The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THE COURAGE TO STAND ALONE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H2611-H2612 on May 14, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE COURAGE TO STAND ALONE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi] is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to have this unexpected opportunity at this time of the day to rise and share an occasion with my colleagues. Yesterday, May 13, marked the publication of a book,
``The Courage to Stand Alone,'' by Wei Jingsheng.
For those of our colleagues who are not familiar with Wei Jingsheng, he has been called the Sakarov of China. His book, ``The Courage to Stand Alone,'' is a compilation of some of his previous writings, some earlier from prison and letters that he has written. He is a full-
fledged world class champion for democracy. He received, in 1994, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Last year he received the Sakarov award from the European Parliament.
Mr. Wei Jingsheng was sent to jail in 1979 following his peaceful writings about human rights and democratic freedoms. He served nearly 14 years in prison, and then about the time that the Chinese Government was trying to court the Olympics, Mr. Wei Jingsheng was released, only to be re-arrested after the Olympic decision was made.
Mr. Wei Jingsheng was then re-arrested following a meeting that he had with Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, John Shattuck. At the time the Chinese Government said that Mr. Wei Jingsheng was arrested for revealing state secrets. The state secret he revealed was to tell a foreign journalist something that had already appeared in the Chinese newspapers. In any event, he has gone back to prison for at least another 14-year sentence.
For most of the time that he has been in prison, about 18 years now, he has been in solitary confinement. The only other people around him from time to time are other prisoners whose duty it is for the Chinese regime to taunt Mr. Wei Jingsheng.
Mr. Wei Jingsheng has written the way the Founding Fathers of our country have written about democratic freedoms being written on the hearts of men. He has done this courageously. He continues to be arrested and re-arrested because he will not recant. He has spoken out against the repressive policies of the regime under Deng Xiaoping and continues not to recant even following the death of Deng.
As I have said, he is a great champion of democracy. I hold his courage up to the attention of my colleagues one day following the publication of his book. As I say, he has been called the Sakarov of China. Many of us in our lifetime will never meet a person who has risked so much for democracy.
It is interesting to me to see leaders of our Government travel to South Africa and visit the prison at Robin Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. It is like visiting a shrine. That is appropriate. Nelson Mandela is a great hero. Why, then, would these same people not even speak out in support of Wei Jingsheng, who right now is suffering the same plight that Nelson Mandela did for so many years?
Remember the name, Wei Jingsheng, the father of democratic freedoms in China, because he had the courage to stand alone.
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. PELOSI. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. WELDON of Florida. I would like to associate myself with the gentlewoman's remarks. I have been very concerned about the status of this gentleman. Is the gentlewoman familiar with any efforts on the part of the Clinton administration to intervene on his behalf up until this point?
Ms. PELOSI. It is my understanding that in meetings from the higher levels of the Clinton administration that Mr. Wei's case has been brought to the attention of the Chinese regime. Either the attempts on Mr. Wei's behalf have not been forceful enough or, one thing is for sure, they have not been successful.
Mr. WELDON of Florida. One of the things I am concerned about, if the gentlewoman will yield further, is that while there are many Members in this body such as the gentlewoman, the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Wolf], and the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith], who are very concerned about this situation, the issue is not really being taken very seriously by the administration. It really is their responsibility, they run the State Department, to bring pressure to bear on the Communist Chinese.
____________________
