Wei
Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue: A511-W239
魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A511-W293
Release
Date: December 5, 2009
发布日：2009年12月5日
Topic:
The Oak Leaves that Never Fall in the Winter -- Prize Dedication to Huang Qi
and Yang TianShui as Awardees of the Sixth Annual "Wei Jingsheng Chinese
Democracy Champion Prize" by the Wei Jingsheng Foundation
标题：冬日里不落的橡树叶 -- 魏京生基金会第六届"魏京生中国民主斗士奖"对黄琦和杨天水的颁奖词
Original
Language Version: Chinese (Chinese version at the end)
此号以中文为准（英文在前，中文在后）
Note:
Please use "Simplified Chinese (GB2312)" encoding to view the Chinese
parts of this release. If this
mail does not display properly in your email program, please send your request
for special delivery to us or visit:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2009/report2009-12/WJSF6thPrize091205dedicationA511-W293.htm which
contains identical information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The
Oak Leaves that Never Fall in the Winter
--
Prize Dedication to Huang Qi and Yang TianShui as Awardees of the Sixth Annual
"Wei Jingsheng Chinese Democracy Champion Prize" by the Wei Jingsheng
Foundation
December
5, 2009
Late
autumn is a season of beauty and magnificence. Facing the upcoming cold winter, splendid red leaves display
their last gorgeousness, shocking people's spirits, especially these lonely
souls. Before all is covered by
white snow, these autumn leaves use their own ways of expression, displaying in
layers their own characters and tales.
Now and then, there are exhausted leaves falling with the wind, as
beautiful butterflies forever melted into the still green grassland.
When
the snowstorms arrive, the red maple leaves that covered all the ridges and
ravines in the mountains disappear.
In that boundless mountain forest, only the oak trees still have a few
dry leaves hanging there, moving and comforting the strangers who are both
mentally and physically exhausted.
On
our road to gain democracy for the Chinese people, we have also experienced
different seasons. When the
vigorous democracy movement was suppressed by the Chinese Communists' tanks,
machine guns and jails, red blood colored the bodies of our summer youth. Now there are people tortured to death. There are also people who quit, just
like fallen autumn leaves. Unable
to bear the endless cold winter nights, there are people who even question if
the warm seasons ever existed or would come after all. To the extreme, those who carry on
their democracy, human rights and freedom ideals like the oak leaves, are
teased as the losers who are sick, are addicted, and have hatred against the
others, thus concluded as people who would accomplish nothing.
This
time of China is exactly the season of a frigid winter. Piercingly cold winds blow over those
people who devoted themselves to freedom and democracy. Purgatory tortures their bodies, while
indignation torments their families and friends. People of the free world are now ready to celebrate the
holiday season and the New Year with their families and friends. How much these prisoners of conscience
and their families and friends wish to be able to be united and enjoy their
family togetherness as well.
Especially, the prisoners of conscience who are jailed due to their use
of the Internet, who pushed for the Internet freedom, would be very much enjoy
the use of the Internet to exchange and to communicate with their families and
friends freely. Yet, these simple
wishes are all too much an extravagance at this time. Chinese prisoners of conscience are paying their freedom for
their ideology and justice, as well as for striving for freedom for everyone.
Today,
is the date for the Wei Jingsheng Foundation to announce its 6th annual
"Wei Jingsheng Chinese Democracy Champion Prize". It is also a time for us to express our
gratitude and encouragement to these people of conscience.
This
year's "Wei Jingsheng Democracy Champion Prize" shall be shared by
Mr. HUANG Qi and Mr. YANG TianShui.
Both are now in prison. We
honor them with this prize, as a way to cite their unyielding persistence in
carrying on their democratic ideology, as well as the courage to put it into
practice. In particular, we want
to cite their effort of using the Internet as a means to more effectively
propagate democratic ideas, and to communicate with people. Among the first group of prestigious
college graduates right after the Chinese Cultural Revolution, both Huang Qi
and Yang TianShui could have had "progress with time", joining into
the ranks of the Chinese Communist Party's "Three Representatives",
thus profiting by being in line with the Chinese Communist Party. Yet, in their conscience, believing in
the importance of political reforms, both of them became devoted to democracy
and freedom in China without looking back. Such a high spirit of sacrifice is indeed remarkable. Although both of them were sent to jail
for their democracy and freedom activities before, both of them have
consistently continued their efforts after they came out of jail, and thus were
arrested and sent to jail again.
