His Holiness the Dalai Lama Lauds Chinese Activists Call for Democracy in
ChinaFriday, 12 December 2008, 12:49 p.m.
I am greatly encouraged by the launching of a Charter
’08 by academics, artists, farmers and lawyers in China on the occasion of the
60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Their call for
political, legal and constitutional reform is admirable. I personally
believe that President Hu Jintao’s call for a harmonious society is a laudable
initiative that can provide space to the viewpoints being expressed by a growing
number of Chinese people. A harmonious society can only come into being when
there is trust among the people, freedom from fear, freedom of expression, rule
of law, justice and equality. I would like to urge the Chinese
leadership to consider making efforts to bring about unity and stability in a
civilized way. I would also like to take this opportunity to call upon
the government of the People’s Republic of China to release prisoners of
conscience, including Hu Jia, who have been detained for exercising their
freedom of expression.
Friday, December 12,
2008