守護自由 為人權發聲

專訪英國保守黨人權委員會副主席—羅傑斯

人氣 346

【大紀元2017年8月03日訊】(大紀元特約記者舒雅採訪報導)「擁有自由、生活在可以自由發聲國家的人們,我們有責任利用自由去為那些沒有自由的人發聲。」「We have a responsibility to use the freedom to speak up for others who can’t.」——人權活動家 英國保守黨人權委員會副主席班尼迪克·羅傑斯(Benedict Rogers)

在公開場合,班尼迪克·羅傑斯總是保持低調,但他發言的狀態和私下的談話,總能讓人感到一種善良與平和。深入接觸羅傑斯之後,發現他有著溫和的性情,樂觀的心態,以及水滴石穿般的毅力。

他多年來在「不受歡迎」的情況下,出入緬甸幾十次,只為發掘緬甸人民經受的苦難,讓世界聽到那裡人們的聲音;他也不畏懼中共的強權政治,公開多次為法輪功修煉團體發聲,揭露活摘器官真相。羅傑斯也有著自己的信仰,那就是「為那些不能發聲的人發聲」。

關注中國人權問題 深入了解法輪功修煉團體

2016年年初,作為英國保守黨人權委員會副主席的羅傑斯向主席 Fiona Bruce 議員建議對中國的人權狀況作出調查。「中國的人權問題日漸嚴重,我們應該向英國政府就同中國的關係問題施壓,迫使英政府在中國人權問題上採取行動。」羅傑斯如是說道。

2016年6月28日,英國保守黨人權委員會發表了人權報告——《最黑暗的時刻》(The Darkest Moment),並於6月30日在英國下議院舉行了針對中國「活摘器官」問題的聽證會。聽證會上,加拿大世界小姐林耶凡(Annatassia Lin)和作家及資深調查記者伊森·葛特曼(Ethan Gutmann)到場舉證。

