Posted on 01/22/2005 9:33:47 PM PST by Libertas aut Mortis
Canadian Conservative MP honors Chinese reformer
By BRIAN LAGHI
Saturday, January 22, 2005 - Page A4
BEIJING -- Chinese authorities allowed a Canadian MP to express his sympathies outside the home of one of the country's well-known political reformers yesterday, making him what officials said was one of the first foreigners to do so.
Jason Kenney negotiated with Chinese police for several minutes before a former aide of Zhao Ziyang emerged to escort Mr. Kenney to the front of the home where the former premier had lived under house arrest for the past 15 years. Mr. Zhao died in hospital on Monday at the age of 85.
Mr. Kenney said later that he made the effort as a show of support for those who back the underground democratic movement in China. "Why should we as Canadians be shy about appropriate expressions of support for democracy and human rights in China?" Mr. Kenney asked.
"I hope other foreigners do something symbolic to show the underground democracy movement here that there is support for it outside of China. There are friends for the forces of democracy in Canada."
Mr. Kenney has been traveling with Prime Minister Paul Martin on a weeklong tour of Asia to promote trade and visit tsunami-stricken areas.
His visit outside the Zhao home yesterday brought a rebuke from Mr. Martin last night, who said the Conservative MP should have heeded what he said was a request by the family for privacy in mourning.
"I'm quite disappointed that Mr. Kenney was not prepared to respect the family's feelings," Mr. Martin said.
The Prime Minister said he did not go to the house because he wanted to respect the family's request. One day earlier, he blamed his tight schedule.
However, Mr. Kenney appeared to be welcomed at the home yesterday, and the former aide thanked him repeatedly, giving him a color photograph of the leader as he left.
Mr. Kenney said this week that Mr. Martin made a weak effort to push forward human rights concerns with the Chinese leadership. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew waited until Thursday to send his condolences to Mr. Zhao's family. ''On behalf of the people of Canada, I would like to extend condolences to the family of Zhao Ziyang . . . [he] was well-known to Canadians as a pioneer of reform,'' Mr. Kenney said.
Mr. Martin noted that he uttered his sympathies at a news conference within a few hours of the former premier's death.
Mr. Martin also said that "you can't simply defend human rights by simply making statements. You defend human rights by being persistent and by being consistent."
He said the government defends human rights in China by funding universities and legal scholars and promoting exchanges.
At Mr. Zhao's house, Mr. Kenney carried with him a pot of yellow and white flowers and signed an inscription declaring his deep respect for the man, whose toleration of open discussion of democratic reform came just before the massive crackdown at Tiananmen Square 15 years ago.
Mr. Zhao was ousted from his post just before the government invaded the square and massacred large numbers of protesters.
One of the police officers with whom Mr. Kenney haggled said the 36-year-old MP was the first foreigner to go to the door, an assertion others have disputed. Still, it has been reported that foreigners wanting to express their sympathies have been blocked from the narrow street where Mr. Zhao lived. The government has also removed Internet postings of the former leader's death.
"It's a testament to Zhao that 15 years after his opposition to the massacre that the authorities are so afraid of him that they won't even permit open public expressions of his death," Mr. Kenney said. Normally, individuals of such high rank have massive public funerals and outpourings on state television.
"In this case, they're trying to send him down the memory hole of Communist society."
Although Mr. Kenney and a handful of reporters were able to get to the front of the house, a camera crew shooting the scene from at least 100 meters away was forced to leave the area.
Mr. Kenney was accompanied to the door by a young translator, who said he had been apprehensive about the visit. Upon arrival, though, the man said he found his courage.
Asked what might happen to him, the man, who asked that his name not be used, said the government could "be unpredictable."
It's a good thing there was a consevative MP there as Martin's such a lib PUSSY he didn't want to upset them.
Looks like Jason Kenney showed more spine than Emperor Ditherer. I can't believe Mr. Dithers would stoop so low by attacking Kenney for paying his respects.
Go Kenney, I wish you were my MP.
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