China is in Danger!

President Jintao Hu and Premier Jiabao Wen:

While all the people are fighting against the SARS pestilence, as the offspring of Yan & Huang, we are standing with our compatriots and the government for the hardship! 

Wherever we live in the world, we are concerned about our China. Sirens of the ambulances in Beijing are breaking our hearts too.

The SARS was originally visitation of Providence, but it soon became a severe man-made disaster because of the irresponsible officials and bad administrative polices that disguised the epidemic situation and ignored human lives. All these have led to fleeing of thousands upon thousands of people from the capital city, propagation of rumors and canards across the country, disastrous decline of the government’s credit, and condemns by international consensus.  Furthermore, the achievement of reform and open policy in more than 20 years and China’s “well-to-do” future are being ruined by the pestilence!

Recently, you two have corrected the mistakes and took remedy measures, which has brought some hope and inspired the people. The Chinese medical personnel has dedicated themselves to the life salvage and moved everyone of us. However, the deluge of SARS pestilence has warned us that a natural calamity itself is far less horrible than the combined natural and man-made disaster which is pushing the Chinese national to the endless abysm!

Today’s SARS conjuncture has demonstrated in all aspects how a natural calamity with limited jeopardy has, due to the abuses of the system, has spread out and brought disaster to the whole country and overseas. The inclement reality and the shocking turbulence are telling the Chinese government that suppressing of the public voice is endangering not only the people but eventually the regime itself. 

Therefore, even for the sake of the Chinese regime itself and for rebuilding its credit in the world, it is time for the Chinese government to reform.

As the SARS conjuncture is still expanding in China, we urgently suggest the Chinese government that:

1. Intensify punishment on those officials who disguise the epidemic situation and are derelict, and manage officials with the law. At the crises of national calamity, sternly punish those who disguise the epidemic situation or suppress citizens and media revealing truth, or those who assume important responsibilities but get away from pestilence regions. No matter how high his rank is, no one should place himself above constitution and law.

2. Promote in a big way the conscientiousness for people. Award the citizens who bravely revealed the truth and fight against crimes of hiding of epidemic situation and absence without leave, and honor and substantially compensate the medical personnel who died at their post of life salvage.

3. Gradually release the suppression on consensus, at least let the information on epidemic situation to circulate freely, e.g., stop filtration of the information about epidemic situation on the internet and cellular phone message, and allow reporters for extensive and in depth news coverage … and so on.  Profoundly self-question on and learn lesson from the disaster to the nation and the world resulted from the suppression of public opinion and monopolization of administrivia.

4. Allow villages, towns, factories, companies, organizations and schools, and so on, implement “grass root autonomy” and “civilian self-protection” during this unusual anti-pestilence time. Allow them for isolation, relief, and salvation measures in accordance with the Guide to Epidemic Prevention and Isolation.

5. Show solicitude especially to peasants and lost-job workers, and guarantee them effective treatment and prevention of the epidemic. The state should support with special funds. Strictly prohibit rejection of SARS patients for medical treatment. Violators should be charged by law.  Provide almsgiving to needed patients while severely strike those officials in the countryside who unlawfully collect apportion charge in the name of the epidemic prevention.

6. As the isolation expands, strengthen and improve the management of the isolation areas. Coordinate inspection, sanitation, mentality and entertainment operations to cooperate with cure and control of the epidemic situation.  Learn the experiences from relevant countries and regions. Award those patients who initiatively look for medical treatment while amerce those who break out of the isolation area.

7. At the moment of national calamity, we appeal that people of all classes, nations and politics hold together with one mind to pull through the difficulty. At the same time, we appeal more cautiously that military forces not be involved in any political struggle so that our motherland can  pull through this severe crisis peacefully.

Some of us experienced the “9.11” terrorist attack and witnessed the eutaxy of the American people during the crisis.  In deed, it is owing to the environment of open information that people can reject rumors and remain calm in the hour of danger. In addition, a government wins trust and support from the people only when it allows free criticism. Furthermore, only free people can be more conscious, more reasonable, more kindhearted, more helpful and more cooperative … but not the opposite.

 Best regards!

signatures:  398

(Electronic signatures)