（English version is behind. 英文在后 )

The Laogai Museum Should Not Be Ruined

–The Second Open Letter to Laogai Research Foundation on the “International Human Rights Day”

December 10, 2018

To :

Ms.  Yang Fengshi, Mr. Song Yongyi , Mr. Chen Kuide ,Mr. Xia Ming , who currently control the Laogai Research Foundation;

Mr. David Welker, Mr. Perry Link, Mr. Jeffrey Fiedler, Mr. Maochun Miles Yu, Mr. Gordon Chang, these who are listed as Board Members on the most recently signed IRS 990 forms for both LRF and LHRO (Laogai Human Rights Organization);

On December 10, 2018, the International Human Rights Day, several Laogai survivors who live in  New York City drove to Washington, DC to visit the Laogai Museum and participate in exhibitions and the awards ceremonies for human rights organized by the Wei Jingsheng Foundation at the U.S. Congress.

The Laogai Museum, located at 1901 18th street, NW, Washington DC, was created by the late Mr. Harry Wu (Hongda Wu) and many Laogai survivors after 25 years of hard work.  This Laogai Museum is the first and the only to memorialize and to preserve the most complete collection of Laogai documents and Laogai items in the world right now.  The word “Laogai”, like the Nazi “Concentration Camp” and the Soviet “Gulag,” entered the Oxford English Dictionary and then entered other dictionaries throughout the world, so that people globally can understand the true meaning of “Laogai.”  In its unique way, the Laogai Museum has also profoundly exposed the truth about the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) killing, torturing and maiming the people.  After many years of hard work by Mr. Wu, the Laogai Museum has become a landmark in the Capitol of the United States of America, Washington DC.  The Laogai Museum has a special feeling and great significance for thousands of Chinese Laogai survivors.

After the sudden death of Mr. Harry Wu, the Laogai Museum was abruptly closed at the end of 2016.  After a group of Laogai survivors jointly wrote the first open letter to the Laogai Research Foundation in September 2018, the Laogai Museum, which was closed for nearly two years, then intermittently re-opened.  (It was open on weekends before 2016).  Over the past two years and since Mr. Wu’s death, Laogai survivors and the donors of Laogai items have been worried about the preservation of the two Chinese and English websites that have disappeared from the Laogai Research Foundation, along with the historical value of some donated items collected in the Laogai museum.  However, we did not pursue responsibility, nor did we question the whereabouts of the remaining Yahoo Fund after Mr. Wu died.

However, on International Human Rights Day in 2018 after visiting the Laogai Museum, these Laogai survivors discovered a large number of valuable Laogai books and research materials, as well as the experience and historical testimony written by the Laogai survivors, had been discarded in the large trash cans outside the Laogai Museum gate, waiting for a garbage truck to pick them up for disposal.  Those books included Chinese, English, hardback and paperback, as well as unopened new boxes of books, magazines, research literature and promotional materials, including books by Liu Xiaobo, signers here like Liao Yiwu, etc.  The small group of Laogai survivors picked many of the unopened books from the trashcan.  They also learned from the lady on duty at the museum: “I heard that the building of this museum is going to be sold.”  This deeply stabbed the hearts of and angered the Laogai survivors.  A few days later, another human rights activist visited the Laogai Museum and found that a full box of Laogai books and documents were abandoned in the same trash can, including the “Observe China” magazines which was supported  by “National Endowment for Democracy” and new books in the Black Book Series, such as “In Memory of Lin Zhao”, and even the late Mr. Wu’s own autobiography “Last Night Rain Madness.”

