Free China Movement
Urgent release to the media and general public
regarding the approaching pass away of prominent pro-democracy movement leader
Mr. Zhao Pinlu as of 1:00 AM March 9, 2004
Mr. Zhao Pinlu, the prominent labor leader in 1989’s pro democracy movement and co-fonder of the Free China Movement is being sent to a hospital in New York for emergency rescue treatment. Family and friends were told by the doctors that Mr. Zhao only has few hours left before he reaches his final moment due to his cancer.
Mr. Zhao’s father was allowed to fly to USA to have a final look at his son a few days ago and his mother is still on the way from Beijing.
Mr. Zhao is one of many pro-democracy dissidents who continued the fight for freedom and democracy in China after being granted asylum in US. The Chinese government has wanted Mr. Zhao for three years after the Beijing Massacre until he was finally smuggled out to Hong Kong in 1992. He has lived with his wife and son in Flushing New York since then while working at a construction worker most of the time.
Mr. Zhao has been instrumental in organizing the worker’s movement in Beijing to support the students in Tian An Men Square in 1989. He was wanted by the Chinese communist government after the crack down where at least hundreds innocent students, workers and citizens were murdered by the army in early June 1989.
Mr. Zhao co-founded the Free China Movement along with 30 other pro democracy and human rights organizations in 1998 and has been elected the president of the coalition since 2000. Due to difficult life in America and lack of nutrition his health deterited about 2 years ago. With meager support from family members and friends his illness was not treated in time and we are sad to see him leaving us and the freedom cause he has been fighting for. He told us recently when he was able to talk that he’ll never regret the price he is paying for the fight for a Free China and was sad to be able to see it coming in his lifetime.
New York Hospital of Queens
Contact:
Dr. Li Jinjin Zhao Lei
Legal advisor and co-fonder Free China Movement Mr. Zhao Pinlu’s son
Tel: 917-981-5668 or 646-732-8299 718-321-2899
Mr. Zhao’s wife 718-321-2899 Shengde Lian
Executive Director FCM
703 864-9304
Zhongxiao Wang
American Director FCM
214-369-4336
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