On the Eve of Jiang's Visit to the United States, a Diverse Coalition of Human Rights Organisations Holds a Rally in Washington DC (Photos)

By Li Weiyan

On October 9, 2002, a diverse coalition of human rights organisations held a rally entitled, "An Urgent Message to Jiang Zemin, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party," calling to immediately stop Jiang's blatant human rights abuses.

Freedom House, Amnesty International, National Organisation for Women, and Friends of Falun Gong initiated and sponsored this rally. Over 30 human rights organisations, religious organisations, labour unions and democratic movement organisations joined the rally. The rally was held at the west side of the Supreme Court in Washington DC. It was held 2 weeks before the Chinese President's visit to the United States on October 25, so as to expose the Jiang regime's human rights atrocities committed in China and overseas to the US government officials, media and public.

Dr. He Haiying, a biomedical researcher from Boston, also attended the rally. His parents, younger brother and sister are currently suffering persecution in China simply because they practice Falun Gong. According to Dr. He, his younger brother, a 31-year-old medical doctor, was sentenced to 10 years in jail simply because he refuses to give up practicing Falun Gong. His parents and younger sister, who had been imprisoned for different lengths of time, are now living under full surveillance 24 hours a day.

Four US congressmen including Benjamin Gilman, Lynn Woolsey, Dana Rohrabacker, and Chris Smith, as well as 21 leaders from non-governmental human rights organisations, religious, women, labour union and student organisations and well-known figures delivered speeches at the rally.

The attendees of the rally urged the US government officials to demand Jiang to end his violent repression of Chinese citizens and illegal conduct to harass people with a sense of justice overseas, and demand his Consulates immediately stop pressuring those US government officials who support Falun Gong.

The rally began at noon and lasted 2 hours. This has been one of the biggest joint-effort public rallies held in Washington DC regarding issues related to China.