This kind of determination and bravery are particularly precious. We wish that our gratitude and
encouragement could enhance these brave heroes with even bigger determination
and hope.
Mr.
YANG TianShui was born in JiangSu province in 1961 with the birth name YANG TongYan. He graduated from the History
Department of Beijing Normal University in 1982. In the summer of 1989, he participated in the democratic
movement of the Nanjing area. In
the earlier half of 1990, he founded the
"Chinese Democratic Alliance" with some friends. He was arrested on June 1, 1990, and
was put in prison until May of 2000.
During his jail time, he went on hunger strikes several times, and also
had diabetes. After 2004, he was
detained and searched many times, in the name of "publishing articles on
the Internet which damaged the reputation of the country and were not
beneficial to social stability".
On May 16, 2006, the Intermediate Court of ZhengJiang City delivered a
12 year sentence to Yang, in the name of "Inciting subversion of the
state". During his most
recent time in jail, Yang has not only suffered from the diabetes, but also
gained more illnesses including severe arthritis, kidney problems,
tuberculosis, and has lost a lot of weight. However, the jail guards blamed Yang for "not learning
good things," for being faithful to his ideology and for refusing to
surrender himself, to such a degree that they even refused the visiting rights
by Yang's family and friends.
On
the Internet, Yang's articles propagated his democracy and rights defending
ideas, and especially defended workers' interests, such as: The Sweat Shops in SuZhou; The Rising
of Suppressions, Everyone has Rights to Against the Autocracy; What Crimes Have
the Rights Defending Lawyers Done?; Everywhere Rights were Abused; The Rusty Machine of Autocracy; Let us Hold Back the Deterioration of
Chinese Human Rights; It is Violation of the Law to Exploit Mao GuoLiang's
Working Rights; Mine Disasters and
Human Rights; Appeal for Scholars
of Conscience; etc.
Before
Yang TianShui's arrest, he would still support other democracy advocators in
China, despite himself being on dangerous ground. He took risks to communicate with others both inside and
outside China, making appeals for fellow human rights activists. Exactly because of this, the Wei
Jingsheng Foundation always gave extra care for his suggestions and
requests. This time we award him
is not simply as an honor for what he has done for the Chinese democracy and
freedom movement over a long period of time, but also as a token of gratitude
to his past help and cooperation with the Wei Jingsheng Foundation.
Mr.
HUANG Qi has the Internet name Nan Bo.
He was born in 1963 in Sichuan Province. Graduating from Department of Electronics of Sichuan
University, he is one of the earliest Chinese who received a jail sentence due
to his Internet discussions. In
1999, he established "64Tianwang" website with his wife Ceng Li. Because of the incisive voice of his
website regarding on-going politics and public discussions, he was arrested on
June 3, 2000 by the police.
Moments before his arrest, he left his last message on his website:
"There is a long way ahead.
Thanks to you everywhere.
Thanks to all the people who work for Chinese democracy. They have arrived. Good bye." After almost 3 years of detention, on
May 9, 2003, the intermediate court of Chengdu City sentenced him 5 years in
the name of "Inciting subversion of the state".
After
the big 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the newly released Huang Qi participated in
the disaster relief work, meanwhile providing help to the parents of the
students who were killed in the earthquake. He visited the most disaster stricken areas with a lot of
relief materials 11 times, while writing on the Internet to expose the school
building quality. He was arrested
in June 2008. On November 23,
2009. the Wuhou court of Chengdu City announced a 3 year sentence to Huang Qi
in the name of "illegally holding national secrets".
