III
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 171
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 8, 2009
Mr. Inhofe (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mr. Graham, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Webb, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Udall of Colorado, and Mr. Cardin) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Commending the people who have sacrificed their personal freedoms to bring about democratic change in the People's Republic of China and expressing sympathy for the families of the people who were killed, wounded, or imprisoned, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing, China from June 3 through 4, 1989.
Whereas freedom of expression, assembly, association, and religion are fundamental rights that all people should be able to possess and enjoy;
Whereas, in April 1989, in a demonstration of democratic progress, thousands of students took part in peaceful protests against the communist government of the People's Republic of China in the capital city of Beijing;
Whereas, throughout the month of May 1989, the students, in peaceful demonstrations, drew more people, young and old and from all walks of life, into central Beijing to demand better democracy, basic freedoms of speech and assembly, and an end to corruption;
Whereas, from June 3 through 4, 1989, the Government of China ordered members of the People’s Liberation Army to enter Beijing and clear Tiananmen Square (located in central Beijing) by lethal force;
Whereas, by June 7, 1989, the Red Cross of China reported that the People's Liberation Army had killed more than 300 people in Beijing, although foreign journalists who witnessed the events estimate that thousands of people were killed and thousands more wounded;
Whereas more than 20,000 people in China were arrested and detained without trial, due to their suspected involvement in the protests at Tiananmen Square;
Whereas, according to the Department of State, the Government of China has worked to censor information about the massacre at Tiananmen Square by blocking Internet sites and other media outlets, along with other sensitive information that would be damaging to the Government of China;
Whereas the Government of China has continued to deny basic human rights, such as freedom of speech and religion;
Whereas, during the 2008 Olympic Games, the Government of China promised to provide the international media covering the Olympic Games with the same access given the media at all the other Olympic Games, but denied access to certain internet sites and media outlets in attempts to censor free speech;
Whereas the Department of State Human Rights Report for 2008 found that the Government of China had increased already severe cultural and religious suppression of ethnic minorities in Tibetan areas and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, detained and harassed dissidents and journalists, and maintained tight controls on freedom of speech and the Internet;
Whereas the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom in 2009 stated, The Chinese government continues to
engage in systematic and egregious violations of the freedom of religion or
belief, with religious activities tightly controlled and some religious
adherents detained, imprisoned, fined, beaten, and harassed.
;
and
Whereas the China Aid Association reported that in 2007, Christians were detained or arrested and Christian house church groups were persecuted by the Government of China: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
commends the people who demonstrated at Tiananmen Square and elsewhere in the People's Republic of China in 1989, many of whom sacrificed their lives and freedom to—
bring about democratic change in China; and
gain freedom of expression, assembly, association, and religion for the people of China;
expresses its sympathy for the families of the people who were killed, wounded, or imprisoned due to their involvement in the peaceful protests in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China from June 3 through 4, 1989;
condemns the ongoing human rights abuses by the Government of China;
calls on the Government of China to—
release all prisoners that are—
still in captivity as a result of their involvement in the events from June 3 through 4, 1989, at Tiananmen Square; and
imprisoned without cause;
allow freedom of speech and access to information, especially information regarding the events at Tiananmen Square in 1989; and
cease all harassment, intimidation, and unjustified imprisonment of—
members of religious and minority groups; and
people who disagree with policies of the Government of China;
supports efforts by free speech activists in China and elsewhere who are working to overcome censorship (including censorship of the Internet) and the chilling effect of censorship; and
urges the President to continue to support peaceful advocates of free speech around the world.