In fact, the reopened Laogai Museum is completely different from the past one.  On the first floor of the wall, a publicity post revealing the Communist Party’s torture was torn off and thrown into the corner.  Some wooden blocks and pictures on the large exhibition boards had fallen to the ground and were not cleaned up.  All the showcases on the second floor did not turn on the lights, and all the audio and video facilities did not work.  In addition, the two boxes of tea from Yang’ai Tea Farm, which Zhang Jing had donated during the years she was in a Laogai camp and her original photo from a tea farm were no longer on display in the Laogai Museum.  A carrying pole and a straw hat used by the Chongqing Rightist Jiang Wenyang when he was in Laogai camp that were donated by Ms. Qi Jiazhen in Australia, were also missing.  One original of a Laogai judgment document donated by Sun Liyong, a victim of the Laogai, was no longer in the exhibition hall.  The above items were still in the Laogai Museum when people participated in the tribute memorial of Mr. Wu on May 25, 2016.  These evidences, which were preserved at great risk and crossed the ocean to be shared at the Laogai Museum, represent the sufferings of thousands of pioneers and souls in the era of the Chinese Communist Party.  The evidence of these blood stained artifacts are the most powerful disclosure and exposure against the Communist dictatorship system, but they are now being purged, discarded and destroyed at random, and we can no longer tolerate this in silence!  When the New York visitors contacted former employees of the Laogai Research Foundation, they were told that in 2016 someone took in charge of the Laogai Research Foundation replaced the front door locks of the office and the Laogai Museum without ever telling the employees, and without notifying any employees to hand over the works.  Since then, none of the employees have ever returned, and know nothing about the situation in the Laogai Museum or the Laogai office.

We only stumbled upon these discarded Laogai materials.  None of us know when the current Laogai Research Foundation members in charge began these horrific discarding actions.  We don’t know how many precious pieces of historical materials have been ruined so far.  Have these orders been issued by the current person in charge of the Laogai Research Foundation, Ms. Yang Fengshi, or are they the idea of the new so-called members of the Board of Directors?  Do these people and their attorneys have the right to arbitrarily ruin the historical evidence of suffering and tyranny while receiving the salary and prestige or getting expense paid, or projects funded from the hardship fund of the Chinese Laogai?  While enjoying the tax-free benefits granted by the US government, they are blindly wasting the money of American taxpayers!  We feel heartbroken and angry!

Mr. Wei Jingsheng, a former Director and a founder of the Laogai Research Foundation stated: The Laogai Research Foundation is a foundation for Laogai survivors.  It is not the private property of anyone, not the private property of several Directors or their attorneys.  We are victims and historical witnesses of communist tyranny. Closing the Laogai Museum or ruining those exhibitions and artifacts and books is irresponsible for history.  It is an affront to our Laogai survivors.  We will not sit idly by, we can no longer tolerate and silence!

For the above reasons, we insist the following:

First:  The current Board of the Laogai Research Foundation must explain the whereabouts of all of the Laogai documents, articles, and other types of donations we have donated, list all of these donations, and give the latest videos of these materials and objects.

Second: Investigate the responsible persons in the board of directors for misconduct, inaction, and any other violations of laws and regulations.  Strict penalties and financial compensation must be made for the loss of our donated documents, articles and any other exhibits, intentional damage and waste of the resources and property of the Laogai Research Foundation.  All legal fees must be paid by the parties and cannot be paid by the Laogai Human Rights Organization or the Laogai Research Foundation.

Third: The current Chairman of the Laogai Research Foundation, Yang Fengshi, and the other directors should explain to the public, especially to all the victims of Laogai, why the Laogai Museum has remained closed for nearly two years?

Fourth: Publish the settlement agreement between Laogai Research Foundation and Yahoo in 2007 and publish the remaining funds of Laogai Human Rights Organization and Laogai Research Foundation, as well as the details of the whereabouts of the funds after the death of Mr. Harry Wu.

Fifth: At present, none of the “Laogai Human Rights Organization” currently in charge of the Yahoo Fund and the “Laogai Research Foundation” which is specifically implementing the operation is a survivor of Laogai.  In order to develop a normal and healthy future for the above two organizations, we demand a highly respected survivor of Laogai reorganize those two Organization, revise the relevant bylaw and regulations, improve management and supervision, and regularly announce financial and humanitarian assistance to the public.

Sixth, In view of the fact that the US Congress came forward to coordinate the settlement between the Laogai Foundation and Yahoo!, we hope that Congress and Yahoo! will be responsible for supervising the implementation of the above requirements, or by court decrees.

