(Clearwisdom.net) One year ago, when Falun Gong practitioners filed a lawsuit charging Jiang Zemin with genocide in the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, the general public was still discussing the symbolic meaning of such a lawsuit. Now one year later, with lawsuits against Jiang and his followers filed in various countries one after another, and with the recent establishment of the "Global Coalition to Bring Jiang to Justice," it has become more and more practical to bring Jiang to justice.
On the afternoon of November 22, a symposium initiated by the "Global Coalition to Bring Jiang to Justice" was held in the town hall of Montgomery County, Maryland. The attendees included the, "Greater Washington DC Area Overseas Chinese Association," Democracy activists, China experts, and Falun Gong practitioners. They discussed the purpose of bringing Jiang to justice, and the current condition of human rights in China, and issues related to China.
Attendees discussed the positive effect that bringing Jiang to justice may have on the human rights condition in China. People from the "Greater Washington DC Area Overseas Chinese Association" specifically listed the crimes that Jiang Zemin has committed over his 13-year rule in China. Some of his crimes include: suppressing freedom; persecuting religious belief; attacking political dissidents; manipulating the media; blocking the Internet; depriving people of their right to know relevant information; ceding national land to Russia; staging the so-called Tiananmen Square Self-immolation incident to frame Falun Gong; attempting to force the Hong Kong government to enact Article 23; trampling on the human rights of Hong Kong people; harboring corruption; etc. In other words, Jiang is unfit to represent China or the Chinese nation.
On September 12, 2003, the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division dismissed the lawsuit against Jiang under pressure from the US government. The reason given was that Jiang can enjoy head of state immunity. In response to this, Falun Gong filed an appeal to a higher court. At the same time, lawsuits against Jiang are being filed in other countries one after another. More and more organizations and individuals have joined efforts in suing Jiang. In the past week alone, Jiang was sued in Taiwan and Germany. There has never been a head of state in history who has been sued so many times. On November 17, over 10,000 practitioners in Taiwan held a sit-in appeal to support the lawsuit against Jiang. The lawsuits against Jiang filed by overseas Chinese seem to be blooming and nonstop.
Falun Gong practitioner and American Catholic University professor Nie Sen said, "I think the global campaign of suing Jiang agrees with many people's wishes, which is why in just four months, it received strong support from people in various countries all over the world. Many Chinese people sent emails from Mainland China to show their support. Because of the tremendous support, we are very optimistic that this lawsuit is now turning from a symbolic event to a more practical thing. We hope such a lawsuit can be filed in the land of China in the near future so we can bring Jiang to justice using the laws of China."
Nie Sen also said, "In addition to Jiang, many of his followers are also being sued in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. They include: "610" system director Li Lanqing, Luo Gan, politburo member Wu Guanzheng, former Beijing City Party Secretary Liu Qi, former Hubei Province Public Security Bureau Director Zhao Zhifei, Sichuan Province Party Secretary Zhou Yongkang, and Lt. governor of Liaoning Province Xia Deren. Some of them do not dare to respond to the lawsuit, and have been tried in absentia."
Human rights lawyer Ye Ning considers Falun Gong representative of the conscience of the Chinese nation. He thinks the understanding of the Falun Gong issue measures the consciences of intellectuals. At the same time, the values promoted by Falun Gong offer hope for the Chinese nation and all of humankind.
As a lawyer, Ye Ning also thinks the lawsuit against Jiang establishes a precedent of upholding justice and conscience, and has profound historical significance. He said, "After WWII, the biggest advancement in the development of jurisprudence was to enforce individual responsibility, that is, to place responsibility on individual Nazis, not allowing them to use í following orders' as an excuse to escape responsibility."
Ye Ning thinks it was inappropriate for the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds of head of state immunity. In a trial of a former leader of Panama, he was not granted head of state immunity. The lawsuits against many other former dictators should be the precedent for the lawsuit against Jiang.
Democracy activist Wei Jingsheng said, "We need to exert such pressure on Jiang and his followers. It is good for the human rights condition in China. We cannot just rely on western countries to help us. We must stand up to voice our concerns. If we do not speak out, then other people will think we do not care about the human rights condition in China."
Wang Nengxiang, who has been fighting for democracy for over 40 years in Taiwan, said, "The Chinese ruling party is deeply rooted in fear. Falun Gong is fighting for freedom. When this fight gets more and more support from the general public, China will become a country that respects human rights and the rule of law."
How do people in China view this sensitive issue of suing Jiang? Big Reference editor Li Hongkuan said, "Our readers email us expressing their opinions. Upon learning of the lawsuit, they are all very happy. But they are all wondering when this lawsuit will produce a positive result. My understanding is that people are all very happy to learn that Jiang is being sued."