Tuesday, February 13, 2001

BEIJING -- Prime Minister Jean Chretien publicly took China to task yesterday for failing to live up to a promise to protect human rights.

In his strongest condemnation yet during the 10-day Team Canada mission, Chretien warned Canadian- trained Chinese judges that unless they protect their citizens' freedoms, China will not thrive.

"In Canada, the rule of law has been a pillar of our development. It has enabled our economy to grow and adapt to change," he said.

Chretien tantalized the Chinese audience with the freedom that comes with the Canadian judicial system, telling them they, too, could gain from implementing it.

"I believe that the rule of law offers the same promise for China and the Chinese people," he said. "And as judges it will, in many ways, fall to you to deliver on that promise."

Chretien said that in ensuring individual and collective freedom, judges have given Canada a choice spot in the international community and assured peace.

Chretien expressed sympathy for the "challenge" China faces in implementing a fair court system, but reminded the communist country it has promised the United Nations and the World Trade Organization to clean up its human rights record.

"Because we believe that if China lives by its word, these ratifications will contribute to greater respect for basic freedoms and individual rights," he said.

"This Canadians would applaud. For they have been disturbed by reports of the lack of such respect in the past."

Chretien later raised the topic of China's zeal in arresting citizens without reason, and of prosecuting Falun Gong members for practising their meditation.

Amnesty International has released another report that finds torture to be a regular practice in China, used to force confessions. The report also finds that even if China is opening up economically by welcoming foreign trade and investment missions like Team Canada, Chinese police continue to arrest and indefinitely detain people without reason.