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Global Call for Release of Dr Wang Bingzhang for His Daughter’s Wedding Ceremony
Why this is important
Global Call for Release of Dr Wang Bingzhang for His Daughter’s Wedding Ceremony
Ms. Wang Tianna, daughter of the founder of China’s overseas democracy movement, has urged global leaders to help release her father for her wedding ceremony in July.
Dr. Wang Bingzhang has suffered severe health issues, spending his last 13 years of a life sentence in China for his political activities overseas. His daughter Wang Tianna has sent letters to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and US President Obama calling for their urgent and effective diplomatic efforts to get her father’s release.
At the 10th Interfaith Interethnic Youth Leadership Conference hosted by Initiatives for China in Washington, DC last month, the first proposal from the representatives of Children of Prisoners of Conscience was to call for joint efforts for the release of Dr. Wang Bingzhang, on basis of medical parole, to attend his daughter’s wedding ceremony which is scheduled for July 11 in Canada. All participants have pledged support to this initiative.
Now nine of the democratic groups have therefore called for the global movement to urge release of Dr. Wang Bingzhang, and for signatory campaign in supporting Ms. Wang Ti-anna’s letter of petition to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama of the United States, which is also part of the succession of the commemorative activities for Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing China in 1989.
Letter to Ti-Anna from Dr. Wang in Prison
Ti-Anna, my daughter, I believe in God and the heavenly father. What proof do I have of his existence. (Strength). In profound conversations, non believers would ask me: “You claim that God has shown you the way? Why has He not shown me the way?” I respond by asking, “if you’re not well, would you see go to the doctors?”. They say “I would.” I continue to ask, “but if you sat in front of the doctor, and said you don’t believe in him, then what kind of direction would he provide you?”. They become speechless. I explain: “believing in God is simple. To receive his guidance, you first have to open your heart and say with sincerity that you have faith. And then you can ask for direction. But without sincerity, you cannot receive Godly direction. It’s like going to the doctors. If you say to the doctor first that you trust in him to heal you, then the doctor will surely perform his best.
Once upon a time, you were my daughter. You were only 13 when I was imprisoned. With a blink of an eye, you’ve matured to a young lady. Did you know who, according to Christian tradition, is suppose to hold a bride’s hand before giving it to her groom? A father.
As I write this, my cannot hold my tears back. I so hope that when the time comes for you to marry, I can play the role of hand holder. Ti-Anna, do you wish for the same?
When I think of this, I’m reminded of Margaret Thatcher. Her father held her hand when she married. So divine and dignified. Her father’s words left a lifelong impression on her. Never run with the crowd, and go your own way. Who gave her the gift and encouragement to become Britain’s first female prime minister? The answer is her father.
Ti-Anna, when you marry, would you mind my absence? Or would you wish for me to be there to hold your hand. Please tell me, ok?
Missing you and loving you always,
Dad
Wang Bingzhang
2012.11.15
Beijian Prison
Single Person Cell
Letter to President Obama from Ti-Anna Wang:
Dear President Obama,
My name is Ti-Anna Wang and I am writing to request your assistance to have my father attend my wedding in this coming July 11, 2015.
My father is a political prisoner in China, currently serving the 13th year of a life sentence. After completing his Ph.D. at McGill University in 1972, he decided to give his medical career to found the overseas Chinese democracy movement. Based in New York as a U.S. permanent resident, he dedicated twenty years of his life advocating for rule of law, human rights and democracy in his homeland among Chinese dissident communities in North America, and around the world.
In 2002, my father was kidnapped while travelling in Vietnam, and forced back into China where he was taken into custody by Chinese police. After being held incommunicado for six months, he was subjected to a sham trial and found guilty of ‘espionage’ and ‘terrorism’. My father was sentenced in life in prison, and has been serving his sentence in solitary confinement since.
Since his imprisonment, my father has missed many significant occasions in our family’s lives, including his parents’ funeral, all of my siblings university graduations, and the birth of his grandchildren. It is hard to believe that believe how many years he has now spent wrongfully in prison, and his absence never becomes easier to accept. It is particularly difficult to accept that he will also not be at my wedding, a milestone that I always assumed we would celebrate together.
I believe high level diplomacy is my father’s only chance for freedom. I thus request for your personal intervention in his case, and ask that you do whatever that is within your power to negotiate my father’s release with your Chinese counterpart, so that he can come and celebrate with us this summer. As a father, I know you understand the significance of his presence for this event.
I would like to close by noting that while I myself, am not American, my father has deep connections to the country, which he considers his second home, having been based in the U.S. for 20 years. My sister and brother are both American citizens, as are some of his siblings.
Sincerely,
Ti-Anna
Letter to Prime Minister Harper from Ti-Anna Wang:
Dear Prime Minister Harper,
My name is Ti-Anna Wang. I was born and raised Montreal, and I am currently a first-year law student at McGill University. I am writing to request your assistance to have my father attend my wedding in Montreal this coming July 11, 2015.
My father is a political prisoner in China, currently serving the 13th year of a life sentence. After completing his Ph.D. at McGill University in 1972, he decided to give his medical career to found the overseas Chinese democracy movement. He dedicated twenty years of his life advocating for rule of law, human rights and democracy in his homeland among Chinese dissident communities in North America, and around the world. Meanwhile, my father married a Montrealer, and started a family in Canada.
In 2002, my father was kidnapped while travelling in Vietnam, and forced back into China where he was taken into custody by Chinese police. After being held incommunicado for six months, he was subjected to a secret trial and found guilty of ‘espionage’ and ‘terrorism’. My father was sentenced in life in prison, and has been serving his sentence in solitary confinement since.
Since his imprisonment, my father has missed many significant occasions in our family’s lives, including his parents’ funeral, all of my siblings university graduations, and the birth of his grandchildren. It is hard to believe that believe how many years he has now spent wrongfully in prison, and his absence never becomes easier to accept. It is particularly difficult to accept that he will also not be at my wedding, a milestone that I always assumed we would celebrate together.
I believe high level diplomacy is my father’s only chance for freedom. I thus request for your personal intervention in his case, and ask that you do whatever that is within your power to negotiate my father’s release with your Chinese counterpart, so that he can come and be with us this summer. As a father, I know you understand the significance of his presence for this event.
Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Ti-Anna
