RESTRICTED
152512
MDTTAN 6986
hi true Chaube
Jashion.
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PERSUADED TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE OPEN LETTER AND FROM CHEN JUN IN PARTICULAR. THE ARGUMENTS USED AGAINST HIM WERE SIMILAR TO THOSE WHICH APPEARED IN THE OFFICIAL CHINESE ACCOUNT OF HIS ''VOLUNTARY'' DEPARTURE FROM CHINA I.E. HE HAD ENGAGED IN CURRENCY SPECULATION, HAD LINKS WITH ANTI-CHINESE GROUPS OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY, AND HAD BROKEN LOCAL REGULATIONS IN MOVING FROM SHANGHAI TO PEKING WITHOUT PERMISSION WHILE UNDER INVESTIGATION.
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4.
I AM SURE THAT CHEN JUN WILL CONTINUE SOME FORM OF CAMPAIGN
FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS IN CHINA FROM THE UNITED STATES BUT I
THINK THAT HE AND HIS WIFE ARE NOW RATHER SCEPTICAL ABOUT CHINESE
INTELLECTUALS. SOME OF THE SAME THEME IS CONTAINED IN A PIECE IN THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW OF 6 APRIL, ENTITLED TRAVAILS OF A CAMPAIGNER'' ON PAGE 106. BY CHANCE, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS WITH ROBERT DELFS OF THE REVIEW JUST BEFORE CHEN JUN'S LATEST TROUBLE. HE COMMENTED THAT THERE WAS A GROWING GAP BETWEEN YOUNGER ACTIVISTS SUCH AS CHEN AND THOSE SUCH AS FANG LIZHI WHOSE MAIN PURPOSE HAD PERHAPS BEEN IMPROVED RIGHTS FOR THEMSELVES RATHER THAN A CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA GENERALLY. I DETECT IN SOME OF THE LOCAL FOREIGN JOURNALISTS A
DEGREE OF CYNICISM ABOUT CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNERS WHICH IS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN REINFORCED BY SOME.ASPECTS OF RECENT EVENTS. AS FAR AS I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, NO CHINESE HAVE MADE ANY FORM OF PROTEST ABOUT HOW CHEN JUN WAS TREATED, AND SOME JOURNALISTS HAVE TAKEN NOTE.
5. I AM COPYING THIS TO TELELETTER TO POLITICAL ADVISER'S
OFFICE, HONG KONG AND TO JLG OFFICE, HONG KONG.
J.E. HOARE.
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