MEDIA RELEASE – PEACEFUL RALLY ON THE OCCASION OF APEC MEETING
On the occasion of the APEC Summit Conference in Sydney, the Vietnamese Community in Australia, the Free China Movement, the Federation of Democratic China and the Tibetan Community in Australia will jointly organise a peaceful rally on Saturday 08 September 2007 from 12PM to 3PM at Belmore Park (opposite Central Station). Thousands of Australians will come to demand APEC leaders to raise concerns regarding serious human rights violations by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Mr Tri Vo, President of the VCA/NSW said: “Like the Burmese military junta, Hanoi has been busy locking up religious leaders, journalists, writers and cyber dissidents. Since the beginning of this year, no less than 50 human rights and democracy activists have been arrested and gaoled. Just last month in Saigon, the regime used secret agents to forcibly disperse a crowd of hundreds of demonstrators whose land and properties were confiscated without compensation. APEC leaders should question SRV President Nguyen Minh Triet about Vietnam’s dismal human rights record and rampant corruption due to its lack of an independent and transparent legal and financial system, which should be of major concern to any countries wishing to trade with, invest in or provide aid to Vietnam”.
Ms Sandra Hattingh, President of Free China said:”We in Australia welcome the democratic process manifest in meetings like APEC. But few of the world’s people understand the destructive role that the now economically sophisticated Chinese Communist regime has played, both in the past and in present political and socio-economic struggles – even to the extent of murdering prisoners of conscience for their vital organs sold at high prices. To such a regime, what is the democratic process?”
Mr Tao Wen Hong, Chief Secretary of Chinese Democracy Party Australia Division (Exiling) said: ” Pushing forward democracy and improvement of human rights in those undemocratic countries, especially in China, must be on the agenda of APEC”.
Mr Tenpa Dugdak of the Tibetan Community of Australia said: “The human rights situation in Tibet is rapidly deteriorating. Furthermore, by claiming that Mandarin is the official language of Tibet, the PRC effectively put the Tibetan culture in danger of being extinct. The rampant exploitation of the environment in Tibet is having a global impact on climate changes and the world’s eco-system as Tibet holds water supplies to 47% of world population. The Tibetan problem requires immediate action from the international community before it is too late”.
Dr Tien Nguyen concluded: “ The APEC Summit Conference is a good opportunity for leaders of democratic countries to raise the issue of human rights violation in the region. Respect for human rights is a condition for efficient economic co-operation, environment protection and people welfare. We call on Prime Minister John Howard and other APEC leaders to publicly raise Australia’s concerns about human rights abuses with Vietnam and China during the APEC talks.”
Contacts:
Dr Tien Nguyen (VCA Federal President) 0413 350 968;
Mr Tri Vo (President VCA/NSW) 0416 088 782;
Mr Chin Jin (Federation of Democratic China) 0413 819 859;
Mr Jigme Dorjee (Tibetan Community in Sydney) 0410 138 568;
Ms Sandra Hattingh (Free China) 0413 107 156
