Recent Q&A with John KusumiJohn Kusumi November, 2003 Questioner: Duncan Currie, Harvard Crimson Q.: To date, what actions has the U.S. State Department taken to gain Jianli's release? Are you satisfied with State's efforts on Jianli's behalf thus far? A.: On the part of the U.S. administration, verbal representations have been the only actions taken to date in seeking to obtain the release of Yang Jianli. The administration appears to be completely ineffectual -- China has been driving the agenda and timing of proceedings in the case of Yang Jianli. At the China Support Network, we are not satisfied with the efforts to date on the part of this administration or state department. Q.: In your opinion, what kind of message does it send to Beijing when the United States allows China to hold its residents/citizens unjustly and illegally without much uproar or consequences? A.: I am given to understand that in "Bush vocabulary," a civilian is "OFU" -- one fodder unit. The administration's human rights policy has a blind eye for abuses, even when they extend out of China and occur in America (the Falun Gong can document cases of PRC-sponsored abuse in the United States), and even when the civilians abused are American nationals. The message is only a regrettable one, that I prefer not to articulate. In 1979, the nation of Iran took American hostages and it caused a national uproar for 444 days. At that time, the nation was in a different mindset about human rights (they were more important). Today's policies of genocidal neglect make the Iranian hostage crisis seem quaint by comparison. Q.: What actions would you suggest the State Dept., and President Bush, take in the coming weeks to help secure Jianli's release? A.: The United States must use economic leverage to truly get the PRC government to sit up and to pay attention. The case of Yang Jianli is one among many that argue for a stronger U.S. response to China. Because of China's artificial currency manipulation, many Senators are now considering sanctions anyway. (There is a proposal in Congress for a 27.5% tariff against Chinese goods.) There are economic reasons why the United States must do the same, but as we reach for tougher sanctions we can also elevate the case of Yang Jianli, and other human rights cases, to be a part and parcel of our reasons for so doing, and to be issues that we want resolved with China before this crisis can pass behind us.
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