Free
China Movement
Urgent release to the media
and general public regarding the pass away of prominent pro-democracy movement
leader Mr. Zhao Pinlu on 12:20 PM on March 9, 2004
Mr.
Zhao Pinlu, the prominent labor leader in 1989’s pro democracy movement and
co-fonder of the Free China Movement has passed away in New York Hospital of
Queens. Family and friends were with him at his final moment.
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 as a construction worker
most of the time. He has not received his green card after years of waiting.
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 of
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 worsened about 2 years ago when he was diagnosed with cancer. 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 not
be able to see it coming during his lifetime.
Mr.
Zhao is survived with his sick wife and a 20-year-old son in New York.
Zhao
Pinlu Memorial Trust Fund has been set up and The Preparatory Committee for Mr.
Zhao’s Memorial Service has been established by hundreds of pro-democracy
dissidents worldwide including USA, Taiwan, and Hongkong.
Contact:
Dr. Li Jinjin, Co-fonder FCM, Tel: 917-981-5668 or 646-732-8299
Mr. Zhao's wife, Tel: 718-321-2899
Shengde Lian, Executive Director FCM, 703 864-9304
Zhongxiao Wang, American Director FCM, 214-369-4336
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