Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08GUANGZHOU727
2008-12-19 09:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Guangzhou
Cable title:  

CHARTER 08 SIGNATORIES DISCUSS FALLOUT, HUMAN

Tags:  PHUM PGOV CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
O 190902Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0071
INFO CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE 0029
CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0029
DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0029
C O N F I D E N T I A L GUANGZHOU 000727 

STATE FOR EAP/CM AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2033
TAGS: PHUM PGOV CH
SUBJECT: CHARTER 08 SIGNATORIES DISCUSS FALLOUT, HUMAN
RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUANGZHOU 000727

STATE FOR EAP/CM AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2033
TAGS: PHUM PGOV CH
SUBJECT: CHARTER 08 SIGNATORIES DISCUSS FALLOUT, HUMAN
RIGHTS


1. (U) Classified by Consul General Robert Goldberg for
reason 1.4 (d).


2. (C) Summary: Charter 08 signatory Ai Xiaoming has not
been detained or formally contacted by authorities since
publication of the charter, though her home was
superficially searched under a public health pretense. The
charter only reiterates commitments China has already made
-- but not implemented -- in the field of human rights,
according to Ai. The government is making an example of
Liu Xiaobo, but has not yet interfered with numerous other
signatories, including Guo Yan. End summary.


3. (C) Professor and documentary filmmaker Ai Xiaoming
(protect) disputed media reports that she had been detained
following the early December publication of Charter 08,
going so far as to chastise a colleague present for not
making more of an effort to contact her. (Note: It took
Post several days before it was able to contact Ai, a
process exacerbated by a recently changed mobile phone
number. End note.)


4. (C) Ai confirmed media reports that her home had been
searched by authorities, who she said posed as health
inspectors "looking for mosquitoes." Though they used
flashlights to perform a superficial search of her home, Ai
said the "inspectors" appeared more interested in Ai's two
visiting guests, who were ultimately left undisturbed. Ai
speculated that the coincidental timing of her guests'
visit and the publication of the charter may have led
authorities to believe Ai intended to hold a charterrelated
meeting in her home. Though she has not yet been
contacted by the government concerning the charter, Ai said
she is "still waiting" for the authorities to invite her to
"have tea," and discuss her activism.


5. (C) Ai said she felt sorry for Liu Xiaobo, who was
"being made an example of," and hoped the Liu would soon be
released. Ai added that she and a number of other
professors had signed a petition imploring the government
to release Liu, but had yet to see any effect. Ai stated
several times that the Charter 08 presented no unreasonable
demands, especially since the Chinese government had agreed
to its basic principles ten years earlier by signing
several human rights agreements. Ai's close friend and
fellow signatory Guo Yan (protect),who said she was
followed by authorities to our meeting, said the
publication of the charter could potentially be helpful to
government officials who otherwise would not have easy
access to human rights literature or education.


6. (C) Ai noted that she would retire at the end of
December, 2008, but would continue to serve as a graduate
advisor and periodic instructor at her university.
Unconnected to her activism, she is retiring now to take
advantage of a pension funded by Sun Yat-sen University;
beginning next year, the university will not directly fund
new pensions, contributing instead to the government's
social security fund. Ai said that her independent
filmmaking already requires almost all of her time, and she
looks forward to having more time to devote to her projects.


GOLDBERG

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