St. Louis, Mi.—Human Rights groups joined together to participate in the Human Rights Torch event in downtown St.Louis last Saturday. They were rallying against China's human rights abuses ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games.
"The Olympics cannot coexist with human rights abuses. The Chinese people deserve to host an Olympics free of oppression by the Chinese communist party (CCP). We stand with the Chinese people in hope that they may one day host an Olympics consistent with the true Olympic spirit. Until then we will speak out about the CCP's ruthlessness and the misery it inflicts upon its own people and millions of others worldwide," said Nhon Dang, event coordinator in St. Louis.
The torch was lit on the grounds of Keiner Plaza, followed by speeches addressing human rights abuses perpetrated by the CCP in and outside China.
Participants rallied at the Keiner Plaza, holding banners and placards reading "Free Falun Gong practitioners," "Free Tibet," "Do you know China is funding the genocide in Darfur?," "Christians jailed and tortured for their faith," "Products for export made by child slave labor," and "If you are a monk in Burma you are hunted and killed."
The event was part of a global grassroots campaign which began in August 2007 spanning across 5 continents and an estimated 150 cities.
Bill Ramsey from the Human Rights Action Service addressed the issues of exploitation of labor in China and talked about major US companies doing business in China, while ignoring human rights of laborers who are paid far less than minimum wage and had no human rights.
Yanfang Li recounted the persecution she faced in China's detention center where she was forced to work long hours and sentenced to 5 years in jail for practicing Falun Gong. She was also a witness to the severe torture and persecution faced by others who practiced Falun Gong in China.
The CCP's control of two chains of islands that belonged to Vietnam was an issue of concern for Dr. Phuong Nguyen, a Vietnamese Medical Doctor who spoke at the event. He raised awareness of the CCP's navy killing several dozen Vietnamese fishermen inside Vietnam territory and the CCP influencing the Vietnamese Communist Party in violating human rights of Vietnamese citizens.
Member of Congress Todd Akin commended the efforts of Global Human Rights Torch Relay organizers and participants for highlighting the human rights abuses of the Chinese Communist government, in a letter of support that he wrote. He said that the awarding of the Olympic Games should come with the expectation that human rights should be dramatically improved.
State Representative Jeanette Oxford was among one of the speakers expressing concern for human rights in China.
Jim McGinnis, Director of the Institute for Peace and Justice in his speech reminded everyone of Martin Luther King's words, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, their struggle for justice is our struggle for justice."
Other supporters and participants of the Human rights Torch Relay included the United Nations Association of St. Louis, Sisters of St.Joseph of Carondelet, Institute for Peace and Justice, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Codepink-St.Louis, SIUE Kimmel Leadership Center, Vietnamese Center for Community Activities, Amnesty International—St. Louis University Chapter, Physicians For Human Rights—Washington University.
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