Subject: IFCSS HQ NR-4030: Call for Help from Senator Kennedy's Office

From: IFCSS HQ <ifcss>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1992 22:35:54 -0400

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IFCSS Headquarters News Release No. 4030    September 23, 1992
        CALL FOR HELP FROM SENATOR KENNEDY'S OFFICE
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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: [email-masked]

         Call for Help from Senator Kennedy's Office
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Dear fellow students/scholars nation-wide:

     As you have known, the '92 Chinese protection bill
has been passed by the Senate. Senator Edward Kennedy,
Chairman of the Senate Immigration Sub-Committee has played
an important role in persuading Senator Simpson to back off
from his position.

     Senator Kennedy has been also helping us in another front:
reminding people of the lack of respect for human rights in
China. He is now working on the release of Shen Tong, Qi Dafeng
and Qian Liyun. Recently, Senator Kennedy and Senator Malcolm
Wallop (R WY) have drafted an open letter to Chinese Premier
Li Peng urging him to release Shen, Qi and Qian. Right now,
they are seeking signatures from other senators.

     "Our letter to Premier Li Peng expresses  our deep concern
over the detention of Shen Tong, Qi Dafeng and Qian Liyun by
the Chinese Government, and urges their immediate release.
These three courageous individuals deserve our strong support
in their lonely struggle for human rights and we hope that you
will join us in this letter stating our commitment to their
freedom," said the two respectable Senators.

     We hereby forward a request from Senator Kennedy's office to
the general CSS community:

     "WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU CONTACT YOUR SENATORS' OFFICE
IN SUPPORT OF THIS LETTER. THANK YOU."

     Your help can be in two ways:

     1.  SIGN IFCSS OPEN LETTER TO LI TIEYING:

     The open letter and the signature list will be released
to the news media as  well as offices on the Capital Hill. It
is the voice of Chinese citizens. (The most recent list is
attached below).

     2.  ASK THE SENATORS TO CO-SIGN THE KENNEDY-WALLOP LETTER:

     When you write or call the Senators' offices to thank
them for their support in the protection campaign, please
remember to ask them to continue to support human rights in
China and ask them to co-sign the Kennedy-Wallop letter.

     WE ARE OBLIGATED TO DO THIS!

     Thank you for your cooperation.

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Enclosure 1

     As of September 23, the open letter has been endorsed
by the following organizations:

Boston University                    (CSA)
Brandeis University                  (CSSA)
Brown Chinese Student Democratic Movement Fund
Case Western Reserve University      (CSSA)
Democracy for China Foundation, Inc. (Michigan)
East Tennessee Chinese Association
Florida State University             (CSSA)
Harvard University                   (CSS)
June 4 Memorial Fund at Buffalo
Los Alamos National Lab              (RFCS)
Oregon State University              (CSSA)
Purdue University                    (CSSU)
Rutgers University                   (CSR)
SUNY-Buffalo                         (CSSA)
Texas A&M                            (China Club)
Texas Tech University                (CSSA)
Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) (FACSS)
University of Arizona                (CSSA)
University of Arkansas Medical Sci.  (CSSA)
UCLA                                 (CSSA)
University of California, San Diego  (CSSA)
University of Connecticut            (CSSC)
University of Georgia                (SUC)
University of Kentucky               (SSSU)
University of Illinois at Chicago    (IFCSS)
Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign  (CSSSU)
University of Louisville             (CSS)
University of Maryland               (CGSA)
University of Texas, Arlington       (CSSA)
University of Utah                   (CSSA)
University of Wisconsin, Madison     (CSS)
Virginia Tech                        (ACSS)
Yale University                      (ACSSY)

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     The Open Letter has also been endorsed by the following
     organizations:

Chinese Student Association (Taiwan), University of Arizona
Malaysian Friendship Club, Univ. of Arizona
Korean Student Club, Univ. of Arizona
International Student Association/ASUA, Univ. of Arizona

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Enclosure 2        Call for signing the open letter

As part of the effort to rescue Shen Tong and his friends, IFCSS
calls upon Chinese students and scholars organizations across the
U.S. to sign the following open letter. Individuals may also
sign the letter. Please send your name, school and telephone
number to the HQ. For organizations, we need the name of your
organization and the school your organization is located.
Please give us the contact person's name and telephone number.

Thank you for your help.

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    An Open Lettere to China's State Education Commission
    On the Arrest of Shen Tong, Qi Dafeng and Qian Liyun

Mr. Li Tieying
Chairman
State Education Commission
Beijing, P.R. China

Dear Mr. Chairman:

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, are writing to
request your immediate attention to the arrest of Shen Tong and
two other individuals.

Shen Tong, a Chinese student studying at Boston University in the
United States, was arrested on the 31 of August at his mother's
residence in Beijing during his home-visiting trip. Arrested at
the same time were Qi Dafeng and Qian Liyun, former schoolsmates
of Shen Tong. The police did not produce a warrant while making
the arrest; moreover, up to now no specific offence has been
identified and released.

The incident has roused tremendous attention in the U.S. as well
as other countries and caused alarm among Chinese students. The
skeptism about the government's sincerity in pursuing an open
policy regarding overseas students has deepened.

Although studying abroad, we are genuinelly concerned with
development and progress in our motherland. We believe that the
above-mentioned arrest was politically unwise and morally
unjustifiable, an incident that could not but discourage the
return of overseas students. Therefore, we strongly urge you to
intervene, through your office, in this case to win immediate
release of the three individuals.

We recognize that the arrest was not an isolated event and that
it reflected a lack of respect for the basic rights of citizen
guaranteed by our country's constitution. We look forward to
seeing general improvements made in this regard.

Sincerely,

(signed)

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         IFCSS Headquarters Office    Signature
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