甘神父六天絕食

甘神父六天絕食

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亞洲天主教新聞聯合會報導

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  PRIEST   FASTS   FOR   MAN   JAILED   IN   CHINA   FOR   1981   DEMOCRATIZATION   BID  

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Catholic   News   Asia  

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  UCA   NEWS  

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  Dispatch   No.434

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  December   30,   1987

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HONG   KONG  

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  HONG   KONG   (UCAN   )-A   six-day   fast   by   a   Catholic   priest   calling   for   the   early   release   of   a   Hong   Kong   resident   detained   for   six   years   in   Guangzhou,   China,   has   received   support   from   twenty-two   groups   here.

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  Pontifical   Institute   for   Foreign   Missions   (PIME)   Father   Francesco   Mella,   an   Italian   missioner,   began   the   fast   on   Christmas   Eve   at   his   home,   a   small   fishing   boat   in   a   typhoon   shelter   which   he   shares   with   another   Italian   priest.

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  Representatives   of   the   groups   petitioned   the   Hong   Kong   branch   of   the   New   China   News   Agency   (Xinhua   -the   Chinese   government   representative   here)-and   Hong   Kong   Government   House   Dec.29,   requesting   action   to   help   the   case.

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  Lau   Shan-ching,   formerly   a   school   teacher,   was   arrested   in   Guangzhou   in   December   1981.He   received   a   10-year   prison   sentence   with   three-year   deprivation   of   political   rights.

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  He   was   charged   with   promoting   counter-revolutionary   activities   in   China.

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  According   to   his   friends,   Lau   went   to   China   during   the   1981   Christmas   holidays.   He   visited   families   of   several   young   people   in   Guangzhou   who   were   detained   for   supporting   activities   to   increase   democracy   in   the   country.

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  In   a   letter   to   Xinhua,   the   groups   asked   assistance   to   enable   their   delegates   to   visit   Lau   in   January   at   Muji   Yun   Number   3   Prison.

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  They   also   requested   Xinhua   officials   to   arrange   for   them   to   meet   with   Guangzhou   court   officials,   a   trial   to   explore   possibilities   for   judicial   review   of   Lau's   case,   and   a   reduction   in   his   sentence.

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."Lau's   father   is   very   old   and   his   physical   and   mental   health   has   deteriorated   because   of   his   concern   for   his   son   and   frequent   travels   to   Guangzhou,"   the   letter   said.   Only   Lau's   father   has   been   allowed   to   visit   the   prison.

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The   letter   appealed   to   China's   Hong   Kong   and   Macau   Affairs   Office   for   more   information   on   Lau's   status.

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  The   Hong   Kong   government   has   a   responsibility   to   protect   Lau's   freedom   and   rights   as   he   is   a   resident,   the   groups   said   in   a   letter   to   Hong   Kong   Governor   Sir   David   Wilson.

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  The   groups,   including   nine   Catholic   organizations,   requested   the   Hong   Kong   government   to   ask   China   for   an   early   release   for   Lau.

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  The   Catholic   organizations   include   the   Diocesan   Justice   and   Peace   Commission   and   the   PIME   Fathers   Social   Concern   Group,   Maryknoll   Fathers   Justice   and   Peace   Committee,   Federation   of   Catholic   Students   and   Catholic   Youth   Council.

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  Local   groups   hired   a   lawyer   to   request   a   review   of   Lau's   sentence   and   reduce   his   term   in   March   1987.   The   lawyer   received   no   reply.

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  Sixteen   of   the   22   groups   approached   the   Xinhua   Dec.14   and   requested   its   response   by   Christmas   Day.   The   lack   of   a   response   led   to   Father   Mella's   fast.

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  Father   Mella,   well-known   in   Hong   Kong   for   helping   the   poor   and   homeless   get   better   living   conditions,   has   long   sought   Lau's   release.

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  His   fast   ended   Dec.30.   At   an   evening   prayer   service   on   Father   Mella's   boat,   he   cut   a   set   of   paper   chains   symbolizing   the   groups'   hope   for   Lau's   release.   More   than   20   people   gathered   to   pledge   their   continued   commitment.

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  London-based   Amnesty   International   recognized   Lau   as   a   prisoner   of   conscience   in   1983,   and   asked   the   Chinese   government   to   release   him.

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  The   Democracy   and   Human   Rights   Movement   began   in   Beijing   in   autumn   1978   and   spread   to   other   cities.   People   expressed   their   views   on   wall   posters.   Prolific   poster   writers   formed   groups   and   began   publishing   magazines.

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  In   March   1979,   the   Chinese   government   banned   wall   posters   and   journals   "opposed   to   socialism   and   the   leadership   of   the   Chinese   Communist   Party.   “Several   activists   were   arrested.

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  Other   editors   continued   publication   of   their   journals   as   private   newsletters,   and   29   formed   the   National   Association   of   Democratic   Journals   in   Guangzhou   in   October   1980.

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  Twenty   editors   were   arrested   in   spring   1981,   and   others   the   following   summer.   All   were   accused   of   "counter-revolutionary   activity   and   several   received   long   prison   terms.

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  The   Hong   Kong   groups   said   "it   is   a   bit   too   much   to   sentence   Lau   to   10   year's   imprisonment   "only   because   he   "expressed   his   genuine   concern   for   the   future   of   democratization   in   the   People's   Republic   of   China."

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