21 Apr. 1994
Reporter:On a press conference, the Supreme Master Ching Hai announced that She would donate six million U.S. Dollars helping the refugees in Hong Kong until they are accepted by a third country, or until they voluntarily return to their country. Now, let us talk to the Supreme Master Ching Hai.
Reporter:How are You? (Master: I am fine.) I have just introduced You briefly.
Master:Of course! Of course!
Reporter:What is Your belief? How are You going to do about the Au Lac refugees now?
Master:Since the incident had already taken place, I try to take some remedial actions, both for the refugees and for the reputation of Hong Kong, the U.K., and the free world. We are thinking of sustaining them until they would voluntarily return to Au Lac, or until a third country would accept them. Even after a third country has received them, we will continue to offer money training them. We only leave when they have found a job and settled down.
Reporter:We understand that Your kind intention seemed to have been declined by the authority. What is Your opinion? We know that the government didn't accept Your proposal, why? Do You feel...
Master:Oh! The government doesn't always talk about reasons. Their most popular excuse is that all the refugees must be sent home according to the CPA project. Only those who came a long time ago, and have been granted the refugee status could stay, or go to other countries.
Reporter:What do You think is the real reason?
Master:Some says that it is the fear for more refugees escaping from Au Lac.
Reporter: Then, what are You going to do?
Master:I feel that if we have the good intention to help, we can definitely find a way. Besides, it is God's will whether they could escape to here or not. It is not simple for them to sail thousands of miles in such small boats. Anyway, the existing screening system is very strict. The previous political pattern has ended, so not much people would venture to escape any more. The remaining ones are those who really fear, and too terrified to go back. It would be all right if we help them properly.
Reporter:Just now, the Supreme Master Ching Hai mentioned that, despite She has made such a proposal to the government, the Hong Kong government refused with many excuses. The Supreme Master Ching Hai said that She really wanted to help the Au Lac refugees still being detained in Hong Kong, because it is likely that they would take some radical actions. This is what She hated to see. Some people are also wondering whether this would attract more Au Lac refugees coming? What She means is, on one hand, the government over there is improving economically, but on the other hand, there are situations we could not foresee. However, we are facing these Au Lac refugees in the detaining centers in Hong Kong. Shouldn't we first help them solving the imminent dilemma?
Reporter:Master, actually I have still another question. (Master: Please go ahead.) For instance, they have migrated to another country willing to take them. Could You continue to help them after they have gone to that country?
Master:Yes! Yes! Yes! This is what we told all the countries in our letters. However, they are under pressure. (Reporter: They refuse to accept or what?) Not entirely! Perhaps they have signed a mutual agreement. It is difficult for them to change now! (Reporter: What is the solution, then?) I don't think this is a grave problem. We should be flexible according to the situation, and not clinging to some decisions all the time. It might be a good decision when they reached it. Perhaps, at that time, the CPA project of sending them back was good, because it could stop more people fleeing from Au Lac. This could save them from dying in the sea, or other tragedies. I understand the difficulties of the United Nations, and I also understand their decision. However, it may be good only at that time. The situation is different now. Very few Au Lac refugees are fleeing. The economics of Au Lac is also developing, understand? Therefore, the basic problems might have improved. I cannot provide too many details as I have not gone back to Au Lac. However, less people venture to escape now. They know foreign countries would not accept them. Now leaving behind those who have already come out. They keep trying to commit suicide and make protest and hunger strike. No matter what they do, it is bad to our reputation should we oppress them with force like what happened in these few weeks.
Reporter:May I ask, what You intend to do now that the government refused Your proposal?
Master: What do you think I can do? I have no guns, no tear gas, no police, no army. What do you think I can do? (Master and the reporter laugh together.)
Reporter:Only appealing, appealing loudly!
Master:Sigh! I will go back to meditate! Pray for this free world! They have incurred so much bad karma, I am afraid they would have bad retribution. This is all I can do! We can only suggest, and offer our good intention, and then both sides have to decide for themselves! Furthermore, I am not too worried to see them going back to Au Lac, because this is the worst that could happen to them, understand? Repatriated to Au Lac. The worst is they are oppressed by the Communists and put in jails. If they are beaten up or scolded, it is more or less the same like in the camps here. Therefore, I am not too worried about them. That is the worst that could happen. Now, I wish those free countries, particularly Hong Kong, England and the relevant countries, would consider their esteemed honor! It is really not worthwhile to sacrifice the whole Hong Kong or England reputation just for the lives of twenty thousand refugees!!
Reporter:Thank You so much for Your enthusiasm, and thank You for calling us and told us so much. I wish Your meditation and other efforts could render a better solution to this matter, all right? Thank You! (Master: Thank you!) We will talk again when we have the chance. All right, thank You! Good-bye!
Master:Thank you, and the audience!
The Chinese Section of the R.F.I. broadcasted during the news program
on April 21, at 11: 30 A.M. hours the news of the Au Lac refugees in
Hong Kong being relocated by the police with force, incurring many
casualties. In the same program on April 22, the station reported that,
after the violent incident, there is rumor in the refugee camp about a
group suicide operation on April 30 to fight the forced repatriation.