Huang
Qi cares about powerless people and is determined to defend justice in pursuing
human rights. He is not only a
serious thinker, but also a steadfast action taker. For this, he paid a dear personal price. During his detention, his father Mr.
Huang Ronggui was terminal ill, yet the authorities refused to give essential
humanitarian consideration to let them meet each other for the last time. After Huang Qi's father passed away on
September 5, 2009, many rights defending activists inside China signed a
petition asking the authorities to let Huang Qi attend the funeral, according
to related laws. Yet, it was also
refused. This sad experience of
Huang Qi reminded me of the similar experience of my own, as well as many of
other democratic activists. Till
now, I still remember that nearly 10 years ago when Huang Qi was detained for
the first time, I went to Washington DC on the invitation of the late US
Senator Paul Wellstone for a press conference calling for his release. I also once considered helping his
young child at that difficult time.
There is no more evil autocratic government than the one which kidnaps
your family and your endearment to them.
For
more than one decade now, the Chinese Communist Party has been spending huge
amounts of money and human resources to monitor and control the Internet, to
build Internet firewalls -- a new kind of Berlin Wall that blocks freedom. However, popular inclination shall
determine that the Internet becomes a tool for the Chinese people to gain
democracy and human rights. Huang
Qi and Yang Tianshui have not just set up shining examples, but also are
pioneers for this field. The Wei
Jingsheng Foundation is honored to award these two outstanding people the
"Wei Jingsheng Chinese Democracy Champion Prize". We also wish that the award could bring
some warmth and brightness to those who are suffering in these long and cold
nights.
There
was a special interview with Huang Qi titled: The Cold Winter is not That Long
Anymore. Yes indeed, a cold and
dark winter could wear down people's beliefs and decrease people's willpower. In my human rights journey, I have
often driven in goose feather sized snowstorms in the midnight. There would be no travelers at that
time in the wide-open landscape of Pennsylvania mountains, but only the reflected
light from the snowflakes and silence of the darkness. At that time, I would suddenly think of
these brave pioneers who are locked away in the cold and dark jails. An ancient poem of more than 1,300 years
would jump out of my brain: "You do not see people before you. You do not see people after you. Heaven and earth are so broad and
remote. It makes my lonely soul
drop tears." This mentality
of lofty ideals with little or no recognition yet the goal seems to be so far
away has made so many heroes drop tears.
I think this poem must also be recited by our jailed heroes Yang
Tianshui and Huang Qi nowadays, in their cold, dark and lonely jail cells.
However,
both Huang Qi and Yang Tianshui are not alone at all. They have opened a new landscape on the Internet, and left
many articles there for us to read.
People who are yearning for human rights and freedom are a kindred
spirit with them. We are grateful
to them. Because of them, there is
hope; the cold winter is not that long anymore. We praise them.
Because of their effort and sacrifice, we will see the day when China
has freedom. We eulogize these
tall and straight oak trees that do not surrender their leaves in the
winter. Because, despite a bleak
and desolate time, these oak leaves that were tortured by ice and snow refuse
to fall with the wind. You see,
they hold their heads up and are calling: when the spring comes, we shall
sprout again!
HUANG
Ciping (signed)
Executive
Director, Wei Jingsheng Foundation
Wei
Jingsheng Foundation sixth annual "Wei Jingsheng Democracy Champion
Prize" award announcement by its judging committee:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2009/report2009-12/WJSF6thPrize091205dedicationA511-W293.htm
Photo
of Huang Qi:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-10/HuangQphoto.jpg
Photo
of Yang Tianshui:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-10/YangTSphoto.jpg
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This
is a message from WeiJingSheng.org
The
Wei Jingsheng Foundation and the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition are
dedicated to the promotion of human rights and democratization in China. We appreciate your assistance and help
in any means. We pledge solidarity
to all who struggle for human rights and democratic governance on this
planet.
You
are welcome to use or distribute this release. However, please credit with this foundation and its website
at: www.weijingsheng.org
Although
we are unable to afford to pay royalty fees at this time, we are seeking your
contribution as well. You may send
your articles, comments and opinions to: HCP@weijingsheng.org. Please remember, only in text files,
not in attachments.