「我之前就聽過很多有關法輪功以及活摘法輪功學員器官的事情。但通過他們,我了解到更多細節。我為我所了解的內容而震驚, 我感到我應該參與並且為此發聲。」

2016年6月30日上午,尼迪克特•羅傑斯在英國保守黨人權委員主持召開關於中共「活摘器官」聽證會上。(Simon Gross/大紀元) Thursday 30 June, at 9am in Committee Room 17, Houses of Parliament, the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission will hold a hearing on organ harvesting in China, with Ethan Gutmann and David Matas, co-authors of the new report "Bloody Harvest/The Slaughter: An Update", Anastasia Lin, and Dr Enver Tothi. It will be chaired by Fiona Bruce MP. Please see our press release below. -- The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission www.conservativehumanrights.com Press Release 27 June 2016 CHINA’S ORGAN HARVESTING TO BE FOCUS OF HEARING IN PARLIAMENT The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission is holding a hearing to examine the issue of organ harvesting in China, at 9a.m on Thursday 30 June in Committee Room 17, House of Commons. Journalist Ethan Gutmann and lawyer David Matas, co-authors of a major new report on the subject, will present evidence. Their report, Bloody Harvest/The Slaughter: An Update, was launched last week and they testified at a hearing in the United States Congress alongside the report’s other author, former Canadian member of parliament and government minister David Kilgour. Their report claims that forced organ harvesting – the forced removal of internal organs from live individuals, often prisoners of conscience, for sale, often to foreigners for transplants – is continuing on a massive scale. Victims of the practice include prisoners of conscience, particularly practitioners of Falun Gong, Uighur Muslims and other religious and ethnic minorities. Enver Tothi, a Uighur surgeon from China who has publicly admitted to carrying out one operation for the purpose of organ harvesting, will also testify to the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, along with Anastasia Lin, a Chinese-born Canadian actress and Miss World Canada, whose forthcoming film The Bleeding Edge highlights forced organ harvesting in China. The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission heard evidence on the subject of organ harvesting in its inquiry into human rights in China earlier this year, and its new report – The Darkest Moment: The Crackdown on Human Rights in China 2013-2016 – to be launched in Parliament on 28 June calls for further investigation into the issue. This hearing opens a new inquiry specifically into organ harvesting, which the Commission pledged in its report to conduct. The Commission urges the United Kingdom government and the international community to investigate the practice. Fiona Bruce MP, Chair of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, said: “The evidence we heard in our hearings on China earlier this year, and the new report published this month by Ethan Gutmann, David Matas and David Kilgour, indicates a truly horrific, ghastly and harrowing practice of the forced extraction of organs from prisoners of conscience on a mass scale. So appalling is the scale and barbarity of this practice that we believe it is essential for policy-makers to examine the evidence further, to establish the facts, to develop better understanding and awareness, and to consider urgently policies which might address this. For those reasons we are holding this hearing, and will conduct further research in order to make our contribution to the efforts to highlight organ harvesting and proposals for action to end it.” For further information please contact Johnny Monro on johnny.monro@parliament.uk, or call the office of Fiona Bruce MP on 020 7 219 2969, or email Benedict Rogers on benrogers@csw.org.uk. Notes to the Editor: David Matas is an internationally renowned lawyer and human rights activist. He holds a position as an adjunct professor in Immigration & Refugee Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba and currently acts as Senior Honorary Counsel for B’nai Brith Canada. Mr. Matas has served the government of Canada in numerous positions including as member of the Canadian delegation to the United Nations Conference on an International Criminal Court and has been involved in several different organizations including the Canadian Helsinki Watch Group, Beyond Borders, Amnesty International, and the Canadian Council for Refugees. In 2010 Mr Matas was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his investigation alongside the Hon. David Kilgour of organ harvesting practices in China as detailed in their book Bloody Harvest: The Killing of Falun Gong for their Organs. He received the Manitoba Bar Association Distinguished Service Award in 2008, the Order of Canada in 2009, the Canadian Bar Association National Citizenship and Immigration Section Achievement Award in 2009; and the International Society for Human Rights Swiss Section Human Rights Prize in 2010. Matas’ other works include Why Did You Do That? The Autobiography of a Human Rights Advocate; Justice Delayed: Nazi War Criminals in Canada with Susan Charendoff; Closing the Doors: The Failure of Refugee Protection with Ilana Simon; No More: The Battle Against Human Rights Violations; Bloody Words: Hate and Free Speech; and Aftershock: Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism. Matas received a BA from the University from Manitoba, an MA from Princeton University, a BA (Jurisprudence) and a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford. He currently lives in Winnipeg. For further information, see organharvestinvestigation.net Ethan Gutmann is an award-winning China analyst and human-rights investigator, Ethan Gutmann is the author of Losing the New China and most recently, The Slaughter. Mr Gutmann’s seminal research into China’s prison camp system, Chinese Internet surveillance, and the intersection of Western business with Chinese security objectives has received sustained attention since 1999. Mr Gutmann has provided testimony and briefings to the United States Congress, the Central Intelligence Agency, the European Parliament, the International Society for Human Rights, the United Nations, and parliaments in London, Ottawa, Canberra, Jerusalem, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Prague. Along with appearances on PBS, CNN, BBC, and CNBC, Gutmann has written widely on Chinese military development, the US business scene in Beijing and Chinese hacking for The Asian Wall Street Journal, Investor's Business Daily, The Weekly Standard, World Affairs Journal, and many other publications. In 2011, Gutmann received a “Sidney Award” from the New York Times for his long-form essay, The Xinjiang Procedure. Formerly a Senior Counselor at APCO China and a visiting fellow at both the Project for the New American Century and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Gutmann served as Chief Investigator for the AV network of Washington during the 1990s, directing "American Investigator," an influential documentary series. In the 1980s, Gutmann specialized in arms control and dynamic modeling as a foreign policy analyst at the Brookings Institution. Gutmann completed both a B.A. and a Master of International Affairs at Columbia University in New York. Gutmann is currently serving as a consultant on a feature film entitled Into Thin Airwaves based on chapter seven of The Slaughter. An American citizen, he currently resides in London with his wife of 20 years and his 13-year-old son. For further information, see ethan-gutmann.com and eastofethan.com Anastasia Lin: Anastasia Lin is an award-winning actress, beauty pageant titleholder, and human rights advocate. In 2015, Miss Lin won the Miss World Canada title, and was to represent Canada at the Miss World pageant in China. However, she was refused a visa and declared a persona non grata by Chinese authorities for her outspoken views on the country’s human rights violations and persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. The news of her rejection—and subsequent attempt to enter China—caused global media attention for weeks, leading to a front page article in The New York Times and op-eds in major newspapers. Since then, she has been invited to speak at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, the Oxford Union, and the Geneva Human Rights Summit at the UN, and has testified in the US Congress, the UK Parliament, and the Taiwanese Legislative Assembly. Miss Lin has appeared in over 20 films and television productions. She often works at the confluence of activism and acting, playing roles that carry messages of freedom, human rights, and ethics. Her films have received the Gabriel Award for Best Feature Film, the Mexico International Film Festival’s Golden Palm Award, and the California’s Indie Fest Award of Merit. Lin also won the Best Leading Actress in a TV Movie at the Leo Awards in 2016. As a model, she’s made appearances on runways around the world, including the New York Fashion Week show at the prestigious Waldorf-Astoria. Miss Lin has been listed as one of the “Top 25 under 25” by MTV, a “Top 60 under 30” by Flare, and called “The Badass Beauty Queen” by Marie Claire. She was one of eleven stakeholders selected to meet with Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird upon the establishment of Canada’s Office of Religious Freedom. Her articles have appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Globe and Mail, and other major newspapers. Enver Tohti Bughda was born in Hami (Qumul) city in Xinjiang China, and was brought up in Urumqi, the capital of Uyghur autonomous region. Upon graduating from Shihezi Medical University, he joined the Railway Central Hospital as a surgical oncologist. He worked in that capacity for over 13 years before leaving China for political reasons. After discovering the connection between the disproportionately high malignant tumour rate and the nuclear test in the Lupnur region in Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, with the help of a British film crew he exposed the devastating effect of nuclear test by making a documentary film about the test victims. As a result he was compelled to flee China and seek asylum in the UK. Upon acquiring political asylum and settling in London, through actively attending various international conferences and public discussion forums, he continued to promote knowledge about the shocking consequences of nuclear test in Lupnor (Luobopu) area, and fought for the rights of the test victims. He was also a political activist who campaigned for the human rights of the Uyghur people and, for number of years headed Uyghur political activities in the UK. In order to create a platform for an informed exchange of ideas he launched “Silk Road Dialogue”, an online platform. Years of public appearances and promoting Uyghur cause in the global stage has brought him international recognition as an expert speaker on the nuclear test issue in Xinjiang, China. Today, he is frequently being invited to present talks in important international conferences globally. He is not only a passionate advocate of Uyghur cause, but a qualified medical surgeon with first-hand information about the topic. PHOTOS: Si Gross
2016年6月30日上午,尼迪克特•羅傑斯在英國保守黨人權委員主持召開關於中共「活摘器官」聽證會上。(Simon Gross/大紀元)

