that promoting trade, continued ground-level human contact through business and academic exchange, and political pressure when appropriet, will improve the lives of China's people and get the results we all seek on human rights. That was the philosophy he brought to his visit to China last month, when he and I along with our Montana State Director made an eleven-day trip covering Beijing, Chengdu, Lhasa, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. We met with a wide range of government officials, including President Jiang Zemin, Deng Nan, Justice Minister Xiao Yang, Forengh Minister Qian Qichen, Trade Minister Wu Yi, Deputy Communist Party Secretary Raidi of Tibet, Governor Xiao Yang of Sichuan Province and Governor Zhu Senlin of Guangdong Province. During these meetings Senator Baucus raised a number of individual priority human rights cases, as well as broader issues like Red Cross access to prisoners and next year's decision on Most Favored Nation Status. The discussions also covered a wide range of other issues, including environmental protection, trade, China's economic reforms, the conditions in rural counties, the Tibetan question and US-China relations generally. Many of these topics were quite sensitive. But with one or two exceptions, Senator Baucus found the officials he met open to what he had to say. He did not get harangues or lectures. He did not win any commitments, but felt that he had a fair hearing. And he believes that Chinese government realizes this is a critical year for US-China relations and may be prepared to make some changes. Perhaps the release of Wei Jingsheng this Monday is just a gerture made to the Olympic Committee; but perhaps, as I am sure we all hope, it is a sign of something more. Change in a country is a long, slow process. No one man or woman, no matter how highly placed or how peronally courageous, can bring it about along. But anyone with courage, commitment and willingness to take a risk can help. John Peter Zenger proved that mahy years ago. All of you exempligy that kind of courage and commiment. And I believe that by selecting John Kamm for this award, you honor a kindred spirit. You have made an admirable choice. I congratulate Mr. Kamm once again, and I thank you all, on behalf of Senator Baucus and for myself, for the invitation to participate in the ceremony this morning. ================================================================= REMARKS ON THE OCCASION OF ACCEPTING THE IFCSS HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD IN WASHINGTON D.C. SEPTEMBER 17, 1993 BY JOHN KAMM I am deeply touched and honored by the decision of the Fifth Congress of the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars(IFCSS) to grant me its First Human Rights Award. My special thanks to the leadership of the IFCSS, including Mr. Shi Heping, Mr Liu Xiaozhu, Mr. Zhang Qingsong and Mr. Nick Liang, all of whom are here today, as well as to the delegates from more than 100 chapters of the IFCSS who voted to support the resolution put forward by Mr. Wang Ji to recognize my work. The IFCSS has been in the forefront of promoting respect for human rights in China, and to be honored by this organization is a proud moment for me. Ladies and gentlemen, US-China relations are today at their lowest point since President Richard Nixon undertook his historic visit to the People's Republic in February, 1972. Beset by a multitude of problems, characterized by mistrust and ill-will on both sides, there is little hope that ties will improve in the months ahead. In the area of trade, the United States Trade Representative's office has determined that China is not complying with the deadlines set out in the Market Access Agreement concluded in October last year. Unless the deadlines are met (the critical date is October 10), sanctions could be imposed. Chinese trade officials are balking at holding talks on opening up the country's market for services. Nothing was achieved at the talks on extending the bilateral textiles agreement. Beijing will no doubt react strongly should this happen. In the area of weapons/nuclear proliferation, one only has to read the front page of today's Washington Post to learn of the Clinton Administrations' concern over an impending underground nuclear test by China. In late August, American sanctions were imposed on account of alleged transfers of M-11 missile technology by Chinese firms to Pakistan. The Yihe affair is still very much on the minds of the American and Chinese officials. Beijing is demanding an apology and compensation for American efforts to stop the vessel from sailing to Iran. China has once more raised the issue of American arms sales to Taiwan, and apparently some Chinese officials see the hand of Washington in efforts by Taiwan to secure a UN seat. The sino-British talks on political reform in Hong Kong have apparently been fruitless, and Beijing is warning the US not to support Governor Patten should be decide to "go it alone". With respect to China's bid for the 2000 summer Olympics, we face a "lose- lose" situation so far as US-China relations is concerned. If China wins the bid (the decision will be announced in Monte Carlo on September 23), a great many members of Congress will be angry and some might even launch a boycott effort. If on the other hand China loses, the communist leadership will place the blame on the US government, and this will lead to an even worse attitude on the part of China towards cooperation with the US. Overhanging the relationship is the question of China's MFN status. After more than three years of bitter debate in Congress, President Clinton on May 28 issued an executive order extending China's MFN for another 12 months, but requiring progress on human rights before another extension in 1994. Those who had resisted the imposition of conditions by means of legislation acknowledged that the executive order represented the best deal possible given the political realities in Washington. The secretary of State--rather than a committee or other diverse grouping-- would make the determination as to whether the conditions had been met; the nettlesome issues of the trade deficit and weapons proliferation were removed from the deliberative process; the human rights conditions themselves worded in non-threatening and flexible language--aside