>What's wrong w/Harry Wu screaming about lack of
>basic freedoms in China?
>From the PEN-L archives:
The Houston Chronicle, February 4, 1996
Harry Wu just won't back off; Crusader dismisses criticism of his stance
against China
LYDIA LUM; Staff
MILPITAS, Calif. - As soon as human rights crusader Harry Wu accused the
World Bank of financing an agriculture project in China that used prison
labor, the bank investigated his claim.
But after a six-week, $ 200,000 probe of that project, as well as 159 other
World Bank-financed efforts in China, bank officials announced they found
no ties between any of their projects and prison labor.
The incident perhaps best illustrates Wu's reputation as an apostle in
human-rights issues. It also shows growing doubts about his accuracy.
"Harry Wu is a major player, and we took his words seriously,'' said bank
spokesman Graham Barrett. "We abhor forced labor, and we wouldn't want our
money supporting it. But there is no evidence to substantiate Mr. Wu's
claims.''
Wu, 59, drew headlines worldwide during a 66-day detention in China last
summer. Immediately after returning to the United States, he resumed
criticizing agencies and companies that he says support forced-labor camps
in China. Targets of Wu's verbal assault have ranged from the World Bank to
a wholesale tool shop in Houston.
Imprisoned for 19 years in forced-labor camps, Wu has built a career trying
to dismantle the laogai - a network of Chinese prison camps modeled after
the Soviet gulag that tries to "reform'' minds of criminals and political
undesirables through forced labor under dangerous conditions. Some
prisoners languish for decades.
Wu insists his accusations are well-researched, based on records and photos
retrieved by him and a chain of Chinese informants. He says the World Bank
could not have investigated thoroughly in only six weeks and is covering
up.
Wu - who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize during last summer's house
arrest - speaks brashly about his legal troubles in China. He was convicted
of stealing state secrets and impersonating a police officer stemming from
undercover trips to China to document human rights abuses.
During a stop at the University of St. Thomas last fall, he told his
audience that owners of a southwest Houston shop knowingly import hammers,
wrenches and other tools from forced-labor camps. U.S. law bans importing
forced-labor goods.
But U.S.Customs officials - who have issued import bans on 26 Chinese
products since 1991 and credit Wu as one of their resources - say they
found no proof of wrongdoing during several investigations of Houston
companies with purported ties to Chinese prison labor.
Employees at the tool shop declined comment when contacted by the
Chronicle, but appeared surprised when told of Wu's accusation. Wu said he
never spoke to the store's owner, basing his claim on records from a
Chinese informant.
"Like many other zealots, he is so convinced of the rightness of his own
position,'' said James Feinerman, a Georgetown University professor of
Chinese law who has testified at congressional hearings with Wu. "But
things aren't always black and white. ''
Louis Proyect
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