Humanitarian Volunteers Persecuted and Detained in Mainland China
Worldwide revolutions spark government crackdown on peaceful Chinese volunteers
(BOSTON, MA) – Volunteers involved in anti-trafficking and anti-gendercide work with the humanitarian organization All Girls Allowed have been targeted by the Chinese government in a recent crackdown likely sparked by various Middle East protests and the peaceable Chinese “Jasmine Revolution”.
While uninvolved in these demonstrations, volunteers have been accused and detained by police. An alarming example: Jiang Tianyong, a human rights lawyer who helped anti-trafficking volunteers as they reconnected a 3-year old child to her family just last month, is missing.
“We believe that this recent wave of kidnappings, detainments and house arrests is related to current events happening around the world,” says Chai Ling, founder of All Girls Allowed. “But our volunteers just want to continue rescuing children and supporting families who are hurting.”
No one knows how long this persecution of volunteers and peaceable human-rights workers will continue.
Human rights lawyers who defend victims of forced abortions are in particular danger. From his home, under house arrest, blind attorney Cheng Guangcheng peacefully advocates for the rights of Chinese mothers. He was beaten severely earlier this month. Another lawyer, Fan Yafeng was taken by authorities and is still missing. Information about additional disappearances is available at China Aid’s website.
“Our prayers are with all of these volunteers and their families,” says Chai Ling. “Their devotion to helping families amidst fear for their own safety challenges us here in America to be thankful and to serve the community around us.”
All Girls Allowed is a Boston-based organization with the mission to restore life, value and dignity to girls and mothers, and to expose the injustice of China’s One-Child Policy. More information, including how to get involved, can be found at the AGA website: http://www.allgirlsallowed.org.
For interviews, contact Tessa Dale at tessa@allgirlsallowed.org, 1 (617) 275-9176.