For
website issues and suggestions, you may contact our professional staff and web
master at: webmaster@Weijingsheng.org
To
find out more about us, please also visit our websites at:
www.WeiJingSheng.org
and www.ChinaLaborUnion.org
for
news and information for Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition and human rights
and democracy movement as whole, especially our Chinese Labor Union Base.
You
may contact Ciping Huang at: HCP@Weijingsheng.org or
Wei
Jingsheng Foundation office at: 1-202-543-1538 Fax: 1-202-543-1539
Wei
Jingsheng Foundation's postal address is:
Wei
Jingsheng Foundation, P. O. Box 15449, Washington, DC 20003, USA
You
are receiving this message because you had previous shown your interest in
learning more about Mr. Wei Jingsheng and the Chinese Democratic Movement. To be removed from the list, simply
reply this message and use "unsubscribe" as the Subject. Please allow us a few days to process
your request.
*****************************************************************
中文版
Wei
Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue: A511-W239
魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A511-W293
Release
Date: December 5, 2009
发布日：2009年12月5日
Topic:
The Oak Leaves that Never Fall in the Winter -- Prize Dedication to Huang Qi
and Yang TianShui as Awardees of the Sixth Annual "Wei Jingsheng Chinese
Democracy Champion Prize" by the Wei Jingsheng Foundation
标题：冬日里不落的橡树叶 -- 魏京生基金会第六届"魏京生中国民主斗士奖"对黄琦和杨天水的颁奖词
Original
Language Version: Chinese (Chinese version at the end)
此号以中文为准（英文在前，中文在后）
如有中文乱码问题，请与我们联系或访问:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2009/report2009-12/WJSF6thPrize091205dedicationA511-W293.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
冬日里不落的橡树叶
-- 魏京生基金会第六届"魏京生中国民主斗士奖"对黄琦和杨天水的颁奖词
晚秋是个美丽而感人的季节。面临即将到来的寒冬，灿烂的红叶展示着他们的绚烂，震撼着人们的心灵，尤其是那些孤独的灵魂。在一切都将为白雪所覆盖之前，秋叶以自己特有的表达，层次鲜明地叙述他们的个性和故事。不时会有筋疲力尽的红叶随风飘落，如美丽的蝴蝶，永远地融入还是绿茵茵的草地上。
