An Open Letter to All Charter 08 Signatories  

November 25, 2009 

Dear Charter 08 signatories and friends:

      Since its publication in December 9, 2008, Charter 08 has been signed by over 10,000 people who are not afraid of standing to the arbitrary power, and thus Charter 08 has become the most important fundamental human rights declaration that has been published in the past two decades in the mainland China.      

      However, until today, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities have not made any positive responses to this significant document, which provides constructive proposals to the future of our country. On the contrary, they launched a series of notorious propagandas asserting that the principles of free election, representative government, multi- party system, and the nationalization of the army do not fit the situation in China. In addition, merely after 16 days of the publication of Charter 08, the Chinese authorities have completely blocked it on the internet. Any information about Charter 08 is not searchable by any search engines, such as Baidu and Google. This is completely unacceptable.  What more irritating is that while Charter 08 has been enjoying more signatories and spreading more widely, Mr. Liu Xiaobo, an important launcher of the Charter, was arbitrarily arrested by the CCP. Liu’s fate is entirely in the hands of the CCP.  Meanwhile, a great deal of the Charter 08 signatories have been harassed and threatened in various hideous ways by the police.  These actions are brutal violations of the Chinese citizen’s basic human rights and political rights.  Nevertheless, what is encouraging is that despite the high political pressure from the autocratic regime, there has not been a single signatory to Charter 08 withdrawing his or her signature. Charter 08, though officially blocked on Chinese websites, is still wide spreading on the internet via various social networks.  The universal values and fundamental principles in Charter 08 are getting more and more recognition in the Chinese society.

      With the first anniversary of Charter 08 soon to come, and with Liu Xiaobo still being arrested, we, some signatories to Charter 08, hope to work together with all other signatories, share the spirit of Charter 08 to pursue liberty, promote democracy, defend human rights, and bear courageously the responsibilities for the future of our nation. In order to fulfill the obligations of Charter 08 signatories, we here issue this open letter, inviting all Charter 08 signatories and other citizens who are concerned about China’s democratic future, to play our role in promoting and distributing Charter 08 and laying down the intellectual basis for the democratic transition in China.  We are proposing:

      1.  Introduce Carter 08 in various networks to friends who care about public affairs and social progress, and encouraging those who agree with Charter 08 principles to sign it and also asking them to encourage their friends to sign it.  In commemorating the first anniversary of the publication of Charter 08, introduce the Charter to one to ten friends and encourage at least one of them to sign it.

      2. In your daily life, initiate conversations and discussions about the ideas of Charter 08 with friends and co-workers, and pay attention to their opinions and suggestions concerning Charter 08.

3. When meeting with those who disagree with Charter 08, listen to them and encourage them to express their opinions. We value their opinions in order to improve Charter 08. 

      4.  For Chinese citizens who traveling abroad, use the opportunities to get a copy of Charter 08, which was published in Hong Kong, to visit Charter 08 website http://www.2008xianzhang.info/ and to read the monthly Charter 08 e-journal, and share your ideas about how to promote Charter 08.   

      5. Write articles or commentaries on different media at your convenient time to express your understanding of Charter 08 and use Charter 08 principles to analyze the social facts in China to stimulate more discussions and debates.

      6. Raise awareness of Liu Xiaobo’s arrest on the basis of initiating Charter 08 and the police harassments and intimidations of other Charter 08 signatories. Use every opportunity appealing for Liu Xiaobo’s release, and help, encourage, and support other Charter 08 signatories.       

      7. Make friends and communicate with other Charter 08 signatories when convenient, exchange ideas of your comprehension of Charter 08, and sharing your confidence and hope in China’s democratic future.   

      Dear friends, today, what lies behind the official disguised facade of “flourishing times” are various well-known causes of crises, the accumulation of social discontents and the decaying system.  The 21 century is unfolding its second decade. It has been almost 100 years since the Xinhai Revolution which many Chinese people sacrificed their lives in effort to establish a republic. Memorizing our democracy conscientious fathers and facing our contemporaries and our descendants, we should bravely shoulder our inescapable historical responsibilities. Let’s join hands in promoting the cause of liberty and democracy in China rationally, peacefully, responsibly, and consistently. Let’s make every effort to turn China into a great home where everyone can live freely, have equal opportunity, and enjoy social justice. 

