A Story from the 60th Session of the UNHRC: The 4th Birthday of Little Fadu

Through the windows of a silent corner of the main hall of Geneva’s 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, sunlight spilt onto the marble floor. Having just turned four years old on the 3rd of April, Chen Fadu excitedly leaned on the glass and unblinkingly stared at a big, beautiful peacock which was only separated from her by only one layer of glass. In the wide courtyard of the United Nations several peacocks were being reared, which added comfort and liveliness to this place dense with political atmosphere. The peacock standing before Fadu was leisurely unfurling its big, colourful tail of sapphire blue and emerald green glimmering in each other’s reflection. Fadu’s mother Dai Zhizhen stood at the window a few metres away, hands on the pushchair with a hint of a smile on her face, silently watching her daughter and sharing her daughter’s joy. In the conference hall, different country’s representatives were arguing but in this corner outside the conference room everything was filled with peace and serenity.

Although little Fadu is only four years old, she is already a frequent visitor to Geneva. In March 2002 when she wasn’t even two years old, she and her mother came to Geneva for the first time. On the day of the grand opening of the Human Rights Commission, lots of Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world gathered in front of the United Nations and held a press conference in Places des Nations, where people heard Fadu and her mother’s story for the first time.

”My husband Chen Chengyong was persecuted to death for appealing for Falun Gong. He was only thirty four years old then. I don’t even know the reason for his death today. I only knew that he was taken away from home by the police for no reason. When his corpse was found in a tiny coffin in the suburbs, it was already starting to decay. In June 2001 I received the sad news of the death of my beloved. When Chen Chengyong’s sister went to claim the ashes, she was arrested and sent to a brain-washing class also for being a Falun Gong practitioner, then because of refusing to renounce Falun Gong she was sentenced to two years of education through labour. Chen Chengyong’s aged father couldn’t bear the shock of his son’s persecution to death and his daughter’s sentence to labour again, and, being terminally ill, in hospital. Afterwards the authorities didn’t allow his only daughter to see the old man sick and on his death bed and the elderly man finally died in sorrow. In only three months, a blessed, merry family was torn to pieces.”

Forcing back her tears, Mrs. Dai called on kind hearted people all over the world to help stop the persecution of Falun Gong.

In a flash two years and three HRC sessions have passed. Mrs. Dai and little Fadu’s stories are now well-known by the conference attendees. On the 1st of April, Mrs. Dai and her daughter attended a meeting concerning women’s rights. At the conference Mrs. Dai disclosed another piece of news: ”My stories are no longer unknown to you, I will tell you another piece of information. Yesterday I lost my mother. She passed away from illness in China, but I couldn’t go back to meet her one last time, nor could I attend her funeral. My daughter asked me, “Why can’t we go back?” I told her, “We couldn’t get a visa.” She asked again, “Why couldn’t we get a visa?” I replied, “Because we practise Falun Gong.” She asked once again, “Why couldn’t we get a visa just for practising Falun Gong?” I started to cry. I didn’t know how to explain it to a three-year-old child.”

Whilst Mrs. Dai told a reporter about her experiences, little Fadu sat in the pushchair next to her mother and munched on a piece of bread. Fadu’s childhood from two to four years old passed quickly as she and her mum rushed from one country to another, and one conference to another. In the past two years, Mrs. Dai has continuously told the tragedy of her family to politicians, the media and NGOs around the world and left them all with a solemn message: Don’t let more children become fatherless like Fadu.

Mrs. Dai said, “Lots of kind-hearted people, after hearing my story, sent me cards containing blessings for me and Fadu and encouragement us to keep on going. On the second of April, an NGO lady who had heard my tale the day before gave Fadu a Barbie doll and a set of colouring pens.” On the third day, Fadu had her birthday at Geneva’s HRC. The lady who gave Fadu birthday presents, Mrs. Beutler, a member of the International Women’s Organisation which is based in America, met Mrs. Dai and Fadu at another conference. She told the reporter, “I have two grand daughters, when I look at Fadu it’s just like looking at my grand daughter. At the last conference I heard about the story of the family of Mrs. Dai’s husband and her mother. I feel very sorry for them. I think that the link between the mother and the child is the most important, like the links between Mrs. Dai and her mother, Fadu and her mother: This is the basis of the relationships between human beings.”

Mrs Dai said:” Although Fadu lost her father when she was only one year old, more and more people care about her and more and more people are concerned about the children in China who are suffering the same fate as her.” Mrs. Dai’s gaze fell on Fadu’s face, which resembled her father. While munching bread, Fadu lifted up her head, and gave her mother a brilliant smile.