On July 13, 2020, the 3rd anniversary of Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo’s passing, a global online commemorative activity themed Mourn for A Century Hero was held at Evangelische Thomaskirche in Kempen City, Germany to denounce CCP authoritarian regime’s repression and persecution of democracy and freedom. Activists called for a global unanimous support on an end of CCP’s one-party dictatorship and also showed their opposition to the CCP’s imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong, as well as their support to Hong Kong’s fight for freedom and democracy.
This activity was initiated by Pastor Roland Kühne, a German human rights activist, and Ms. Tienchi Martin-Liao, vice-chairman of the Peace Committee of PEN International. Attendants include Wang Dan, a student leader in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, Su Xiaokang, a well-known Chinese writer, Hu Ping, a famous Chinese democracy theorist, Makino Seisu, an ex-vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, representatives of Hongkongers and Association for the Defense of Human Rights and Religious Freedom (ADHRRF), and Christians from The Church of Almighty God (CAG).
At the beginning, Pastor Kühne said in his speech that although Liu Xiaobo has passed away, his call for democracy, freedom, and human rights, which had long been suppressed in China, has shone light to every corner of this world and ignited the light of wisdom in people’s heart.
“Although Xiaobo has passed away, his spirit lives.” “The best way to memorize Liu Xiaobo is to spread his thoughts.” Hu Ping mentioned in his speech Liu’s admonition to the international society, “If this rapid and dictatorial rise of a powerful state with enormous economic strength is not contained, but continues to be appeased, the West will repeat the same fatal mistakes as in the past, resulting in not only a catastrophe for the Chinese people but also severe setbacks for global democratization.”
Su Xiaokang said, “Three years ago, after Xiaobo’s ashes had sunk to the bottom of the sea, the door to China’s peaceful transition was shut. Although he won the Nobel Peace Prize, the world was silent at his death. Today when facing the pandemic of Covid-19, the world suddenly awoke to China’s aggressive style and overbearing influence. But perhaps it is too late.”
“The correct path is that global democratic activists unite to achieve a unanimous conclusion and call for an end to CCP’s one-party dictatorship. We should remember Xiaobo every year to inherit his spiritual legacy,” said Wang Dan.
Recently, the CCP imposed the National Security Law in Hong Kong to completely tear up “one country two systems” and destroy Hong Kong’s democracy and freedom. Huang Yiwu, an ex-vice convener of Hong Kong’s Civil Human Rights Front expressed his worry for Hong Kong’s future. He said, “The police’s power is absolute and no one can oversee them. They even have the law basis to commit crimes. The CCP has the final say about judge appointments and sentence standards. The National Security Law is even above the Basic Law. The seven international treaties Hong Kong has signed before are now deemed as empty words. Hong Kong’s rule of law exists no more.”
A CAG Christian recalled Liu Xiaobo’s sacrifice for China’s democracy movement and denounced the CCP’s cruel persecution of CAG Christians. She said, “Since the CAG’s establishment, the CCP has made over one million arrests of CAG Christians and 169 were persecuted to death for their faith. In 2019 alone, over 1,355 CAG Christians were sentenced.” She added, “The CCP is a satanic regime that resists God and harms humanity. As long as it exists for one day, there will be violence and bloody suppression and the world peace will never be achieved.” “I call on the international societies to unite to impose sanctions on the CCP and end its authoritarian rule sooner.”
The ADHRRF representative joined this activity and called on the Western countries to provide a safe haven to Hong Kong’s democratic activists and pay attention to the sufferings of Chinese dissidents, rights lawyers, and religious believers, who are being suppressed and persecuted in mainland China.
