Montreal Gazette: Falun Gong practitioners, backers knock China for human rights violations

05/31/2001

MONTREAL (CP) Politicians and human rights advocates in Canada blasted China Thursday for blatant human rights violations this time against the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

Calls for the release of a Montreal university student arrested in China May 10 and the husband of a Montreal artist imprisoned since 1999 were made in several Canadian cities.

In Ottawa, MPs from all five parties (Liberal Irwin Cotler, Conservative Bill Casey, Canadian Alliance's Scott Reid, the Bloc Quebecois's Francine Lalonde and New Democrat Libby Davies ) issued a joint statement demanding the release of Ying Zhu.

A permanent resident since 1997, she was last seen at a Hong Kong train station about an hour before she was scheduled to depart for Gaungzhou to visit her parents and husband.

After weeks without word from her, a Hong Kong human rights watchdog confirmed that she was arrested by the 610 Office, a Chinese agency involved in the crackdown on the Falun Gong.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said the Canadian consulate in China has sent a diplomatic note inquiring as to Zhu's whereabouts.

''She's not a Canadian citizen so we can only request the co-operation of Chinese authorities,'' said Marie-Christine Lilkoff. ''We are still very concerned.''

At Montreal's Concordia University, where 35-year-old Zhu was a computer science student, the campus Falun Dafa organization has been rallying support.

''We had a meeting with the rector this morning and it was wonderful because he wrote a letter to the Chinese ambassador'' in support of Zhu, said practitioner Jennifer Nadeau.

But as appeals were launched on behalf of one Montreal Falun Gong practitioner, another received bad news.

Jin Yu Li learned that her husband's brother in Shanghai has been sentenced to two years in a labour camp for following the outlawed exercise and meditation movement.

''I feel so sad for what happened,'' Li said.

She has been fighting since 1999 to free her husband, ShenLi Lin. Police let him stop by their Shanghai apartment for five minutes before he was jailed and she was deported back to Canada.

Carole Channer, China co-ordinator for Amnesty International, said Canada must act more forcefully.

''I would like to underline the fact this is now the third case of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who has been detained in China or had a loved one or family member detained (for practicing Falun Gong,)'' she said.