Under Construction
Gong-min-li-liang is the Chinese name of our organization. It literally means power of the citizens. Gong-min means citizen; li-liang means power or strength.
We are committed to sowing the seeds of truth, love, justice, freedom, and democracy in China, through the following means:
*promoting principles of non-violent struggle;
*raising awareness among Chinese citizens of their legal rights;
*advancing the Chinese Citizen Power Movement
(Gong-min-li-liang);
*encouraging Chinese citizens to evaluate their government, to affirm its positive efforts on their behalf, and to critique it when necessary; and
*providing more overseas assistance, with the aim of influencing the policies of the government.
All these efforts are undertaken in order to accomplish a peaceful transition to a democratic China through constitutional reform.
Wearing this symbol tells your friends, co-workers, and the Chinese government that you care about human rights for all Chinese citizens.
Click here to learn about the ribbon's meaning, and read the open letter signed by over 120 human rights advocates endorsing the human rights for China symbol.
Under Construction
Please click here to view Charter 08 Special Section.
"In Support of Charter 08" by Dr. Yang Jianli
"Thank you to those people in China who have created and published Charter 08. We have great appreciation and admiration for their thoughtful, brilliantly clear and concise manifesto published on December 10th. It appears that Charter 08 has uplifted the hearts and hopes of many dear brothers and sisters within China who have signed on to the original 303 names by the tens of thousands and wish to publicly stand for their rights. We are in awe of their courage and sincere committment. This momentous document and the community is noticed also by the world outside China. May the sincere aspirations of the Chinese people for democracy continue to flourish."1. Dr. Wang Bing-zhang, lifelong democracy activist. Mr. Wang was allegedly kidnapped in Vietnam by Chinese State Security police in 2002. He was taken to China where he was sentenced to life in prison after a closed door trial. Mr. Wang is 62 years old and in poor health. Click here
2. Mr. Chen Guang-cheng, a blind and self-taught human rights lawyer helping women victims of China's strict one birth policy. August 24, 2006, after a two-hour trial, Chen was charged was sentenced to over 4 years in prison. Click here
3. Mr. Qin Yong-min, one of the first leaders in the pro-democracy movement in China. The first arrest of him was in 1981 for 7 years prison. The last arrest was On December 22, 1998, and the Wuhan City Court sentenced him to twelve years in prison. Click here
4. Mr. Zhang Zhongxin, a pastor of a local house church in Jiangxiang County, Shandong Province. June 6th of 2008, pastor Zhang Zhongxin was arrested and then sentenced for two years reeducation through labor in July 4th. Click here
Founder and President of Initiatives for China, Dr. Yang Jianli was born in Shandong Province in northern China. A graduate of Beijing Normal University, Dr. Yang holds a PhD. in Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a PhD in Political Economy from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. In 1989, at the age of 26, his fellow graduate students at Berkeley selected him to go to Beijing in support of their counterparts in China who were demonstrating for democracy in Tiananmen Square. He arrived in Tiananmen Square in time to witness the massacre of thousands of peaceful demonstrators by the guns and tanks of the Chinese government. This event fundamentally changed young Jianli's future. He narrowly escaped capture and returned to the United States where he committed himself to studying democracy. Read more...
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