In relation to Len Hend’s letter to the editor (Echo, 3.9.25), entitled ‘Kind words for China’ please allow me to submit some ‘unkind’ but factual words.
Mr Hend stated, within his third paragraph, that we have been misinformed about human rights in China – what a load of bollocks.
I allege that Mr Hend has been misinformed and before my heart rate escalates to dangerous levels, I must set the record straight.
China brutally invaded Tibet in 1949 – remember that?
During that gut-wrenching time Chinese soldiers murdered monks and nuns and tragically continue to this day to attack Tibetans’ previous religious freedoms. They kidnapped the Panchen Lama in order to prevent the succession of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Should we forget this inconvenient truth too?
Tibetans are forced to submit to Chinese rule, they are daily subjected to extreme surveillance and their children are stolen from them at the innocent age of merely six years old. These precious children are forcibly separated from their grieving and distraught parents.
Over one million Tibetan children have already been stolen from their mothers’ aching arms to attend ‘residential schools’ according to UN human rights experts. How’s that for kindness?
This amounts to a cultural genocide, and continues while the West looks away, probably due to shame. But most cultures seem to be able to justify anything in the name of economic benefit.
I found these comments so appalling, especially because I had volunteered (at TAFE) for Tibetan mentoring over many years. Within that time I met many wonderful peaceful Tibetans with post-generational trauma. I saw their frightened and confused, often overwhelmed, faces seeking out help and safety. I got to engage with three Tibetans in particular, and formed an intimate and lasting relationship with them to this day, some ten years later.
Their stories of unimaginable and terrifying treatment seared into my heart, I cannot ever stop seeing and hearing. To read the statement by Mr Hend ‘that the “Hate China” agenda is a fact’, is simply a fantasy and denial of the truth. Those naive and foolish words made my Irish blood boil.
China has just recently deliberately orchestrated a fanfare of strength and theatre to show the rest of the world their capability of winning future militaristic wars. That’s the Chinese govermnent’s exact own words, make no mistake about their seriousness. This was Xi Jinping’s egocentric display of brute power. Again he has granted himself continual rule until he dies, how selfless and what a surprise.
Are we also to forget the violence meted out to the citizens of Hong Kong, seeking a separate but not an independent ‘province’? Then to add insult to injury, what an unholy frightening alliance we witnessed on national TV, with a collective of the most ruthless human rights abusers (namely Putin / Xi Jinping / Kim Jong Un and Iran’s leader) all in Beijing.
The only thing missing was the devil in red with horns. Oops! I nearly forget, the narcissistic ego-driven white elitist males from Down Under, Dan Andrews and Bob Carr, were in attendance, not to miss an opportunity. Guess they don’t care about the Uyghurs’ future either. What a noble decision they made to attend such a memorable exhibition of China’s war chest.
Last but not least re Len Hend’s final statement that he cheered for the Indians at a matinee, well so did I. But why in the hell would he compare the persecuted and tortured courageous First Nations tribes to China’s ruthless authoritarian system?
Lindy Stacker, Binna Burra
• It’s always wise to play the ball, not the man (or woman). Point the blame at the government of a country not its citizens – just as the Israeli people are not to blame for Netanyahu’s war crimes, and the people of Russia are not guilty of Putin’s behaviour, the people of China are just as helpless as the rest of us under governments that we may or may not have voted for. Do you want to be blamed for starving children in Gaza because of our PM?
How about Aboriginal children in custody?
On a personal note, I am Chinese but I don’t look it – almost every day I hear racism against the Chinese people – Australians LOVE to hate the Chinese.
– This week’s letters editor, Eve Jeffery
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
