"Harmonious Societies" Are Founded on Respect for Basic Human Rights and Values

The theme for this year's National People's Congress meeting was "Building a Harmonious Society." The author would like to remind the representatives of the People's Congress and the Political Consultation Conference that a harmonious system requires a foundation of respect for basic human rights and values. In present-day China, this can only be achieved through halting all forms of human rights abuse and putting an end to all types of persecutory policies.

A harmonious society is first expressed as coherence and harmony between its members. A virtuous structure and a good moral foundation in a society allow conflicts to be resolved easily, resulting in civilised relationships between members. Therefore, respect and protection of basic human rights is an essential path that should be followed to ensure that people in a society can live in harmony.

However, judging from the words, deeds, and actions of the ruling Communist Party in China (CCP), people have realised that the lives and basic human rights of the Chinese people have been brutally abused, regardless of the protection of every individual's belief and freedom of speech guaranteed by the Chinese Constitution.

Using the persecution of Falun Gong led by Jiang Zemin's regime for the past five years as an example, propaganda and incitement of hatred for the purpose of rationalising the persecution has sown seeds of hatred, evil and conspiracy in countless minds. Close friends, colleagues, and even family members have turned their backs on each other overnight and become enemies under the influence of such massive propaganda. In this light, who is fundamentally responsible for destroying the harmony of Chinese society?

The principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" that Falun Gong practitioners follow will never change under coercion or persecution by the government. Falun Gong practitioners will never respond to evil with evil. Therefore, it is hard to see on the surface how massive a societal catastrophe has taken place. However, such a persecution has fatal consequences for the society. How many innocent people have lost their lives? How much wealth and assets of society has been used to persecute the good? How many people have become numb and unmoved by the evil that is taking place right in their backyards? And how many ruthless people have gained monetary wealth through underhanded means in the persecution, but have sold their souls to the devil?

Is it possible for a slogan such as "Build a Harmonious Society" to write off all the wrongdoings and cover up all the evil that has been done? In reality, that a harmonious society could spring from the fundamentally evil nature of the CCP is nothing but a dream.

The function of the People's Congress is, in the view of Chinese people, simply "a rubber stamp" that does "political endorsements for the CCP." In fact, such views are not exaggerated. In October of 1999, under Jiang Zemin's dictatorship, the "Anti-Cult Law" was passed and abused by the CCP to persecute countless innocent civilians. How many innocent lives have been damaged as a result?

If the People's Congress and representatives of the Chinese judiciary system are truly sincere about China's future, "Building a Harmonious Society" requires the respect and protection of the basic human rights of the Chinese people, and an understanding of the root of China's myriad societal problems.