当风雪降临时，山窝窝里漫山遍野的枫叶便消失了。漫无边际的山林里，只剩下几片枯叶还高高悬挂在孤独而坚韧挺拔的橡树上，感动并安慰着身心交瘁的路人。
在中国人民争取民主的进程中，我们也经历过不同的季节。在轰轰烈烈的民主运动被中共的机枪坦克和监狱镇压后，红色的血迹涂满了夏日年轻人僵硬的尸体。有些人退出了，如同消失于晚秋的枫叶。在漫漫的冬夜里，有些人甚至会怀疑那些令人温暖的季节是否存在。更有甚者，那些坚持民主、人权、自由的理念不变的人，被描述成“有瘾、有病、有仇”的，无所事事、无所作为之辈。
此时的中国，正值寒冷的冬季。凛冽的寒风吹打着那些致力于民主、自由事业的人们。炼狱煎熬着他们的躯体，悲愤折磨着他们的亲友。当自由国度的人们准备与亲友一起过节过年，并作着新年新计划的时候，这些狱中的良心犯和他们的亲友，多么盼望能与家人团聚，共享天伦之乐。那些因为使用互联网及推动互联网自由而入狱的良心犯，又多么希望能充分地享受网络自由，随心所欲地与亲友交流，并在互联网上表述自己独立的见解与主张。然而，这一切都太奢侈了。为了理念，为了正义，也为了大家的自由，中国的良心犯们付出了他们自己的自由。
今天，是魏京生基金会第六次颁发“魏京生中国民主斗士奖”的日子，也是我们感谢和鼓励这些有良知的人的日子。
今年的“魏京生中国民主斗士奖”将由身陷牢狱的黄琦和杨天水分享。将这个荣誉给予他们，是为了表彰他们不屈不饶，坚持理念，并勇于付诸行动。尤其是表彰他们以互联网为工具，来更有效地宣传民主，联络群众。作为文革之后的首批高才生，黄琦和杨天水本可以“与时俱进”，加入“三个代表”的行列，成为中共“改革开放”的收益人。但他们良知未泯，坚信政治改革的重要性，义无反顾地投身于民主自由的事业。这种崇高的牺牲精神尤为难得。尽管这两位斗士都曾因民主人权活动入狱，但出狱后依然坚定不渝地继续从事民主人权活动，以致再次被捕入狱。这种决心和勇敢尤为难能可贵。愿我们的感谢和鼓励，能给予这些在寒冬中坚韧不屈的人们以更强的决心和希望。
杨天水，原名杨同彦，中国江苏省人。1961 年生。他于1982年毕业于北京师范大学历史系。1989年夏，曾参与南京地区的民主运动。1990年上半年，他与一些同道一起成立“中华民主联盟”。同年6月1日被捕。1990年6月至2000年5月，他入狱整整十年。在狱中，进行了数次绝食抗争，并患上糖尿病。2004年之后，他被以“在互联网上发表损害国家荣誉的以及不利于社会安定的文章”的罪名，多次被拘留和搜查。2006年5月16日，江苏省镇江市中级法院以“煽动颠覆国家政权罪”，判处杨天水有期徒刑12年，剥夺政治权利4年。目前，患有糖尿病的杨天水，在狱中又得了严重的关节炎，肾病，结核病，体重大大下降。但狱方却指责理念不渝，坚强不屈的杨天水为“
不学好"，对家属亲友的探望百般刁难。
在互联网上传播的杨天水宣扬民主与维权包括工人权益方面的代表作有：“苏州的血汗工厂”；“高压的崛起”；“人人有权反对专制”；“维权律师何罪之有”；“到处在侵权”；“专制机器锈迹斑斑”；“一起来遏制中国人权的恶化”；“剥夺毛国良工作权是违法行为”；“矿难和人权”；“为良心学者呼吁”，等等。
在杨天水先生入狱之前，即便他自身环境险恶，依然坚持支持其他同道，冒着风险与海内外联系，为同道们呼吁。也正因为此，对于他的建议与要求，魏京生基金会一向都很重视。这次的颁奖不仅仅是对他长期以来对中国民主、自由运动贡献的表彰，也是对他过去给予我们的帮助及合作表示感谢。
黄琦，网名难博，中国四川人，1963 年生。毕业于四川大学无线电子系。是中国互联网早期因网络言论入狱的公民之一。他与妻子曾丽于1999年设立“六四天网”网站。由于天网在时政与公共评论中的声音尖锐，2000年6月3日，黄琦被警方逮捕。被捕前他在网上留言：“路还很长，感谢大家、感谢为中国民主努力的人们。他们来了，告别了”。在他被捕近三年后，2003年5月9日，成都市中级人民法院以“煽动颠覆国家政权”罪，判处黄琦有期徒刑5年。
2008年汶川大地震后，出狱不久的黄琦积极参与救灾活动，同时为地震中死亡学生的家长提供帮助。他前后11次携带大批物资去重灾区赈灾，而且在网上撰文揭露“豆腐渣”工程，同年6月被捕。2009年11月
23日成都市武侯区法院对黄琦案进行了宣判，以“非法持有国家机密文件罪”判处黄琦有期徒刑三年。
