From sdenney@ocf.Berkeley.EDU Wed Dec 16 20:29:48 1998 Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 20:29:30 -0800 (PST) From: Stephen Denney Message by President Vaclav Havel on the presentation of _Letters from Prison_ by Wei Jingsheng in the New York Public Library on May 13, 1997 May 9, 1997 Dear Friends, I am sorry to be unable to attend the gathering where you will present _Letters from Prison_ by Wei Jingsheng, a Chinese human rights champion who spent years in prison before and is now serving, under harsh conditions, another long prison sentence for his political beliefs. I have spoken out in defense of Wei Jingsheng a number of times already. Believing that his courage deserves recognition, I nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Chinese and, more generally, the Asian civilization -- the environment that forms the background of Wei Jingsheng's fate -- is one of the roots and inseparable components of the global civilization. I have a profound esteem for the legacy of Asia's culture, philosophy, and thought that remains a source of inspiration for the world today. These ancient traditions are, however, distorted in certain Asian countries though the application of totalitarian practices, and the distorted version is then presented as a specific quality of the Asian circumstance. Many countries in Asia as well as on other continents share a commitment to individual human rights and to the advancement of democracy. The stand taken by these nations and the struggle of people like Wei for the human rights cause demonstrate that human freedom cannot be divided by national frontiers or unacceptable interpretations of local traditions or customs. When I express my solidarity with those who engage in non-violent action on behalf of human dignity and democracy anywhere in the world and face persecution because of their love for freedom -- with people like Wei Jingsheng whose _Letters from Prison_ are now presented to the world public -- I do not encroach upon a no-trespassing zone regarding internal affairs; I simply do my duty. Sincerely yours, (signed) Vaclav Havel _________________________________________________________________