From: phsjjc@emrycc.cc.emory.edu (JAMES J. CEN)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.china
Subject: Forward: Shen Tong? (IV)
Date: 13 Oct 1992 15:20:40 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

Dear Netters:

	I have posted "Shen Tong? (I)--(III)" during the past few days. They
have generated some interest in the fate of these people visited by Shen Tong.
Because they are still in custody, it might further incriminate them if their
names and other activities are made public now.  However, their situation is 
being closely monitored.   

	The following is a letter the Chairman of AHKCUS, Dr. Stephen Ng,
sent to the Daily Free Press, in response to its article in the October 5
issue.  [For details, please see Shen Tong? (I)--(III)].

	Isn't it interesting to notice the similarity between the tactics 
of some of Shen Tong's supporters and those of the CCP when facing unwelcome
facts?  Label the other side as "double agents" spreading "disinformaton!"
It is sad but very effective: once accusing someone as a "double agent", 
you can dismiss all the good things he has done, and hitting him on what
he does not agree with you.  What is hard to understand is, why it comes so
easily for some otherwise reputable people to smear someone who don't 
share their opinion?

	It scares me if this was the kind of "democracy" they were trying
to bring to China.

James J. Cen
Emory University
==========================================================================
Date:     Wed Oct 07, 1992  5:24 pm  EST  
From:     Stephen Kam-Cheung Ng
          EMS: INTERNET / MCI ID: 376-5414  
          MBX: skn1@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu  
 
                                             October 7, 1992  
  
Editorial Page Editor  
The Daily Free Press
842 Commonwealth Ave.  
Boston MA 02215
  
via Fax: (617) 232-0592  
  
To the Editor,
  
        I  want  to provide some additional information  on  your
October 5,  1992  article in reference to Shen Tong's role in the  
1989  Tiananmen Square democracy  movement as well as his  recent  
trip back to China.  
  
1.       The  Alliance of Hong Kong Chinese in the United  States  
has  been  collecting   information on  all  political  prisoners  
wanted  or arrested by the Chinese  government since  the  brutal  
crackdown in 1989.  Shen Tong's name did not appear  on the first  
list  of  the 21 most wanted or any other official  warrant  list
that   we  obtained.   Neither  can we find any evidence  of  his
warrant  from  other  human  rights organizations  such  as  Asia
Watch,  Amnesty  International,  and Human Rights in  China.   If  
there  are  people  in possession  of  such  evidence,  we  would  
appreciate receiving a copy.  
 
2.       As far as I know,  Shen left China on or around June 11,  
1989  by plane with  an official Chinese passport and valid entry
visa to the United States.  No  underground railroad was involved  
in his departure.  
  
3.       According to Tang Boqiao,  the student leader from Hunan
who  planned the trip with Shen Tong and gave Shen the  names  of  
some of his colleagues in China,  the  original plan was for Shen
to  sneak  in  and out of China without being  detected   by  the  
Chinese  government.   Shen never informed him of the plans for a  
press  conference in Beijing.   
  
4.        According  to sources in both Hong Kong and the  United  
States, last summer  Shen flew from Hong Kong to the Chinese city  
of Guilin and entered China using  his Chinese passport.   He was  
followed  by  public security agents the moment he  set  foot  on  
China.   According to sources in China, Hong Kong, and the United
States,  many people have been arrested or disappeared soon after
their meeting  with Shen.
    
        While  we  do not approve of Shen's actions,  we  see  no  
irony in  petitioning for his and others' release.   The goals of
our Alliance are to  promote human rights and democracy in  China  
and  Hong  Kong  and we try to speak  out on all cases  of  human
rights  violations in these places.   Our personal  feelings  for  
Shen has nothing to do with our mission to promote Chinese  human   
rights.  
 
        While I can appreciate the loyalty one displays for one's  
friend,  it  is  impertinent and irresponsible to label unwelcome
facts  as rumors spread by  'double agents'  and  'disinformation  
organization.'  As the national organization of Hong Kong Chinese  
in the United States,  our work in the past three years has  been  
much appreciated by the overseas Chinese democracy movement.   It  
would  be   prudent  for Shen's friends to learn more  about  the  
bearer of bad news before  pointing the accusing finger.  
  
  
Yours sincerely,
  
  
Stephen K. Ng, MD, DrPH  
Chairman
============================TO BE CONTINUED===============================