From human-net-request@Virginia.EDU Fri Sep 25 12:48:48 1992
Received: from Virginia.EDU (uvaarpa.Virginia.EDU) by wor-srv.wam.umd.edu with SMTP id AA08650
  (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for <ifcss@wam.umd.edu>); Fri, 25 Sep 1992 12:48:46 -0400
Received: from Virginia.EDU by uvaarpa.Virginia.EDU id aa01018;
          25 Sep 92 12:26 EDT
Received: from csc-srv.wam.umd.edu by uvaarpa.Virginia.EDU id aa01007;
          25 Sep 92 12:25 EDT
Received: from rac1.wam.umd.edu (wam.umd.edu) by csc-srv.wam.umd.edu with SMTP id AA14313
  (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for <human-net@virginia.edu>); Fri, 25 Sep 1992 12:25:47 -0400
From: IFCSS HQ <ifcss>
Received: by rac1.wam.umd.edu
	id <AA06087@rac1.wam.umd.edu>; Fri, 25 Sep 92 12:25:47 -0400
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 92 12:25:47 -0400
Message-Id: <9209251625.AA06087@rac1.wam.umd.edu>
To: ccnl@utarlvm1.uta.edu, china-nt@uga.cc.uga.edu
Subject: IFCSS HQ NR-4036:  Shen Tong Rescue Update
Status: RO


**************************************************************
IFCSS Headquarters News Release No. 4036    September 25, 1992
                SHEN TONG RESCUE UPDAT
**************************************************************
Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars (IFCSS)
   733 15th Street, N.W., Suite 440, Washington, D.C.20005
         Tel. (202)347-0017  Fax: (202)347-0018
                Email: ifcss@wam.umd.edu

                Shen Tong Rescue Update
                =======================

     The HQ staffs are very moved by the "thank you" emails
and phone calls coming in the hundreds into  the HQ since
September 23. We are even more moved by the hundreds of 
emails signing the open letter since the passage of the bill.
Yesterday, the open letter received the endorsements from
15 CSS organizations. We have reported such an enthusiastic
responses to relevant agencies and offices. 

     Tomorrow is the last day to sign the open letter. We urge
those schools which have not sign the letter to do so ASAP.


     The HQ has called for general donations to the HQ to
overcome the current financial crisis. The 3rd term left no
money but some debts. Fund raised in Taiwan would take some
time to come in. The HQ staffs have been working hard to help
the protection campaign, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PAID BY IFCSS
SINCE JUNE BECAUSE THE LACK OF OPERATION FUNDS. Please send
your donations to:

     IFCSS    (or IFCSS CSS-Protection Account for Bill campaign)
     733 15th Street, N.W.
     Suite 440
     Washington, D.C. 20005

     Thanks for the support.

     (Detailed report of the financial situation will be submitted
to the IFCSS Council in the upcoming teleconference.)



-------------------------------------------------------------------

     The following is the updated list, (by 8:00 pm, Sept. 24):


Boston University                    (CSA)
Brandeis University                  (CSSA)
Brown Chinese Student Democratic Movement Fund
Case Western Reserve University      (CSSA)
City College of New York             (CSSU)
Columbia University                  (CSSA)
Democracy for China Foundation, Inc. (Michigan)
East Tennessee Chinese Association
Florida State University             (CSSA)
Harvard University                   (CSS)
Indiana University                   (SUCS)
June 4 Memorial Fund at Buffalo
Los Alamos National Lab              (RFCS)
Marquette University                 (PRCSA)
Memphis State University             (CSA)
National Institute of Health         (CSSA)
New York University                  (CSS)
Oregon State University              (CSSA)
Purdue University                    (CSSU)
Rutgers University                   (CSR)
Stanford University                  (ACSSS)
SUNY-Buffalo                         (CSSA) 
SUNY-Stony Brook                     (MCSO)
Texas A&M                            (China Club)
Texas Tech University                (CSSA)
Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) (FACSS)
University of Arizona                (CSSA)
University of Arkansas Medical Sci.  (CSSA)
UCLA                                 (CSSA)
University of California, San Diego  (CSSA)
University of Colorado at Boulder    (CSS)
University of Connecticut            (CSSC)
University of Florida                (CSSA)
University of Georgia                (SUC)
University of Kentucky               (SSSU)
University of Illinois at Chicago    (IFCSS)
Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign  (CSSSU)
University of Louisville             (CSSA)
University of Maryland               (CGSA)
University of Southern California    (CSS)
University of Texas, Arlington       (CSSA)
University of Texas, Dallas          (CSSA)
University of Utah                   (CSSA)
University of Wisconsin, Madison     (CSS)
Vanderbilt University                (CSSA)
Virginia Tech                        (ACSS)
Yale University                      (ACSSY)


      ***********************

     The Open Letter has also been endorsed by the following
     organizations:

Chinese Student Association (Taiwan), University of Arizona
Malaysian Friendship Club, Univ. of Arizona
Korean Student Club, Univ. of Arizona
International Student Association/ASUA, Univ. of Arizona




===============================================================
Enclosure 2        Call for signing the open letter

As part of the effort to rescue Shen Tong and his friends, IFCSS
calls upon Chinese students and scholars organizations across the
U.S. to sign the following open letter. Individuals may also
sign the letter. Please send your name, school and telephone
number to the HQ. For organizations, we need the name of your
organization and the school your organization is located.
Please give us the contact person's name and telephone number.

Thank you for your help.

---------------------------------------------------------------

    An Open Lettere to China's State Education Commission
    On the Arrest of Shen Tong, Qi Dafeng and Qian Liyun



Mr. Li Tieying
Chairman
State Education Commission
Beijing, P.R. China

Dear Mr. Chairman:

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, are writing to
request your immediate attention to the arrest of Shen Tong and
two other individuals.

Shen Tong, a Chinese student studying at Boston University in the
United States, was arrested on the 31 of August at his mother's
residence in Beijing during his home-visiting trip. Arrested at
the same time were Qi Dafeng and Qian Liyun, former schoolsmates
of Shen Tong. The police did not produce a warrant while making
the arrest; moreover, up to now no specific offence has been
identified and released.

The incident has roused tremendous attention in the U.S. as well
as other countries and caused alarm among Chinese students. The
skeptism about the government's sincerity in pursuing an open
policy regarding overseas students has deepened.

Although studying abroad, we are genuinelly concerned with
development and progress in our motherland. We believe that the
above-mentioned arrest was politically unwise and morally
unjustifiable, an incident that could not but discourage the
return of overseas students. Therefore, we strongly urge you to
intervene, through your office, in this case to win immediate
release of the three individuals.

We recognize that the arrest was not an isolated event and that
it reflected a lack of respect for the basic rights of citizen
guaranteed by our country's constitution. We look forward to
seeing general improvements made in this regard.

Sincerely,


(signed)


***************************************************************
         IFCSS Headquarters Office    Signature
***************************************************************