在不眠不休連續幾夜通讀來自英國法輪功學員的舉證材料之後,羅傑斯開始深入了解了法輪功。「法輪功被中共禁止的時候,我正在香港,那時還沒有完全了解」,「現在我所了解的法輪功完全是平和的,貢獻是正面的,因為我認為他完全注重道德和倫理,所呈現的完全是神性。」羅傑斯評價道。

羅傑斯從此更多的為那些因為不放棄信仰而一直受到中共打壓迫害的法輪功功修煉團體公開發聲。「我相信,Fiona Bruce 議員會繼續敦促下議院進行辯論,譴責活摘器官。」羅傑斯說。

用生命守護人權:這是我來世的目的

在被問到為什麼會選擇為人權問題發聲這個問題的時候,羅傑斯認為自己天生就應該從事這份職業:「我有一種很強烈的使命感,我感覺這就是我的天職,我的命運就是這樣被安排的——有責任利用自由去幫助那些沒有自由的人發聲。」

LONDON, UK, Thursday 22 June 2017.Ben Rogers at Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) Office.
尼迪克·羅傑斯Benedict Rogers(Simon Gross/大紀元)

在幾經生死的考驗,出入東亞地區的時候,羅傑斯感到最欣慰的時候,就是與那些經歷或正在經歷苦難的人們面對面,了解他們的故事的時光。「我總能在他們身上尋找到讓我堅持的力量, 他們展現了勇氣、信念和堅忍不拔,即便經歷痛苦。」羅傑斯面露喜悅的神色。

「在世界的各個角落,尤其是亞洲,仍然存在很多挑戰。我必須堅持下去。」而羅傑斯的願望就是「讓世界不再需要這項工作 」。

人權:尊嚴的核心 人人需要為之貢獻

羅傑斯深信,不只是專職的人權活動家,每個人都可以為人權貢獻自己的力量:「從一個讓你關心的、特定的人權事件著手,之後聯絡當地的相關人權組織。」 對於那些希望更深入了解人權事務的人,羅傑斯建議首先要了解本國那些經歷人權迫害的人,或者因為政治原因來本國避難的政治難民。「傾聽他們的故事會成為維護人權的起始動機,並從中得到鼓勵。」羅傑斯說。

有些中國人把維護人權與「愛國」對立起來,羅傑斯解釋說人權是獨立於政治之外的。「人權是普世價值,維權人士是維護人的基本尊嚴和簡單自由,而這種基本尊嚴和簡單自由是屬於每一個人的。」