Laogai survivors and initiators:

United States:

Wei Jingsheng,  Ilshat Hassan Kokbore,  Zhang Lin,  Zhang Jing,  Xue Wei,  Chen Pokong, Tang Yuanjun, Sun Yan, Yu Luowen, Ning Xianhua, Wang Bin, Wang Qingying,  Jiang Jie, Peng Jipan, Li Guotao, Wei Quanbao, Yao Cheng

Europe:

Liao Yiwu

Australia:

Qi Jiazhen, Sun Liyong, Sun Baoqiang

China:

Tan Zuoren, Yan Zhengxue, Tang Longbing, Wang Sen, Jiang Lijun, Guo Chengming, Xin Ying

劳改纪念馆不容糟蹋 ——“人权日”给劳改基金会第二封公开信

致：

杨逢时女士、宋永毅先生、陈奎德先生、夏明先生、David Welker先生、林培瑞先生、Jeffrey Fiedler先生、余茂春先生、章家敦先生 （他们在劳改基金会和劳改人权组织最近签署的IRS 990表格中均被列为董事会成员）

2018年12月10日时值国际人权日，旅居美国的劳改幸存者一行人专程从纽约开车到美国首都华盛顿参观劳改纪念馆，并参加魏京生基金会等组织在美国国会举办的有关人权的展览和颁奖仪式。

劳改纪念馆位于美国首都华盛顿西北区1901号18街，由已逝的吴弘达先生和许多劳改幸存者经过25年的的努力在2008年建成，是目前世界上第一所也是唯一一所完整地保存着劳改档案和展示劳改实物的纪念馆。“劳改”（Laogai）一词与“纳粹集中营”和苏联“古拉格”一样，被收进英国牛津大辞典，随后进入世界各语种的字典，让全世界人民都得以了解“劳改”的真实内涵，劳改纪念馆也以其独特的方式深刻地揭露了中共专制集团虐杀和残害百姓的真相。经过吴先生的多年苦心经营，该纪念馆已经成为首都华盛顿DC的标志性建筑！这个纪念馆对于成千上万名中国劳改幸存者来说，尤其具有特别的感情和意义。

2016年吴弘达先生去世后，纪念馆在年底关闭，直到2018年9月一群劳改幸存者联名写了第一封“给劳改基金会公开信”之后，关闭了近两年的劳改纪念馆才得以重新间断性地开放（过去是周末也开放）。吴弘达先生去世两年多来，劳改幸存者和纪念馆的劳改产品捐助者们对劳改基金消失的两个中英文网站以及纪念馆里珍藏的极具历史价值的一些捐赠物品的保存状况虽然十分担忧，但并未问责，也未对吴弘达先生去世后剩下的雅虎基金的去向提出质疑。然而，2018“国际人权日”当天，这些劳改幸存者参观完劳改纪念馆后，发现大批珍贵的劳改书籍和研究资料，以及劳改幸存者写下的心得和历史见证，被丢弃在大门外的垃圾桶里，等待垃圾车拖走丢弃，其中包括中文、英文，其它精装本及平装以及未开封的整箱的全新书籍、杂志及研究文献和宣传品，包括刘晓波的著作，以及劳改受难者兼本信签署人廖亦武编著却欲求不得的书籍。这一行人将其中许多书籍成包捡走。他们还从当日纪念馆值班的女士口中获悉：“听说这个纪念馆的房子要卖掉。” 这深深地刺伤和激怒了在场的劳改幸存者，他们对此难以置信。几天后，另外的人权人士参观劳改纪念馆再次发现满满一箱的书籍、文献被抛弃在垃圾桶里，其中包括由美国民主基金会资助的《观察》杂志，以及黑色文库系列的崭新书籍，如“林昭传”，乃至吴弘达本人的自传《昨夜雨骤风狂》。

事实上，重新开放的劳改纪念馆与过去的纪念馆已不可同日而语——一楼墙上一张揭露共产党酷刑很大的宣传画被撕下丢在墙角；一些展板上的木块和图片掉在地上无人清理，二楼几个展柜都没有开灯，所有的音频和视频设施都没有工作….此外，劳改受难者张菁捐助的她在劳改时种植的羊艾茶场的两盒茶叶，以及她本人在劳改队的照片原件不见了踪影；澳大利亚齐家贞女士捐出的右派份子蒋文扬在重庆劳改队使用过的扁担、草帽也消失了；孙立勇捐助的劳改判决书原件也不在展板上。这些物品在2016年5月25日我们参加吴弘达先生的追思会时都还在纪念馆里。这些几经劫难、飘洋过海辗转送达劳改纪念馆的证物，代表着千千万万个在中国共产党统治年代下的先行者和冤魂所遭受的苦难，这些凝结着鲜血的铁证是对共产独裁劳改制度最有力的揭露与控诉，但是，它们现在被随意丢弃和破坏，我们再也不能容忍和沉默！纽约访客联系了劳改基金会的前员工，我们被告知，2016年劳改基金会主管人员在未通知他们的情况下自行更换了办公室和纪念馆的门锁，也没有通知他们交接工作，此后，这些工作人员再也没有回去过，他们对劳改纪念馆和办公室里的情况一无所知。

