Varsity Online: U of T Student Joins Hunger Strike at Chinese Embassy Desperately Concerned About Treatment of Prisoners

September 10, 2001

A U of T student was so horrified by China's illegal imprisonment of 130 of its citizens that she went without any food for 48 hours.

Lucy Zhao, a Ph.D. Student at Rotman School of Management, joined others who had been fasting since the 20th outside the Chinese Consulate in support of prisoners who are practitioners of Falun Gong, a meditative group that has faced a brutal campaign of intimidation by Chinese government authorities.

"I feel very sorry for [the imprisoned practitioners]. They can't speak for themselves, I wanted to express their pain and suffering," said Zhao.

Their protests are particularly significant, as Toronto is the 'twin city' of Sheyang, where the abuses are taking place. The term 'twin city' is used to identify cities in different countries who share similar cultural matters and concerns.

Zhao is extremely concerned about the human rights abuses of 130 Falun Gong practitioners in the Mansanjia Labour Camp in China. This camp is regarded as the most brutal of Chinese labour camps, as forcefeedings, sexual abuse and severe beatings have been reported in the attempts to coerce the practitioners to give up Falun Gong.

She added that the camp recently arbitrarily extended the sentence of the practitioners being held, prompting them to begin their own hunger strike which to date has lasted four weeks.

"Many people who went by there were very sympathetic," Zhao said of her own strike. "I was touched by their support. But when I finished the whole thing, I didn't feel much of a comfort."

Zhao noted that the Chinese Consulate was extremely antagonistic towards her and others who have come to them to discuss or object to the treatment of Chinese Canadians in China.

She said they refused to read her letters and petitions, even going so far as to throw them in the garbage in front of her and they also turned the sprinkler system on her when she was striking.

When The Varsity attempted to contact the Chinese Consulate for this article, an attendant stated "this isn't our problem," then hung up the phone.

Zhao and others concerned about the abuses are also petitioning Toronto City Hall to pass a resolution condemning the abuses taking place in Sheyang.

"We think City Hall can help. We're encouraging people to contact their councilors, and let them know what they think of the abuses," said Zhao.

Practitioners are also planning a Global Walk from Toronto to Ottawa to bring the petitions to Parliament.

Patrick Riel, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs says that Canada has taken action against these human rights abuses by attempting to discuss the matter with China.

"We have raised concerns on numerous occasions with China both in Ottawa and Beijing. On the team Canada mission in February 2001, Prime Minister Jean Chretien raised these concerns directly to China's President [Jiang Zemin]. We will continue to raise these issues," said Riel.

A spokesperson for Mayor Lastman did not return messages at press time.