Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIJING17959
2006-08-25 13:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

CHINA TELLS NGO ACTIVIST JOHN KAMM HIS HUMAN

Tags:  PHUM PGOV PREL CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0022
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBJA #7959 2371357
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE7222 2371353
O 251357Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 017959 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL, EAP/CM AND L (R. HARRIS)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2031
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL CH


SUBJECT: CHINA TELLS NGO ACTIVIST JOHN KAMM HIS HUMAN
RIGHTS DIALOGUE IS OVER

CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES DAVID SEDNEY. REASONS 1
.4 (B/D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 017959

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL, EAP/CM AND L (R. HARRIS)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2031
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL CH


SUBJECT: CHINA TELLS NGO ACTIVIST JOHN KAMM HIS HUMAN
RIGHTS DIALOGUE IS OVER

CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES DAVID SEDNEY. REASONS 1
.4 (B/D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS TOLD JOHN
KAMM OF THE NGO DUIHUA FOUNDATION ON AUGUST 24 THAT
HIS DIALOGUE ON PRISONER CASES WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS
IS OVER AND THAT CHINA WAS "SICK AND TIRED" OF
RESPONDING TO FOREIGNERS' REQUESTS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL
HUMAN RIGHTS CASES. IN A SEPARATE, MUCH MORE POSITIVE
MEETING, A SUPREME PEOPLE'S COURT JUDGE TOLD KAMM THAT
CHINA WILL NOT BEGIN EXERCISING CENTRAL REVIEW OF
DEATH SENTENCES UNTIL AT LEAST 2007 AND PROVIDED
STATISTICS ABOUT PAROLE AND SENTENCE REDUCTIONS
CONCERNING THOSE CONVICTED OF COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY
CRIMES. END SUMMARY.

MFA SAYS IT WILL END COOPERATION WITH KAMM
--------------


2. (C) IN AN AUGUST 24 MEETING, MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL
FOR NORTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS LIU JIEYI AND MFA DIRECTOR
FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DONG ZHIHUA TOLD DUIHUA FOUNDATION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOHN KAMM THAT CHINA'S COOPERATION
WITH HIM IS ENDING. IN A STIFF MEETING, DG LIU FIRST
SPOKE WITH KAMM TO TELL HIM THAT CHINA WAS "UNHAPPY"
WITH THE WAY DUIHUA FOUNDATION HAS PUBLICIZED
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE COURSE OF THEIR
"UNOFFICIAL HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE." AS A RESULT, THE
MFA AND MINISTRY OF JUSTICE WOULD NO LONGER COOPERATE
WITH KAMM OR ACCEPT HIS UBMISSION OF LISTS REQUESTING
INFORMATION ABOUT JAILED POLITICAL PRISONERS, DG LIU
SAID, ACCORDING TO AN AUGUST 25 READOUT KAMM PROVIDED
TO CDA AND POLOFFS. FOREIGNERS SHOULD PRESENT THEIR
CONCERNS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL CASES BEFORE THE UNITED
NATIONS OR NOT AT ALL, LIU TOLD KAMM. "THE SITUATION
HAS CHANGED," LIU TOLD KAMM, A THEME THAT DONG
REITERATED LATER.


3. (C) DG LIU THEN LEFT AND DIRECTOR DONG, READING
FROM A SCRIPT AND REFUSING TO LOOK AT KAMM, RECOUNTED
THAT CHINA IS "FED UP" AND "SICK AND TIRED" OF
FOREIGNERS' REQUESTS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL HUMAN RIGHTS
CASES. DONG, WHO KAMM DESCRIBED AS "TEARY-EYED"
DURING THIS, TOLD KAMM THAT "THE CHINA OF TODAY IS NOT
THE CHINA OF JUST AFTER TIANANMEN. IT DESERVES
RESPECT." SHE EMPHASIZED THAT CHINA DID NOT WANT TO
GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT IT RESPONDED TO PRESSURE BY
FOREIGNERS IN SUCH CASES. THINGS AND TIMES HAVE
CHANGED, DONG TOLD KAMM. THEY MIGHT CHANGE AGAIN, BUT
FOR NOW, KAMM WAS WELCOME TO RETURN TO CHINA IN THE
FUTURE AS A TOURIST, SHE SAID.


4. (C) KAMM EXPRESSED HIS STRONG DISSATISFACTION WITH
CHINA'S UNILATERAL CHANGE IN THEIR WORKING
ARRANGEMENTS. HE PRESENTED A PRISONER LIST TO DONG,
WHICH SHE TOOK, BUT ONLY AFTER THEY LEFT THE MEETING
ROOM AND WERE ON THE WAY OUT. SHE AGREED TO PASS THE
LIST TO HER SUPERIORS BUT EMPHASIZED THAT HER ACTIONS
"DID NOT CONSTITUTE ACCEPTANCE" OF KAMM'S LIST.
(NOTE: THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE LAST YEAR BEGAN
REFUSING TO ACCEPT KAMM'S PRISONER LISTS, WHICH HE HAD
BEEN RAISING WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS FOR MORE THAN 10
YEARS. END NOTE.)

SUPREME COURT NOT YET REVIEWING DEATH PENALTY CASES
-------------- --------------


5. (C) CHINA'S CENTRAL SUPREME PEOPLE'S COURT (SPC)
HAS NOT YET BEGUN REVIEWING ALL DEATH SENTENCES,
DESPITE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THIS REFORM MORE THAN A YEAR
AGO, SPC CHIEF JUDGE GAO JINHONG TOLD KAMM IN A
SEPARATE AUGUST 24 MEETING. KAMM DESCRIBED THE
MEETING AS POSITIVE AND USEFUL AND GAO AS WELCOMING OF
KAMM'S PAST EFORTS AND CONTINUED INTEREST. ACCORDING
TO KAMMS READOUT, THE SPC WILL NOT BEGIN CONDUCTING
REVIEWS OF ALL CAPITAL CASES UNTIL NEXT YEAR "AT THE
EARLIEST." (NOTE: GAO IS THE SPC JUDGE CHARGED WITH
IMPLEMENTING THIS NEW POLICY. END NOTE.)


6. (C) IN ADDITION, GAO TOLD KAMM THAT DISCUSSION OF
COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY PRISONERS AS PART OF THE US-
CHINA LEGAL EXPERTS DIALOGUE HAD BEEN A WATERSHED
EVENT. GAO PROVIDED INFORMATION SHOWING THAT ON
AVERAGE 26 PERCENT OF CHINESE PRISONERS RECEIVE
SENTENCE REDUCTIONS EACH YEAR AND FIVE PERCENT RECEIVE
PAROLE, WHILE KAMM'S STATISTICS SHOW THAT
COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES RECEIVE SUCH BENEFITS FAR LESS
OFTEN.
SEDNEY