from two "must-meet" conditions, the remaining five required "overall, significant progress". Nearly four months have passed and the question naturally arises as to what the Chinese government's response has been to the conditions in the executive order. Is "overall, significant progress" being made? It is difficult to judge human rights progress in a country as large and diverse as China, and harder still to attribute credit or blame to the various parties involved. At any given point in time or for any given period, we can detect both positive and negative developments. Positive developments over the past four months include the freeing of the las prisoners jailed during the democracy Wall period (1979-81), the release of most if not all catholic leaders and the "normalization" discussions between Beijing and the Vatican, the granting of passports to Li Honglin and Hou Xiaotian, and the holding of low-level talks on Tibet between representatives of the Dali lama and Chinese officials in Beijing. In recent days, several imprisoned dissidents from the Tiananmen Square protests have also been freed. There are hints that Beijing may relax its position and allow greater international access to prisons. Negative events include the following: Chinese behavior at the Vienna Human Rights conference, specifically its opposition to efforts to reaffirm the universality of human rights and strengthen international monitoring, and its attempts to silence the Dalai Lama and undermine the status of NGOs; The expulsion of Han Dongfang, marking the first time Beijing has expelled one of her own citizens; The sentencing to harsh terms in prison of Bai Weiji (and his wife and two others) and Wu Shishen (and his wife) for passing "state secrets" to foreign journalists; The re-incarceration of Fu Shengi-- the first time a recently released dissident has been put back in jail--amid a crackdown against dissent in Shanghai; The jailing of a student who had planned a June 4 commemorative service--Liao Jai-an-- and the impending trials, for similar reasons, of Yu Zhuo in Wuhan and many others in Beijing; The refusal to allow American inspectors into Chinese prisons in accordance with the prison labor MOU. As of this writing, the status of the visit to Beijing of Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs John Shattuch remains unclear. The "dialogue" between the US and China is, in effect, suspended. I am aware of no other foreign human rights delegations scheduled to visit China. While I am not prepared to say that human rights have deteriorated in China since May, it is clear that overall significant progress is not being made. Given the prospect of further deterioration in US China relations, and if present trends in human rights practices in China continue, I believe that there is a strong likelihood that MFN will be revoked in 1994. During my discussions with senior policy makers in Washington this past week, I detected nothing which would contradict or challenge this gloomy assessment. The revocation of China's MFN would represent a serious setback for US-China relations, and would have tragic consequences not only for human rights in China but for economic growth and jobs in the US. American business has a huge stake in the China market, but what has been their reaction to the dangerous scenario outlined here? In short, American corporations seem oblivious to the prospect of China losing MFN. Complacency is the order of the day. Business leaders don't believe that president Clinton will actually revoke MFN, no matter what the Chinese do. They are rushing headlong into China, cutting big deal after big deal. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index-- the best measure of business confidence in China trade-- marches incessantly into record territory, and Moody's has just recently upgraded China's credit rating. I hope these remarks serve as wake-up call for American business. Action must be taken now to insure a favorable outcome to the MFN debate in 1994. What should be done? Let me echo the advice of such lawmakers as Senator Max Baucus and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and such key decision makers as Assistant Secretary of State Winston Lord and Assistant USTR Ira Wolf: American companies need to lobby Beijing as hard as they lobby Washington. On May 12, 300 American corporations and trade associations sent a letter to president Clinton urging him to renew China's MFN. I believe these same corporations and associations should now send a letter to President Jiang Zemin urging him to carry out human rights reforms which would have the dual effect of protecting trade relations with the US and improving the investment climate in China. Chambers of Commerce and other groups should vigorously raise human rights issues with Chinese officials. Business people should use their relationships to obtain information on political and religious prisoners, and to quietly and in non-confrontational ways urge the release from jail of prisoners of conscience. They should strengthen cooperation with State Department human rights officers, adopt voluntary codes of conduct (before Congress mandates a code!) and carry out human rights "audits" of their investments and other business dealings in China. My experience these past four years attests to the efficacy of such efforts. I have been able to do some good and make a few contributions to promoting human rights in China without my business suffering retaliation from the Chinese government, and my credibility and access here in Washington have benefitted as well. By granting me this important award, the IFCSS encourages other business people to take up human rights activism in China, and with your continued support, I am confident that American corporations will eventually come to understand that respect for human rights is good for business. Thank you again for honoring me with the IFCSS Human Rights Award. John Kamm September 17, 1993 ********************************************************************* * IFCSS Headquarters Office * *-------------------------------------------------------------------* * President: Lin Changsheng Vice President: Shi Heping * *-------------------------------------------------------------------* *********************************************************************