They also broadcasted the overseas interview with Master, which was
repeated on April 23.
This is the complete content of the overseas interview of Master by the
R.F.I.:
R.F.I.: On April 7, the Au Lac refugees in Hong Kong were forcibly suppressed by the police, with many refugees injured. After the incident, there is rumor about a group suicide operation on April 30 in the refugee camp. This is to display their strong determination rather to die in Hong Kong than being repatriated back to Au Lac under the Communist regime. Just received the World Spiritual Leadership Award in the United States, the Supreme Master Ching Hai of Au Lac origin is now exerting Her efforts in Hong Kong to save these Au Lac refugees who are in desperation. She prepares to donate unconditionally five to six million U.S. Dollars helping the refugees to migrate to another country and live there. Our radio station has conducted an overseas interview today with the Supreme Master Ching Hai now being in Hong Kong concerning this subject.
R.F.I.: Supreme Master Ching Hai, the Au Lac refugees have decided to commit group suicide on April 30. They prefer dying in Hong Kong to going back to Au Lac under the Communist regime. What is Your feeling, Master, when You heard this news?
Master:Oh! It is because many people were oppressed after they returned to Au Lac. For instance, they couldn't find work because they have no residence registration. They found it difficult to die or to live. Therefore, they might have written telling the people in the camps, who are even more frightened. They feel their country is almost the same as before without much improvement. They are afraid to go back, and prefer to die here. Some of them are truly political refugees who would certainly be ill-treated when going back.
R.F.I.: That is to say, should these refugees be forcibly repatriated to Au Lac, they may encounter political and economic oppression and estrangement.
Master:Yes, we also received these letter sometimes. However, most of the letters were sent to the camps.
R.F.I.: As the Au Lac refugees have decided to conduct the group suicide operation on April 30, many people outside are very anxious. Being in Hong Kong now, do you think this tragedy would really happen?
Master:Very possible, because they are desperate. I received some letters showing strong determination in the suicide action. Of course, we are praying for them, wishing they would cancel their decision, because human body is very precious. Perhaps the situation would change today, tomorrow or on the day after. Therefore, it is better to live on. Even one day longer is one more hopeful day.
R.F.I.: Supreme Master Ching Hai, personally You are prepared to donate unconditionally five to six million U.S. Dollars helping the Au Lac migrating to Western countries or other countries, also helping them to settle down and find a job. Will You explain in detail Your project?
Master:Judging from the situation, we understand that neither the Hong
Kong Government nor the Philippine Government would like the Au Lac
refugees to stay. It means they would be forced to be repatriated all
before end of 1995, regardless of their willing. We consider that human
lives are more precious than money, so we offer all our property,
wishing the governments would let us taking care of our brothers and
sisters unconditionally.
Unconditionally means that these people do not have to follow my
teachings. They don't have to call me master or do anything. We only
want them to find a job and then take care of each other. Once our
money are donated, we have no intention of retrieving it. Also, we have
many fellow disciples in all countries who have individual professional
skills. They can help the refugees, take care of them, and train them
with a profession. If they have no job, we can establish a small
factory or something, giving them jobs. Then, they can live
independently, and benefit the country they live_the third country.
This is our project, step by step. It is not limited to the five or six
million. We can give several hundred thousands U.S. Dollars each month
to help them, until they can stand on their own.
R.F.I.: After Your announcement of donating this handsome money to help the refugees, Master, is there any response from the countries or organizations which are likely to accept the refugees?
Master:No response until this moment! I think any charity organization would surely support any person helping the refugees. A little help is better than none! However, we only render help when we observe someone in disaster, in emergency, and no one else is helping. If there is someone helping, then we don't have to add in.
R.F.I.: You know, since the seventies, France has taken in a large number of Au Lac refugees because of the prolonged historical relation between France and Au Lac. Do you also wish the French Government or relevant organizations in France would cooperate with You in this respect, and accept these Au Lac refugees?
Master:Of course, I do hope so. Our fellow disciples in France did write to the French President, and I supported their move. We are still waiting for a definite answer about the acceptance of the refugees.
[According to reports in Hong Kong news papers: The Whitehead Refugee Camp incident happened not long ago in Hong Kong attracted much attention from the public. The Hong Kong police officially admitted that the number of casualties in the incident is more than two hundred seventy instead of twenty-nine. The Hong Kong Government confessed using more than five hundred rounds of tear gas shells during the forcible relocation of the refugees. Many people are accusing the violence of the police. The Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten has ordered the relevant departments to conduct investigations, and clarify the facts. The Supreme Master Ching Hai announced that She would donate six million U.S. Dollars to provide for the essential feeding and living necessities of the refugees. We also heard that the Au Lac refugees there have decided to commit group suicide on April 30. They would rather die in Hong Kong than going back to Au Lac. The Supreme Master Ching Hai is now still in Hong Kong negotiating with the authority on this crisis.]
