Rally in D.C. to Mourn Zhao's Death and Abandon the CCP
Zhao's Passing Marks the End of an Era; Disillusionment with CCP's Reform
DJY
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By Shi Jianhua
The Epoch Times
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Jan 22, 2005
A group photo of the speakers at the rally. (The Epoch Times)
More than 10 civil groups and organizations gathered in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C. at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 18, to pay tribute to Zhao Ziyang and say good-bye to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The groups included Free China Movement, Jiuping Website, ByeCCP Website and BigNews Website, Global Alliance for Democracy and Peace, Website for Quitting the CCP, the Republic Party of China, World Human Rights and the Global Alliance to Bring Jiang Zemin to Trial. At the assembly, they expressed their deep sorrow at Zhao's death and called on the people to understand that the CCP is the root cause for Zhao's tragedy. They also called on people to break away from the CCP; that, they said, would be the best way to pay tribute to and remember Zhao.
Praying For Zhao
Rev. Zhang Boli reads a prayer. (The Epoch Times)
Zhang Boli, priest of the Harvest Christian Church at Washington, read aloud the "Pronouncement of the Funeral Committee in Memory of Mr. Zhao Ziyang", praising Zhao as "the first leader within the CCP who renounced violence, and truly sought democracy and the rule of law." "In order to pay tribute to Mr. Zhao for the outstanding contributions he made to the cause of democracy of the Chinese people and to remember the remaining conscience that a communist still had during the last days of the CCP, we hereby establish the Funeral Committee in Memory of Mr. Zhao that will organize memorial events nationwide," Zhang read.
The events mentioned in the pronouncement include designation of January 17 through February 17, 2005 as the State Mourning Period. Meanwhile, large memorial gatherings will be held at central plazas in capital cities of all provinces in China from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on January 22 and 29, 2005. Also, a memorial service for Mr. Zhao is to be held at Tiananmen Square of Beijing from 12 noon to 8 p.m. on January 29, 2005.
Mr. Ye Ning (The Epoch Times)
The text of the "Pronouncement of the Funeral Committee in Memory of Mr. Zhao" was downloaded from a website believed to be administered from China, explained Zhang.
Ye Ning, a famous human rights lawyer in Washington D.C. and New York, quoted breaking news from the Internet in his speech, saying that Zhao had caught a cold because the heating in his home had been turned off, and his condition later developed into pneumonia and respiratory illness that eventually caused his death.
"If a former party leader, a citizen, has been deprived of all his personal freedom, the authorities that have done so are, under all legal obligations, responsible for anything that happens during the period Mr. Zhao was under custody." said Ye.
Remember Those Who Have Abandoned the CCP
Liang Shengde (The Epoch Times)
Lian Shengde, one of the student leaders during the democracy movement at Tiananmen Square in 1989 and one of the organizers of the assembly, said in his speech that the gathering was also to tell the bureaucracy of the CCP and those who still had some conscience that "people will remember those who abandon the CCP and cast off the CCP's totalitarian regime of one-party rule that is opposed to humanity and democracy."
Pay Tribute to Zhao by Abandoning the CCP
Mr. Chris Ye (The Epoch Times)
Chris Ye, representative of the ByeCCP website said in his statement, "Zhao has abandoned the evil specter of the CCP by dying an uncompromising death. The most effective way to pay tribute to Zhao is by abandoning the CCP in the heart. "
Mankind Turns to Spiritual Life
Wang Nengxiang, vice chairman of the Washington branch of Global Alliance for Democracy and Peace and presbyter of Taiwan Presbyterian Church at Washington, observed that the human history has reached the stage of spiritual life. "The material life has improved a lot over the past decades," said Wang, "but Christians have a saying, 'it's true that humans need food to live, but they need to live for God as well.' That means that a human being needs to have morality, good will, and conscience before he can live a meaningful life. Though a top leader of the CCP in 1989, Zhao saw the true meaning of life and stood by the people. That's why I have great respect for him." Wang said.
No More Illusions about CCP's Political Reform
Jason Li, a representative of the Jiuping Website, said in his speech, "as pointed out in the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, if the CCP is to be reformed, it will perish."
"Mr. Zhao was ousted by the most evil party on earth precisely because he was sincere in reforming the CCP," Li said. "All members of the CCP as well as the public should know that the CCP is an evil cult that has the characteristics of a gang organization. The invisible evil specter is the real ringleader behind the vicious CCP," Li elaborated.
Even Zhao, a onetime Communist party chief, could not manage to succeed in improving and reforming the CCP, so no party member should harbor any illusions about that evil specter, Li said. "That being the case, when justice prevails, those who have not quit the evil cult of the CCP will leave in the course of their lives indelible shame and profound regret," Li warned.
A Tragedy Worthy of Reflection by CCP Members
Mr. Li Hongkuan (The Epoch Times)
Li Hongkuan, editor-in-chief at BigNews Website (www.bignews.org), said in his speech that under the Communist rule in China, no one's rights can be guaranteed since even the rights and freedom of Zhao, once a top leader, could not be guaranteed. "Hu Jintao, the current leader in China, could well be the next victim if he lost China's power struggle." Li said. "So I think a wise Chinese leader, whatever level he is at, should see the cruelty of such a totalitarian regime." Li concluded.
Abandoning the CCP at the Expense of Freedom
Hu Zongyi, representative of the Website for Quitting the CCP, said, "we came with a heavy heart today, but we do not feel sad. The soul of Mr. Zhao must be happy to see what we are doing here. He abandoned the CCP 15 years ago at the cost of his physical freedom. He exchanged his physical freedom for real spiritual freedom."
Since the launching of the website, the number of withdrawals from the CCP has jumped to over 4,500, with 200 to 300 quitting each day, Hu told the gathering.
Bring the Persecutor to Justice
Xie Wei, an accountant and representative of the Global Alliance to Bring Jiang Zemin to Trial, said in his speech, "the fact that the CCP kept a man of over 80 under house arrest until he died fully exposes its brutality, hypocrisy, and fear."
"We shall work together to bring to justice Jiang Zemin, the beneficiary of the Tiananmen Square massacre and the persecutor of Mr. Zhao in the past 15 years," Xie told the crowd.
Dr. Gary Feuerberg and Mr. Timothy Cooper (The Epoch Times)
Those who spoke at the gathering also included Timothy Cooper, executive director of World Human Rights (www.world-rights.org) and Gary Feuerberg, representative of Free China Movement. The assembly was co-sponsored by the Democratic Party of China, the Labor Party of China, the Republic Party of China, the International Federation of Chinese Workers, the Liberal and Democratic Party of China, the Journal of Public Opinions, and the Global Alliance for Democracy and Peace.
Copyright 2004 - The Epoch Times
(01/23/2005 22:04)