NEW YORK—A torch is currently making its way across the world, traversing more than 40 countries and six continents ahead of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. But it's not the Olympic Torch, it's the Human Rights torch. "Every great movement began with a few people shining the light of understanding into the darkness of oppression," said Paterson, N.J. Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres at a reception hosted by the Human Rights Torch Relay (HRTR) organization at the Paterson Museum last Wednesday.
The reception was held as an introductory event for the campaign, touring globally to raise awareness of China's human rights record as international attention turns towards China in the face of the games. The Human Rights Torch Relay will have its US kickoff in Boston, M.A. on March 30.
The mayor's keynote comments set the tone for an evening of presentations by nine guest speakers, discussing the impact of the Chinese Communist Party's human rights abuses, from their own areas of expertise.
"We all share the same goal—to stop the persecution of innocent people who are simply trying to live with dignity. The more visible we are, the more difficult it becomes for the Chinese Communist Party to conduct business as usual," said event host Susan Prager, Director of Outreach for HRTR.
Tsering Palden of the Tibetan Youth Congress spoke of the need to free the Panchen Lama–the spiritual icon taken by Communist officials while still a baby–and the brutality suffered by his people at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.
"I'm here, because I thought Human Rights Torch Relay campaign is doing a wonderful job," said Palden.
Darfurian Sabri Elshareef explained the cold-blooded logic of rape—one of the key weapons of oppression in Darfur, used to destroy the bloodlines of the native people—and urged the audience to "raise its voice" in opposition. China, he explained, supports the Darfur government in order to purchase two-thirds of its oil.
Concerns about the Chinese regime's laundry list of human rights abuses are fueling a crescendo of voices questioning the legitimacy of a China-hosted Olympics. The Olympic Charter pledges "respect for universal fundamental ethical principles"—yet Amnesty International's website lists in excess of 12 ways in which China deprives its citizens of basic human rights.
The event came on the heels of film director Steven Spielberg's decision to quit as artistic director of the Olympics due to the Chinese regime's involvement in the Darfur conflict.
Prager noted that, "As outrage grows over the CCP's role in the Darfur catastrophe, public pressure is mounting on luminaries and corporations with ties to the Beijing Olympics.
"The atrocities in Darfur cannot be tolerated, and neither can those that are also happening to Christians, Tibetans, Uihgurs, Falun Gong, Burmese, the handicapped, the dispossessed, and anyone who dares to speak out for freedom from tyranny."
Damon Noto, a medical doctor in New Jersey and Falun Gong practitioner brought up the persecution of the spiritual practice in China, focusing on Communist authorities illegal harvesting of organs from innocent practitioners.
"Seeing that the number of organ transplants performed in China and the speed with which organs become available has raised international concern," said Noto. "It's been known since the 1990's that China has been using executed prisoners as their major source for organ transplant. This is up until now unique in the world: in no other country around the world are organs systematically harvested from executed prisoners for the purpose of transplantation."
The event was held cooperatively with the Truth Compassion Tolerance International Fine Art Exhibit, which showcases paintings of persecuted Falun Gong practitioners and those working to raise awareness of their plight. Chinese painter and scholar Kunlun Zhang, a contributing artist and torture survivor, spoke of his ordeal.
Widow Jane Dai spoke briefly and poignantly of her husband's death by torture. She and her daughter Fadu travel the world speaking out about the tragedy endured by her family and thousands of others because they practice Falun Gong.
For more information, please visit HRTR's website (humanrightstorch.org) .
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