Chen Guangcheng Exposes Brutality of China’s Forced Abortion Regime

It is a horror story with a most unlikely hero. Chen Guangcheng is a blind Chinese human rights activist and self-taught attorney. After serving over four years in prison, he escaped after 16 subsequent months of house arrest and is now at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. What was his crime? He exposed the brutal forced abortion and sterilization program which China has used for over 30 years to implement its one child per couple policy.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) states that: “When Chen investigated and intervened with a class action suit on behalf of women in Linyi City who suffered horrific abuse under China’s one child per couple policy, he was arrested, detained and tortured.” Keith Richbourg of the Washington Post reports that Chen was “…kept under an unofficial kind of house arrest, surrounded by armed thugs in plain clothes who prevented Chen and his wife from leaving and brutally blocked journalists and activists from going to see him.” NPR reports Chen’s description of how he was treated by local officials: “Dozens of men broke into my house and beat my wife up. They held her down on the floor and covered her with a quilt. Then they punched and kicked her for several hours. They also beat me violently.”

After Chen’s escape, he posted a YouTube video on April 27 in which he expressed concern that authorities “might ignite a violent revenge against my family.” Fox News reports today that “U.S. and Chinese officials are ironing out a deal to secure American asylum for a blind Chinese legal activist who fled house arrest, with an agreement likely before Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives this week.” The European Union has also weighed in, issuing a statement today which states: “We call on the Chinese authorities to exercise utmost restraint in dealing with the matter, including avoiding harassment of his family members or any person associated with him.”

While Chen does not want to leave China, some believe exile may be his only option to allow the Chinese government to save face. An extraordinary story of courage in the face of brutality. If Chen comes to the United States, we should welcome him and his family with open arms for his heroic stand.

Barbara Lyons