[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 14, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H2611-H2612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       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

[[Page H2612]]

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.

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