Remark: The R.F.I. is a subsidiary of the Radio France. The program of their Chinese Section is meant for the Chinese speaking audience in China, Southeast Asia and other places, also for the audience in Paris metropolis.
The Eastern Daily News, Hong Kong Apr. 20, 1994
The Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke on the meeting in fluent English. As the subject of the meeting was the April 7 relocation operation at Whitehead detention center, She gave a detail account of the brutal and inhuman treatment imposed on many boat people that day. She following by saying that She would donate several million U.S. Dollars to help the boat people in Hong Kong, until some countries would accept them. There are many congressman pay interest to Her proposal.
The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Mr. To Gen Shen mentioned that the Committee has received the Supreme Master Ching Hai's letter extending Her wish to express Her views about the boat people in the Legislative Council. Therefore, the Committee agreed to meet Her as an ordinary group concerning the refugees. He said that when he visited the Man Yee Refugee Camp last weekend, some refugees asked him to redirect hundreds of petition letters to the Supreme Master Ching Hai.
World-Wide Retreat
Praying For The Refugees ----------------------------
[Reporting from Taipei] The "armed" suppression of the Whitehead Refugee Camp by the Hong Kong Government attracted much concern from the humanitarians in the whole world. The fellow practitioners of the Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Association launched a full scale retreat in the whole world, and conducted a Au Lac Week to pray for the refugees.
The fellow practitioners of the Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Association also wrote to the Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten, the United Nations in Geneva and New York, and the thirty-two national leaders relevant to the refugee issue, severely reprimanding the unjustified action of the Hong Kong Government.
In this "Congratulation Letter" which was written in a scornful manner, the Hong Kong Government was severely criticized. The letter stated that, Communist China will take back Hong Kong in 1997, and the British government is in panic. However, the Hong Kong government used force to suppress the refugee camp. What is the difference between their action and that of the Communist China?
The letter also pointed out, at the 1989 Tien An Mun incident in Communist China, the police chased the students who were capable of escaping. However, the Whitehead refugees could only climbed to the roof. The fellow practitioners claimed that they would financially support the refugees, and train them with a profession. If the refugees are to be repatriated to Au Lac, they would face the same bitter situation under the Communist regime.
The United Daily News, Formosa Apr. 23, 1994
(Our reporter Cheung Bor-Tung reporting from Hsinchu) Over 20,000 Au Lac refugees who are presently detained in Hong Kong, recently sent a letter to the Supreme Master Ching Hai of Formosa, expressing their unwillingness to be repatriated. In order to gain the attention and sympathy of the outside world, they stated that they will commit group suicide by disemboweling or burning themselves on April 30th. After receiving a copy of this letter from the Supreme Master Ching Hai, the branch center of The Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Association in China approached our newspaper and asked for our support, by publishing this report, so that this group of poor people can avoid the tragic fate of falling back into the hands of the devils.
The liaison person of the Meditation Association for the Hsinchu area, Mr. Ko Shan Wan, an architect, said that for more than ten years 32 members of the United Nations had continuously made donations to help the refugees. However, since last year, some of the members has become reluctant to give further money, which had created a chain reaction. The United Nations forced itself to continue the subsidies until this year, and after owing the Hong Kong Government almost HK$2 billion, it also decided to stop its contributions. Therefore, the Hong Kong Government started repatriating the refugees. When the refugees learned of the news, they staged a mass protest on April 7 in the camp, but were unexpectedly suppressed by force as if they were rioting. Not being able to do anything else, they wrote to the Supreme Master Ching Hai.
Mr. Ko Shan Wan said that the complaint to the outside world by the Au Lac people in the refugee camps is not aimed to gain material assistance, but merely to reveal to the world their unwillingness to be repatriated. They also want the world to know the facts of their situation: They will die rather than return to their country and undergo the horrific suppression there. That is different to the claims of the Hong Kong Government, that they had volunteered to go back to Au Lac.
At the same time, in order to express their total unwillingness and strong determination not to be repatriated, they painfully made the decision to protest against the inhumane treatment by committing suicide, burning or disemboweling themselves, on the 30th of this month. (Our reporter Tsung Wei Yien's telegram from New York on the 21st) The Au Lac Supreme Master Ching Hai announced that She is prepared to donate, unconditionally, US$6 million to help the Au Lac refugees. The money will be used for air fares for the refugees to a third country which would accept them and for training the refugees to develop new skills.
At the same time, The International Supreme Master Ching Hai Meditation Association, with its headquarters in Miaoli, Formosa, has launched an "oppose forced repatriation of the Au Lac refugees" petition throughout the world. They urge that the human rights of the Au Lac refugees should be respected, and the countries that the refugees are currently in should continue to take care of them in a peaceful way.
The Meditation Association pointed out that as soon as there is a country willing to accept the Au Lac refugees from Hong Kong, the Supreme Master Ching Hai will pay for their air fares to get there, and provide them training for new skills. Once they began to work, they can not only earn their own livelihood, but also contribute to the progress of the economy of the country that they are in.