Canada Must Co-Sponsor UN Resolution on China

OTTAWA [March 14, 2001] - Non-governmental organizations and members of the Chinese community in Canada today called upon Canada to co-sponsor the US resolution during the 57th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

"The bilateral human rights dialogue has not achieved its objectives and the UN human rights system has been weakened by manipulation and application of a double standard," concludes a report from Rights & Democracy that underlines the deteriorating human rights situation in China today.

"The Government of Canada should take a principled decision on this matter and step forward to co-sponsor the resolution on China today," said Rights & Democracy's President, Warren Allmand at a news conference in Ottawa.

Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International-Canada, urged Canada to co-sponsor the US China resolution this year.

Ken Georgetti, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, in a recent letter to the Prime Minister regarding the explosion at a primary school in the village of Fanglin, writes: "The fact that these children were forced to handle hazardous materials on a daily basis and fill quotas in the production of fireworks for a local company flies in the face of every internationally recognized human right, including UN Covenants...and ILO Conventions on Forced Labour, Minimum Age of Employment, and Worst Forms of Child Labour."

"Canada should co-sponsor a resolution at the upcoming UN Commission on Human Rights to urge China to stop the brutal persecution of Falun Gong. We must take action to stop this senseless slaughter of innocent people, to stop the violation of fundamental human rights, to stop the attack on the essence of humanity and the fundamental moral values upon which our society is built," said Xun Li, National Coordinator of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada, "United, we will make a difference."

"Canada has shirked its responsibility to condemn China at the Commission on Human Rights for the last four years," said Cheuk Kwan, Chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China." In view of Prime Minister Chretien's recent strong stance in Beijing and Shanghai, Canada should once again co-sponsor the resolution to send an unequivocal message to China."

"As a nation, we pride ourselves in believing that we are a peace-maker and defender of human rights around the globe. If that is true, we need to take some concrete action and put money where our mouth is, by co-sponsoring the China resolution at the UNCHR." said Thubten Samdup, President of Canada Tibet Committee.

"The world and Canada cannot continue to pretend that human rights violations in China are not widespread. To say it is improving is utterly irresponsible. It is time all the concerned nations get together in the up-coming session of UNHCR to support the US to put China on the agenda for its human rights record," said Mickael To, Chairman of Democracy China-Ottawa.