黄琦心系弱势民众、坚决捍卫公道、追求人权。他不仅是个严肃的思想者，更是个坚定的行动者，然而也因此付出他个人与家庭的沉重代价。在他被关押期间，他的父亲黄荣贵老先生病危，但当局却拒绝给与最起码的人道考虑，连最后的一面都没能见到。在黄琦的父亲于2009 年9月5日病故后，国内许多维权人士签名呼吁有关当局本着人道主义精神，依照相关法律规定准许黄琦回家奔丧，见父亲最后一面并处理相关后事，以尽人伦孝道，亦被拒绝。这个悲惨的经历使我联想到我个人和许多民运人士的类似经历。至今，我还清楚地记得将近十年前在黄琦第一次被捕时，我受已故美国参议员保罗威尔斯顿的邀请，去美国首都华盛顿参加记者会为他本人呼吁时，也曾考虑过帮助他年幼的孩子。有什么比一个绑架你的亲情和家庭的专制政府更为邪恶的呢？
十多年来，中共花了大笔的金钱和人力来监控互联网，建造防火墙 -- 新一类的阻挡自由的柏林墙。但是道高一尺，魔高一丈，民心所向必将决定互联网成为中国人民争取民主与人权的工具。黄琦和杨天水不仅仅为我们做出了表率，他们更是这个领域的先锋。魏京生基金会为能对这两个杰出人物授予"魏京生中国民主斗士奖"感到荣幸，也希望能为正在漫漫黑夜中煎熬的他们带去一些温暖与光明。
曾有一篇对黄琦的专访题为：寒冷冬季不再漫长。的确，漫长的冬夜会消磨人们的信念，消减人们的意志。在我的人权之旅中，常常要在夜半三更，山上下着鹅毛大雪的路上穿行。无边无际的旷野上没有路人，只有雪花反射回来的灯光和漆黑可怕的静寂。那时的我会突然想起这些被牢狱锁在冰冷的黑暗之中的勇士；会想起“前不见故人，后不见来者，念天地之悠悠，独怆然而涕下”的诗句。这种壮志难酬的心境曾使多少英雄泪沾襟！我想，在那漆黑冰冷、孤立无援的牢狱中，这首诗也是才华横溢的杨天水和黄琦常常吟诵的。
其实，在互联网上开出一片天地，留下许多文章的黄琦和杨天水并不孤独。许许多多向往人权自由的人们都与他们心心相印。我们感谢他们。有了他们，就有了希望，寒冷的冬季不再漫长。我们赞美他们，因为他们的牺牲和努力，我们会看到中国有全面自由的那一天。我们赞扬冬日里不屈服的高大挺拔的橡树。因为在萧瑟而寒冷的日子里，那些为冰雪所折磨的橡树叶拒绝随风飘落。他们高高地扬着头呼唤：春天来时，我们会再发芽！
黄慈萍 （签署）
魏京生基金会执行主任
2009年12月5日
魏京生基金会“魏京生中国民主斗士奖”评委会有关第六届“魏京生中国民主斗士奖”的颁发公告：
http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2009/report2009-12/WJSF6thPrize091205announcementA510-W292.htm
黄琦的照片：
http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-10/HuangQphoto.jpg
杨天水的照片：
http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-10/YangTSphoto.jpg
（魏京生基金会首发，请注明出处。www.weijingsheng.org）
-----------------------------------------------------------------
魏京生基金会及中国民主运动海外联席会议以推动中国的人权与民主为己任。
我们欢迎任何形式的帮助与贡献。我们愿与世界上为人权与民主而奋斗的人们一起努力。
我们希望您能够帮助我们散发我们的资料。但请标明出处与我们的网址：www.weijingsheng.org
欢迎投稿（暂无稿费）或批评建议，请寄信箱: HCP@WEIJINGSHENG.ORG
魏京生基金会通讯地址：
Wei
Jingsheng Foundation, P. O. Box 15449, Washington, DC 20003, USA
电话: 1-202-543-1538 传真：1-202-543-1539
魏京生基金会网址：WWW.weijingsheng.org
中国民主运动海外联席会议及中国团结工会的网址为：www.ChinaLaborUnion.org
阁下之所以收到本信，是因为阁下以前曾表示有兴趣了解魏京生先生和中国民主运动。
倘若阁下希望不再收到类似信息，请回复本信并用 unsubscribe 作为主题(Subject)。