She left one week ago last Tuesday and returned on Thursday
after a determined (and successful) effort to bring attention to the
medical mistreatment and case of the imprisoned human rights hero Zhu
Yufu. For those who haven't read it, see:
Her article about the trip appeared in Friday's Wall Street Journal at:
Finally, here is the most telling report on the impact of the trip, written by China Aid founder Bob Fu:
Devra's mission
has accomplished more than anyone hoped it would and its positive
effects continue to grow. Even though all wished that the Chinese
government would have allowed her to visit Zhu Yufu, her visit opened
the door to the entry into the case of a distinguished Chinese attorney
ready to use all of his skills and standing to publicly battle
for Zhu's release. It has also given spirit to Zhu's family, who have
left me many long messages with "Thank Devra" comments. It has also
meant very, very much to many many other Chinese prisoners of conscience and their families. To date, millions of
people in China and elsewhere are aware of what Devra did. The
Chinese microblog Weibo and VOA,RFA as well as similar radio programs
from France and Germany have covered her conduct in China.
Chen Guangcheng and his wife told me on Wednesday
that they have followed what Devra did very closely with thankfulness.
The overseas Chinese dissident community has been greatly encouraged
too. Finally, the visit has brought further attention in Washington to the need for greater US support of Internet firewall circumvention systems, so that hundreds of millions of people in China (and Iran, Vietnam, Syria, Cuba, North Korea and other closed societies) can freely and safely receive information that their regimes seek to isolate them from.
Devra's visit
has become a great gift to many now seeking political, cultural and
religious freedom in China -- it has taught them that they are not alone
and has helped break the powerful lie told to them that their struggles
count for nothing and go unnoticed.
No comments:
Post a Comment