Truth By Jules Joseph Lefebvre
On February 10 2011 Chinese ‘one child policy’ activist, Chen Guangcheng and his wife were beaten senseless by China’s security thugs in retaliation for the release of video footage documenting atrocities caused by China’s notorious population control program. Not that such a vicious assault would have concerned prominent Women’s NGO’s attending the 55th Session of the CSW in New York, who have remained callously indifferent to China’s mass programs of forced sterilizations, maintaining a collective silence on the subject, despite being acutely aware of the violations forced upon countless women across China, and occupied territories such as Tibet and East Turkestan.
As noted previously, there is a minority participating at the Commission on the Status of Women’s (CSW) current session who would wish to hang a sign outside the door saying ‘private party’. They see the event more as a festival than a vital platform to critically examine such a major issue, or to seriously advance women’s human rights. That is not to devalue the understandable sense of harmony and camaraderie felt at such gatherings, which offer an important opportunity to assemble in solidarity. Moreover, there is much to be positive about, most importantly the motivation and commitment evident, particularly from younger women, whose voice provides a refreshing challenge to the prevailing orthodoxy and stasis which continues to preside over such events. However, some would prefer that the inconvenient reality of China’s program of forced sterilizations did not intrude and disturb the occasion.
Yet if these meetings are to be genuinely representative, and any true progress is to occur, then the CSW and its NGO Committee must be willing to accommodate more youthful contributions, and act upon the range of concerns which have been raised thus far. To reject and censor issues which are not deemed to be politically correct, is a corrosive hypocrisy that tramples over the suffering of women in China, Tibet and East Turkestan, and denies the CSW any moral or ethical authority to speak on women’s human rights. It is significant to note that the tremendous support Tibettruth has received on the issue of China’s violations of women’s human rights, as a result of its coercive population program, has been from younger women.
Yet, as witnessed by the callous refusal to even debate this major human rights issue at the CSW and NGO parallel events, there is an adamantine resistance shared among prominent and influential activists. The architects of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action were implacably opposed to any meaningful debate of this subject in 1995, little it appears has changed. If anything the prejudices and opposition to any exposure and criticism of China’s atrocities has fossilized during that time. Despite the continuing emergence of evidence and information documenting the tyranny of forced sterilizations in China and occupied Tibet and East Turkestan.
Thankfully a younger generation of women are expressing concern at the plight of their sisters and willing to speak out, however the presiding cabal, in their compassionless indifference, ensure that the subject is not featured by either the CSW or related NGO Forums. There is every reason to celebrate and value the genuine achievements of female activists, but such joy cannot be at the expense of ignoring the atrocities inflicted by China’s population program. It is surely time for the truth to be acknowledged, expressed and acted upon