羅傑斯更希望中國人可以分清政黨、政府和國家三者之間的區別:「政黨、政府和國家,雖然經常交織在一起,但卻是截然不同的概念」,羅傑斯說,「中國是一個充滿潛力的世界大國,但是中國共產黨只是一個並不真正關心國家和人民生活、腐朽和殘暴的政權」。

羅傑斯還提到,中國的維權人士都是熱愛中國、熱愛中國文化的,他們維護的是世界上每一個人最基本的權利。因為每一個人,當然包括中國人在內都簽署了《世界人權宣言》(Universal Declaration of Human Rights)。其第十八條的內容提到了思想自由、良知和宗教。 在不違反法律或沒有實質性傷害他人的行為如恐怖襲擊等的前提之下,每一個人有自由選擇、而非強制性灌輸他們自己信仰的權利。羅傑斯說,「宗教信仰自由是最基本的人權之一,是人尊嚴的核心。」

維護人權道路艱辛 幾經生死

早前,從2000年起,羅傑斯走訪緬甸與其邊區四十餘次,成為「不受緬甸政府歡迎列表」上的人物。曾經兩度在緬甸境內被軍政府遣返回國。

還有一次,羅傑斯在巴基斯坦首都伊斯坦堡的一家酒店開會,剛剛離開不久,這家酒店發生了爆炸。「我感到非常幸運可以逃過一劫,雖然這次爆炸並不針對我,」羅傑斯說,「但那顆炸彈時常提醒我,像巴基斯坦一樣的國家中的人民,每天都在怎樣過活。」

而羅傑斯有幾位和他一樣奔走在守護人權 陣線上的朋友們就沒有那麼幸運了。他們中有的已經遇刺身亡,另有幾位還在冒著生命危險為人權伸張正義。

緬甸男孩:「請告訴世界,不要忘記我們。」

羅傑斯很多時間都穿梭在泰國的難民營以及緬甸邊境的流放者聚集地。這些地方長年充斥著戰爭和衝突。「我在這些地方聽到了許多非常感人的故事。」羅傑斯說。

羅傑斯的孩子
羅傑斯和緬甸邊境的孩子(Benedict Rogers提供)

2002年,羅傑斯在泰緬邊境的收容所遇見了一位當時只有15歲的緬甸撣族小男孩。他的父親在田裡耕作時被緬甸國防軍射殺,兩週後國防軍再度重返,不僅殺害了他的母親,更火燒全村,毀滅了他的家園。小男孩被軍隊徵作挑夫,隨軍隊不眠不休行軍三天,最後不支倒地。軍隊以為他死了,把他丟在路邊,就這樣,他逃過了一劫。甦醒後,男孩靠吃香蕉與樹皮充飢,走出了叢林,逃出了緬甸。在遇見羅傑斯時,他說:

「請告訴全世界,對這個軍事政權施壓,要它不再殺害它的人民。請告訴全世界,不要忘了我們。」

羅傑斯在談起這句話的時候仍然眼泛淚花。這句話一直激勵他為人權發聲。並促使和支持他完成被稱為「最全面的緬甸現代史」的《緬甸:一個徬徨的國度》一書。

《緬甸:一個徬徨的國度》(Burma: A Nation at the Crossroads)

羅傑斯親歷現場,在被緬甸軍政府重重管制下走訪各地,以地毯式的田野採訪,訪問了政治犯與民運人士、人權義工、記者、英國外交官、受虐百姓、被迫從軍的孩子兵、遭緬族軍政府種族清洗的少數民族,以及昂山素季與其好友等人。將邊境少數族群的悲慘命運和緬甸的民主運動交織在一起,生動有力的描述了緬甸人民的悲慘境遇 。

羅傑斯和昂山素季
羅傑斯和昂山素季(Benedict Rogers提供)
羅傑斯和緬甸邊境的人民
羅傑斯和緬甸邊境的人民(Benedict Rogers提供)

班尼迪克·羅傑斯(Benedict Rogers)簡介:

班尼迪克·羅傑斯為亞洲人權問題專家、國際人權組織「全球基督徒團結組織」(Christian Solidarity Worldwide)倡導人,現居住倫敦。

專注於中國、印度尼西亞、緬甸、朝鮮、巴基斯坦等亞洲國家的人權問題。與此同時,羅傑斯也擔任英國保守黨人權委員會副主席的職位。

經常為《華爾街日報》(Wall Street Journal)、《國際前鋒論壇報》(International Herald Tribune)、《紐約時報》(New York Times)、《赫芬頓郵報》(Huffington Post)與《衛報》(Guardian)等國際媒體供稿,也是英國廣播公司(BBC)、美國有線電視新聞網(CNN)、半島電視(Al-Jazeera)等廣電業者的座上常客。◇ #

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