############################################################\\ \\######### T h e E l e c t r o n i c N e w s l e t t e r o f \\ \\C S S %=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=\\ \\=%=%=%= ____________ ____________ _____________ \\ N \\ / _____ )) / _________)) / __________)) \\ \\ / // )____)) { ((________ { ((_________ \\ E \\ { || _____ \_________ )) \_________ )) \\ \\ \ \\____) )) __________) )) ___________) )) \\ W \\ \____________// (_____________// (______________// \\ \\ \\ \\ ]]]]]]]]] ]]]]]]] ]]]]]]]] ]]]]]]] ]]] ]]] \\ \ ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]] ]] \\ ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]]]]]]]] ]] ]] ============= ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] No. 94016 ]]] ]]]]]]] ]]]]]]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] _ 1994.12.10_ %=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%= CSS Today Editorial Board csstoday@iastate.edu %=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=
This year, as we commemorate the 57th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, we are again reminded of the importance of preserving the accuracy of historical memory, particularly in light of the fact that the Japanese government has repeatedly attempted to distort or erase the historical facts in its textbooks, or openly deny the atrocities committed not just against the Chinese people, but against the whole of human race. It is important that we make every effort to educate the future generations about the catastrophe of any unjustifiable war, so that tragedies like the Nanjing Massacre and the genocide in the Nazi concentration camps will not repeat themselves, and long-lasting peace worldwide becomes a truly universal aspiration and reality.
The tragedy of over half a century ago has not been forgotten, as concerned historical societies, societies on the preservation of historical truth about the Sino-Japanese war, and other community organizations in various countries and regions in Northern America and Southeast Asia endeavor to arouse worldwide awareness of the hideous crimes committed against the hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children on the streets of Nanjing that turned this peaceful ancient city overnight into a bloody and haunting infernal, as well as the ruthless killing and destruction that took place elsewhere in China and other Asian countries. We will join the effort of the Chinese overseas to ensure, through various means, that the immeasurable suffering and loss sustained by the Chinese people because of the Japan invasion become as widely known and as universally deplored as the fate of the Jewish people during WWII. Meanwhile we want to see to it that before it is accepted as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Japan gives the whole world reassurance that as a member of the international community it is willing and able to take responsibility and accountability for all its actions. It is our belief that the unresolved historical grievances between China and Japan can pose as a potential hindrance to the continued development and prosperity of East Asia, as well as a potential threat to peace in the world. For this reason, it is imperative that Japan come to a common understanding with the rest of Asia about what happened more than fifty years ago.
IFCSS HQ will coordinate activities in our community for the purpose of educating the public about what China experienced during the Japanese invasion. At the same time we invite you to give us suggestions as to how we can better fulfill the goals outlined above.
(LUO Ning is the president of IFCSS.)
Many oversea Chinese have been working continuously to preserve the truth of sino-Japanese War. An organization called Alliance For Preserving The Truth of Sino-Japanes War was fromed two years ago and a series of activities have been held. They have their own newsletter and are sponsoring the production of two movies: The Forgotten Holocause and Remembering Nanjing. For membership and other information, write to PO Box 2066, Cupertino, CA 95015 or call 408-743-7678, FAX 415-941-5841. (Based on Chinese Daily News, 12-4)
The Chinese Academic Link (CAL) announced its 1995 election of the Board of Directors on December 8, Thursday. Eleven (11) seats on the 1995 Board will be filled through a direct election by CAL members. Candidates are nominated either by oneself or by at least three members and accepted by the nominee according to CAL Bylaw during the time period of December 8, 1994 to December 31, 1994.
CAL encourages all its members to participate in the election. The nomination should be sent to CAL-MEMBER@MACC.WISC.EDU. An election committee headed by Dr. CHENG Xing has been set up. CAL has been one of the pinior organization to conduct its annual election via e-mail since 1991.
The title of this commentary is, of course, "borrowed" from a TIME cover story about a year ago on President Clinton. Clinton was then finishing up his first year in office and facing the defeat of his economic stimulus package, the backfire of his gay-in-military fiasco, and the near-death of his first tax-raising, deficit-reducing budget. The shrinking president saw his popularity plunging from the high of his election to the minuscule (and now to the midterm disaster).
Curiously, the current IFCSS President is approaching his midterm as well. It is no secret that Dr. LUO Ning's status is also shrinking badly.
"Ha! You mean the IFCSS President actually has any status to talk about?" Well, no and yes. An organization like IFCSS, however small, maintains a power structure that can not function well without a healthy respect to the office of the presidency, if not the person who currently occupies it. That is where the "shrinking" is mostly visible and alarming.
It is obvious to many that LUO Ning ran a Clintonesque campaign to win the IFCSS election. He blasted the misgivings of past administrations, so much so that it was regarded as a negative campaign by many in the other camp. His announcements were spirited and upbeat. He promised, among other things:
"If we are elected, we will work with you earnestly and diligently to resolve the problems which hinder the participation of CSS in IFCSS in order to re-earn your trust for IFCSS, to restore the credibility and protect the integrity of IFCSS, to build a professionalized non-profit organization which can stand the test of time, and to renew the sense of pride in our organization with vision, standard, and determination."
Four months later, the most positive thing that can be said about these promises is probably that they have indeed worked "earnestly and diligently". Where did it go wrong?
