Blind, barefoot and battling for justice
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng is a self-taught lawyer who has been blind since infancy. He’s spent his life advocating for marginalized groups, including women who were forced into sterilization and abortions by the Chinese government. His activism landed him in jail in 2006. He hit the headlines worldwide in 2012, when he escaped from house arrest and took refuge in the U.S. embassy in Beijing. Now he is making headlines again, after presenting an account of the embassy affair in his new memoir, The Barefoot Lawyer, that is markedly different from the one Hillary Clinton has given. The National Post’s Nicole Thompson spoke to Mr. Chen about his new book.
Q How did growing up in China with a disability affect your outlook on life?
A It made an impact on my life, on my outlook on life, but I did not want my disability to make a negative impact. I would say I look at the world in a different way from healthy, able-bodied people. Q Different in what way? A Many children with a disability growing up in China are resigned to the fact they’re disabled. They aren’t able to achieve the same goals as ablebodied people. I did not want to allow this disability to affect me in a negative way. I would strive toward my goals. Maybe I would get there slower than other people and in different ways, but I would get there.
Q How did you start working as an activist?
A In the beginning, it was a natural reaction — I noticed injustice, and when people came to me, I wanted to help. Later on, I realized many of those problems were caused by the system so I tried to address this issue. Disabled people enjoy certain privileges, for example, tax reduction. But in China, in reality, those laws are rarely properly implemented. Their rights were frequently infringed or violated. I began to help them and then I began to help other people, workers and peasants, in other ways. This included the common problem of violation of “family planning” in my region. In Shandong province, 600,000 people were arrested and about 130,000 were forced to have abortions or sterilized.
Q People in the West know about the one-child policy, but we don’t talk about how it is enforced. Why do you think that is?
A It is because China publicizes the policy. The Chinese Communist Party instructs all relevant departments, from police to prosecutors, not to get involved with enforcement. They know what’s happening, but they just let it happen. All these messy stories, they do not get told. So although the violation of human rights in the name of family planning is common — it happens in every village in China — there is little chance for people to tell their stories of injustice. That’s why the outside world knows so little about it.
Q After years in prison and house arrest, you fled to the U.S. embassy. How did you feel when you first arrived?
A I was very happy, relieved and excited. I saw that America was such a powerful country, and they talk about human rights, they care about human rights. It’s not just words, they’re actually doing it. So I thought they’d actually do everything in their power to help me.
Q Then, things started to change?
A U.S. President Barack Obama made clear the incident should not damage the U.S.-Chinese relationship.
Q Why do you think nobody stood up for you?
A I would not simply term that as standing up for me, I would say it is to protect American fundamental values. I was upset, I was surprised. I wanted to say such views are not representative of the American people. It did not change my view of America fundamentally. But I understand now things are complicated, and I need to understand America better.
Q In your book, you suggest Hillary Clinton was more interested in building her relationship with the Chinese government than in helping you. In her book, she says that she worked with you from the moment she stepped off the plane. Where do you think that disparity comes from?
A I described as truthfully as possible what I experienced myself. In her book, she describes a lot of what happened before [she arrived in China]. She was not there and obviously she had heard lots of stuff secondhand.
Q Does it feel to you like Ms. Clinton is leveraging your story for her own gain?
A I’m sorry, I don’t know. You ask her.
Q In your ideal world, how would the United States move forward with its relationship with China?
A I’d like the American government to stand together with the Chinese people, not just to deal with the Chinese Communist Party. I hope that America will defend its fundamental values with respect to human rights.
Q What is your message to people still fighting the Chinese Communist Party?
A I want to tell them to continue their fight, that as long as we hold hands and fight together, we’ll achieve a day when China has freedom, respecting human rights and Confucian law.
Q When you were in the midst of that struggle, what kept you going?
A I have a fundamental faith in human nature. I believe the human race is kind and people are willing to fight for justice. And such people, ultimately, they will win. We have a saying in Chinese, justice will finally prevail over evil.