October 1, 2009
Today is the 60th anniversary of Chinese Communist Party rule. These 60 years have been a history of suffering for the Chinese people.
Before it came to power, the CCP tricked thousands of patriots into offering their lives with promises of democracy, freedom and prosperity. After it came to power, class struggle was its guiding principle for the first 30 years of its rule. Political campaigns were constant. There was brutality and deprivation. The economy was seriously mismanaged. Across the country, fields were scattered with the bodies of the victims of starvation. Then from 1979, developing the economy became the focus. The Party carried out economic reform, but dictatorship persisted. The Party repeatedly opposed freedom and suppressed people’s demands, forcing Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang to step down and eventually executing the bloody crackdown of June 4, 1989. In the 20 years since June 4, there has been unprecedented rampant corruption and increasingly acute income inequality between rich and poor. The weaker members of society suffer intimidation and deception. Ethics have been so subjugated as to damage the moral fabric of society. Rights activists and dissidents are imprisoned. The whole country suffers political repression. Human rights are swept away. Although the economy has seen some development, 1.3 billion people still live under one-party dictatorship. Given this situation, what is there to celebrate?
The ideals of democacy, freedom and prosperity remain distant. Tremendous effort is needed in order to realize them. The most urgent priority is to allow all of China’s 1.3 billion people to enjoy their human rights. This would enable the Chinese people to fully stand up and have true human dignity.
With this in mind, our most pressing demands are the following:
1. Release the imprisoned rights activists and dissidents.
2. Ratify and implement the already-signed International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
3. Guarantee the rule of law, freedom of expression and freedom of the media.
4. Oppose corruption.
Long live democracy! Long live freedom! Long live human rights!
Long live rule of law! Long live the power of the people!
Free the dissidents! Vindicate the 1989 democracy movement!
Investigate those responsible for the June 4 massacre! End one-party rule!
Build a democratic China!