Initiatives For China/Citizen Power for China Statement 
on the killing of a woman by Chinese Police

China mainstream media is reporting public outrage over the abnormal death of a woman as a result of severe beating by local police in China‘s northern Shanxi Province on December 13, 2014. Her husband suffered severe beaten, with four broken ribs. The woman, Zhou Xiuyun, with her husband from Dancheng, Henan Province, were in the provincial capital Taiyuan of Shanxi for her overdue wages owned by local employers. Initiatives for China/Citizen Power for China strongly condemns such brutality and abuse of police power, and vows to follow the situation closely.

The Chinese Communist regime has long clung to the straw name of economic boom for its so-called legitimacy. Since the Tiananmen Massacre, it has continued to trample on the human rights of the Chinesepeople, hiding behind the excuse of economic expansion.

China has seen a widespread plague of overdue wages owed to migrant workers. Zhou Xiuyun’s case once again reveals the miserable fate of migrant workers, whose basic rights are not protected in today’s China. This kind of overdue wage petitioner often ends up losing not only their economic rights, but also their personal freedom and even their lives.

Chinese people face such a brutal reality in their daily lives under the Communist regime. The death of Zhou Xiuyun is not a rare case. Such overdue wages have been flooding across China, particularly at the end of the year, when the migrant workers need their pay for the holidays. Petitioners often take to the streets for their overdue wages. Police have long sided with the employers, and such a practice costs workers’ rights, harm their interests, leading to tragedies and cover-ups. What’s more, this is not an isolated case of poor performance of an individual policeman, but shows a systematic abuse of power. All these tragedies reveal the evil nature of the Communist regime, run by police against the people.

This kind of state often denies the basic rights and freedom in the name of “social stability.” This kind of government assumes it is the master of the people. In such a country, citizen rights mean little to the regime, and their lives are seen as at the disposal of the authorities. Life becomes dirt in the eyes of the rulers, easily sacrificed. Such a country existed in Nazi Germany, and in Apartheid South Africa, and in today’s Cuba. It exists now with China‘s Communist regime.

Initiatives for China/Citizen Power has called on the Chinese citizens to act in defense of their own rights and resist such injustice. Chinese citizens must unite to strike back against police. Here we want to reiterates our motto: Do no evil when in power. Say No to violence and slavery. We are citizens. Chinashall become a civil society based on awakening citizenship. China shall become a democracy with the growing citizen power. A great country shall be born of a great civil society in China.”

 

It is reported that police involved in Zhou Xiuyun case has been suspended and under investigation. We sincerely hope this is a right first step for justice. In order to achieve such a justice, we call on the Chinesecitizens to demand the following:

(1)    The local government in Taiyuan must investigate the case and issue its report.

(2)    Individuals must be made accountable.

(3)    Compensation must be paid to the relatives of Zhou Xiuyun (pay must be made by obligated institutions, and individuals must be responsible for such a compensation), and medial treatment must be provided to the husband of Zhou Xiuyun

(4)    Stop limiting the freedom of speech and movement of the relatives of Zhou Xiuyun

(5)    Public apologies must be made by relevant security institutions for their abuse of police power

(6)    The Labor Department must hand over the standard labor contracts and social security to every and all migrant workers as a first step in establishment of a mechanism to solve overdue wages and prevent such happenings in the future.

We strongly urge the Communist regime to take effective measures to curb abuse of police power. The government must also reflect its role in authoritarian rule, maintain social order by police, thus its long-term harm to the people. Political parties must be separate from state and government power must be ruled by constitution, and civil rights must be guarantees to the people.