Some Charter 08 Signatories  
  

致所有《零八宪章》签署人的倡议书

尊敬的《零八宪章》签署人： 
     
你们好！    

从2008年12月9日《零八宪章》正式发布以来，已经有超过1万名各界人士，不畏强权，公开参与《零八宪章》的签名联署，使得《零八宪章》成为中国大陆最近20年来最重要的公民权利宣言。   

令人不能接受的是，中共执政当局迄今对此攸关国家民族未来的重要建言不仅不做正面回应，反而通过其掌控的媒体，有明显针对性地大肆宣扬中国不适合民主选举、议会制、多党制、军队国家化等论调；同时暗中加紧行动，在《零八宪章》公布的第16天，突然动用一切技术手段，从互联网上全面封杀相关内容，只字不留。更令人愤怒的是，在《零八宪章》的签署和传播过程中，作为重要推动者的刘晓波先生被中共当局无理羁押并逮捕，命运未卜，而大部分签署人则被中共警察以各种他们自己也不肯公开的方式骚扰和威胁。当局的这些作法，是对公民基本政治权利的粗暴践踏，是对公民尊严的严重侵犯。令人感到鼓舞和欣慰的是，在专制体制的政治高压之下，迄今为止并没有任何一位签署者宣布退出签名，而《零八宪章》在严酷的封锁下，仍在网络世界继续传播，其所载明的普世价值和基本主张获得越来越多的社会认同。     

在《零八宪章》即将迎来其发布一周年之际，在刘晓波先生依然被中共当局羁押的状况下，我们希望和全体签署者一起，来共同分享宪章追求自由，推进民主，捍卫人权，为民族未来勇于担当的精神，来共同承担签署宪章的庄严责任，特此发出这份倡议书，邀请所有《零八宪章》签署人和关心中国社会进步的公民们，一起参与进，持续推动《零八宪章》更广泛的传播。为在中国实现民主转型打下理念基础做出努力。我们的倡议如下： 


      1、通过各种方式向您身边关心公共事务与社会进步的朋友介绍《零八宪章》，让他们了解宪章的内容，并鼓励他们向更多朋友推介，鼓励更多认同《零八宪章》的朋友参与签署。在《零八宪章》公布一周年之际，以向1 到10位朋友宣传其内容或鼓励1名认同其内容的朋友参与联署来纪念这个日子。 
      2、在日常交往活动中，主动、热情地和您身边的朋友交流和讨论《零八宪章》提出的理念，虚心听取他们对《零八宪章》的意见与建议。

     3、对于那些在交流中持有不同意见的朋友，认真听取他们的意见，鼓励他们参与讨论，收集和整理他们的意见，为《零八宪章》的充实与完善做积累。 
     4、利用商务出访、出游境外的机会，或委托出访、出游境外的亲友，留心购买在香港出版的《零八宪章》等书籍，访问志愿者建立的《零八宪章》网站，阅读《零八宪章》月刊，并对如何推进宪章运动提出建言献策。 
      5、请在自己方便的时候，写一篇博文或随笔、札记等，介绍、阐述《零八宪章》载明的理念，让更多的朋友与你分享；也可以用《零八宪章》的理念，分析中国社会现实，促进人们的思考。 
      6、请关注因为《零八宪章》而被当局逮捕的刘晓波先生和其他被各地警察骚扰、恐吓的宪章签署者，请以各种方式为刘晓波先生的自由展开呼吁，或者以自己方便的方式帮助、鼓励、声援身边的宪章签署者。 
      7、在适宜的时候，和您所在城市或周边的《零八宪章》签署人进行交流，相互认识起来，分享经验，分享对未来的信心。 

     各位朋友，今天，在官方刻意营造的“繁华盛世”的表象背后，是尽人皆知的各种危机因素和社会不满的积聚，本世纪已将跨入第二个十年，中国人为建设一个共和国而奋斗牺牲的辛亥革命也将届百年，遥想先贤，面对世人和后辈，我们更应感到不可推卸的历史责任。让我们携起手来，本着理性、和平、负责的态度，继续坚忍不拔地推进中国的自由、民主、人权事业，为使中国大地成为一个所有人都能自由生活并享有平等的机会和社会公正的家园而竭诚努力。     

    《零八宪章》部分签署人 
    零八宪章论坛 
    2009年11 月25 日 

翻译：王天成