Remembering Liu Xiaobo

I
n October 2008, Liu Xiaobo reached out to me via a friend. I was very surprised that a prominent pro-democracy writer and public intellectual would contact me, an unknown person. 

He briefly explained that he took part in co-drafting a manifesto about their aspiration for the democratic development in China. They wanted to invite Hong Kong and other overseas friends to co-sign the statement. He knew that the organization I was working with at that time had contacts with some Hong Kong pro-democracy legislators and activists who were concerned about democratic development in China. 

He asked me to help to contact them, while he also asked other friends in Hong Kong to help. Such exchanges were normal in democratic countries. But in dictatorial and authoritarian China, public intellectuals like Liu Xiaobo who were concerned about democracy and human rights were unfortunately the targets of suppression. 

I believe that he and other co-drafters of “Charter 08” saw a glimmer of hope and resolutely decided to release the manifesto. That was the first and the only time I was in touch with Liu Xiaobo.

For someone who came from and lived in Hong Kong at that time, I did not have any concern about such a request. After all, it was very common to see all kinds of statements and invitations to co-sign statements in Hong Kong everyday. So, I immediately contacted several friends, and we contacted all the pro-democracy legislators and some Hong Kong activists who were concerned about human rights in China. We quickly collected some signatures. 

I think friends in Hong Kong at that time could not imagine that such a manifesto with merely aspirations, based on the concepts of the “Charter 77” in Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, would keep Liu Xiaobo in jail until his death. Nobody would also imagine Liu Xiaobo would become the first Chinese to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (2010). 

In 2009, I took part in various activities to call for Liu Xiaobo’s release. Thanks to other experienced activists’ support, I participated in various activities organized by PEN International to support Liu Xiaobo in my capacity as vice-president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, of which Liu Xiaobo was a co-founder. 

Through Mr. Wang Jinzhong’s introduction and arrangements, together with other representatives of Independent Chinese PEN, we went to the National Diet Building in Japan to meet with Mr. Makino Seishū, then-member of the Japanese Diet and Acting Chairperson of the Diet Affairs Committee of the then ruling Democratic Party of Japan. We thanked him for his long-term concern for freedom of expression and democratic issues in China. We also thanked him for connecting various sectors to support Liu Xiaobo. He also promised to lobby various important public figures to nominate Liu Xiaobo for the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 2010 Liu Xiaobo became the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize after the nomination and support by many people. In December 2010, together with some Hong Kong legislators and activists, we went to Oslo to attend the award ceremony and protests outside the Chinese embassy and other actions organized by other organizations. We deeply felt the concern for Liu Xiaobo and human rights in China by many people. 

Sadly and unfortunately, Liu Xiaobo was in prison for a long time and eventually died of illness in custody on July 13, 2017. His death made the world understand the Communist Chinese regime’s inhumane treatment of political prisoners. Dissidents who merely express their views are cracked down on until the end. Even after Liu Xiaobo’s death, the Chinese government would not give his family peace. 

The Chinese government forcibly spread Liu Xiaobo’s ashes at sea. It also put a lot of pressure on Liu Xiaobo’s wife and constantly placed her under surveillance. Many people could not imagine that the crackdown on freedom of expression would be so quickly spread to Hong Kong. The annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil at Victoria Park has been forcibly halted. Public commemoration of June 4th can no longer exist in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic and Democratic Movements of China and many other organizations were forced to shut down. Several leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance are now in prison.

It’s such a rocky and bumpy road for the democratic development in China. It also marks the significance of our commemoration here and in various other places. 

Let us continue Liu Xiaobo’s legacy. Fight for democracy and freedom in China. Never give up! ◉

Patrick Poon is a Tokyo-based human rights activist.

Banner photo credit: Wikimedia Commons