Upon LUO Ning's election, the re-elected IFCSS Council Chairman, Mr. LI Jinghong, published an article in Press Freedom Herald claiming that the leadership of IFCSS had fallen into CCP's hands. Little did he expect that this leadership did not transfer to the new HQ but rather shifted to his own Council.
The record of this term's Council indicates that most bills of importance are passed by a veto-proof 2/3+ majority against the President's wish. Reading the minutes of Council Telecons, it is not too hard to construct this image of a weak, helpless President pleaing for his case only to see his political, if not yet personal, dignity being shredded in the voting.
Two bills in the latest Telecon stand out of the rest. While the bill to banish CSS-Today received more public attention, another bill on the Council telephone bill reimbursement was actually more to the point. The original bill alleged that the President had reimbursed some former council members beyond budget allowance and demanded a retraction of the fund. If the money was not recovered by a certain date, the President's personal salary would be deducted to the same amount over a period of time. Despite the President's appeal, it was passed, veto-proof, only without the salary deduction clause.
It is hard to imagine that such a bill could even be proposed in the face of a strong presidency. The deletion of the salary deduction clause based on "the sympathy towards the President's hard-working" only served insult on top of the injury. No respect, only pity.
However, it would be gravely wrong if one were led to believe that it is the Council alone that is undermining the presidency. The same Council record also shows that there hasn't been a significant bill (besides the routine mandatory budget bill) that is proposed or strongly backed by the HQ but voted down by the Council. One may not prefer the leadership showcased by the Council, but does anyone have any idea what the HQ initiative is? Has there ever been one?
Traditionally, the IFCSS HQ has been staffed by strong and able individuals who are IFCSS veterans. Like Clinton, LUO Ning brought with him an "outsider" group who are unfamiliar with the loops and traps of organizational politics. These HQ staffs seldomly communicate with the Council or the public, not even their "own camp". Council members frequently complain that phone calls to HQ are rarely answered or returned, and when they are, the person answering has no idea of what is going on and the whereabouts of the President.
This does not fare well with the promise of professionalization, for a staff who can not communicate with, not to mention lobby and pressure on, the Council is hardly professional. An HQ that can not communicate with its constituents does not even have to start talking about serving them.
Amid the watershed in recent Council resolutions, sources close to the President say that LUO Ning is talking up exploring "new dimensions" to rally his troops. Such terms ring familiar tones. They are typical slogans of Democratic candidates in resurgence, from FDR's "new deal" to JFK's "new frontier" to Clinton's "new covenant". At this time of soul-searching, however, the President and his staff may be better served by doing what the White House is doing: study and learn from Harry Truman.
(Eddie Cheng is a freelance writer.)
On Nov. 4, IFCSS HQ officer YANG Jie attended a reception in PRC embassy in honor of vice premier Li, Lanqing who comes to the US for an official visit.
On Nov. 4, IFCSS President LUO Ning sent by fax a letter to President Clinton about human rights in China for APEC summit meeting.
On Nov. 8, IFCSS HQ sent out letters of thanks to CBS Incident Committee, Committee 100, OCA and CBS News for satisfactory resolution of CBS Incident.
On Nov. 8, IFCSS HQ officer XU Yingyin called for the council's collaboration in a signature drive for nominating Wei Jingsheng for the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize. On Nov. 9, XU Yingyin gave a talk on China's human rights situation in the last five years to a group of students in the Washington Semester Program at American University.
On Nov. 10, President LUO Ning met with Chinese students and scholars at UCLA and USC and shared his thoughts on IFCSS agenda and CSS community development.
On Nov. 11, IFCSS HQ summited an application to DoTongMeng to for funding of this year's projects.
On Nov. 17, XU Yingyin participated in the candle vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy co-sponsored by R.F.K Memorial Center for Human Rights, Amnesty International and IFCSS.
On Nov. 18, LUO Ning and XU Yingyin attended the award ceremony of the 1994 R.F Kennedy Human Rights Award, which was given to Wei Jingsheng and Ren Wanding. In the afternoon they took part in a strategy meeting hosted by the R.F.K.Center to discuss ways to push for improvement of China's human rights situation in the post-MFN era.
On Nov. 18, YANG Jie called Mr. YANG Xiaofeng at Auburn University, Alabama, and consoled him over his brother's sudden death. Later that day, Yang contacted the Mayor's Office of Guiyang City, Gui Zhou Province and expressed concerns of overseas CSS on YANG Xiaohong's sudden death, urging for a fair investigation.
On Nov. 21, LUO Ning sent a memo to all council members and asked for their active involvement in promoting IFCSS insurance plan during the upcoming holiday season.
On Nov. 23, LUO Ning and XU Yingyin signed the contractual agreement with IGS president Jerry Hopkins on the IFCSS 1995 insurance plan. Former IFCSS officers SHI Heiping and LIU Xiaozhu and IGS Vice President John Pascoe participated the negotiation in finalizing the agreement.
On Nov. 26, LUO Ning attended the third teleconference of IFCSS council in HQ office together with council members LI Jinghong, LU Wenhe and ZHANG Tongtong.
On Nov. 30, XU Yingyin contacted Lynda Zengerle, immigration lawyer at Arent Fox to discuss problems experienced by some LAD of CSPA principals who appealed to IFCSS for help.