Canadian Law Lecturer Supports Hunger Striking Lawyers in China

14 February 2006

H.E. Lu Shumin Ambassador of the People's Republic of China 515 St. Patrick St. Ottawa ON K1N 5H3

Excellency,

I am writing to you to express the distress I share, with my fellow lawyers in Canada and around the world, over the treatment accorded to two of China's foremost legal practitioners, Mr. Guo Feixiong and Mr. Gao Zhisheng.

The legal profession occupies a unique position in any society. Laws and norms are the hallmarks of great and enduring civilizations: this is because every single person in society, from the top official to the ordinary citizen, at one time or another in their lives finds themselves in a position of difficulty, whether because of a loss of property or a threat to their reputation or an impact on their very life, and the law is the most legitimate, orderly and peaceful vehicle by which every citizen can have such concerns addressed. The lawyer is privileged to help people when they are in such a vulnerable state.

Mr. Guo and Mr. Gao are doing exactly what their profession requires them to do, so it is disturbing to hear reports of extra-legal acts being done to these gentlemen by police and other authorities, such as beatings, harassment and even attempted murder by running them down with a car. These men deserve respect for achieving the difficult feat of studying the field of law and exercising this career. The fact that they provide assistance to those seeking to practice their religion or retrieve their land, rights which people in Canada almost take for granted now, makes my colleagues and I admire Mr. Guo and Mr. Gao even more. Mr. Gao has subjected himself to a further hardship by apparently undertaking a hunger strike to protest the violence against his fellow legal colleague Mr. Guo. I urge you, Excellency, to ask your Government to ensure that the tribulations being experienced by Mr. Guo and Mr. Gao cease immediately, so that the People's Republic of China can preserve its status as a great civilization, one in which members of the legal profession are free to practice their profession and one in which the rule of law can make every citizen feel less vulnerable.

Sincerely,

Tara Ashtakala, B.C.L. Lecturer in Law