我们只是偶然发现这些被丢弃的劳改资料，不知道现在的劳改基金会从什么时候开始的这个丢弃行动？不知道他们至今已经糟蹋了多少这些珍贵的历史资料？是据说为劳改基金会主席杨逢时女士下达的命令，还是据称是理事会成员们的主意？这些负责人和他们的律师们是否有权一边领取中国劳改犯的苦难基金换来的薪水，或经济补偿，或项目资助，一边任意糟蹋那些苦难和暴政的见证史料？他们一边享受着美国政府给予的免税福利，一边明目张胆地浪费美国纳税人的金钱！我们感到心痛和愤怒。

魏京生先生——前劳改基金会的理事表示：劳改基金会是劳改幸存者们的基金会，不是任何人的私产，更不是几个声称为理事和他们的律师们的私产。我们是共产暴政的受害者和历史见证人，关闭劳改纪念馆或糟蹋那些展览和文宣物品就是对历史不负责任，就是对我们劳改幸存者的冒犯，我们不会坐视不管，我们再也不能容忍和沉默！

基于上述理由，我们强烈要求：

第一,现任劳改基金会的负责人必须说明我们捐助的劳改文件、物品以及其它各类捐赠物的去向，列出所有这些捐赠物的清单，给出这些资料和实物的最新录像。

第二，追究理事会中相关责任人渎职、不作为的责任以及其它任何违法、违规的行为，对于遗失我们捐助的劳改展品、故意损毁和浪费劳改基金会的资源和财产进行严厉处罚和经济赔偿，所有法律费用必须由当事人自付，不得由劳改人权组织（Laogai Human Rights Orgnazition）和劳改基金会（Laogai Research Foundation）支付。

第三，现任劳改基金会杨逢时等负责人要向社会大众，特别是我们这些劳改受难者作出说明，纪念馆为何要关闭近两年？

第四，公布2007年劳改基金会与雅虎达成和解协议的文件内容；公布劳改人权组织和劳改基金会基金目前的剩余款项，以及吴弘达先生去世后资金去向的明细。

第五，基于目前掌管雅虎基金的“劳改人权组织”和具体实施运作的“劳改基金会”全体人员中无一人是劳改幸存者，为了上述两组织正常而健康地发展，我们要求一名德高望重的劳改幸存者出面重组这两个理事会，修改相关章程，完善管理和监督，并定期向社会公布财务和人道援助情况。

第六，鉴于当初是由美国国会出面协调劳改基金会与雅虎公司达成的和解，我们希望国会和雅虎公司等负责监督实施以上要求，或由法院判决执行。

2018年12月10日

劳改幸存者群体

发起人：

美国：魏京生、伊利夏提、张林、张菁、薛伟、陈破空 、唐元隽、孙延、遇罗文、宁先华、王   斌、王清营 、蒋 捷、彭基盘、李国涛、魏泉宝、姚诚

欧洲：廖亦武

澳洲：孙宝强、齐家贞

中国：谭作人、严正学、唐隆兵、王森、姜立军、郭承明、辛 颖

The Laogai Museum Should Not Be Ruined

–The Second Open Letter to Laogai Research Foundation on the “International Human Rights Day”

December 10, 2018

To :

Ms.  Yang Fengshi, Mr. Song Yongyi , Mr. Chen Kuide ,Mr. Xia Ming , who currently control the Laogai Research Foundation;

Mr. David Welker, Mr. Perry Link, Mr. Jeffrey Fiedler, Mr. Maochun Miles Yu, Mr. Gordon Chang, these who are listed as Board Members on the most recently signed IRS 990 forms for both LRF and LHRO (Laogai Human Rights Organization);

On December 10, 2018, the International Human Rights Day, several Laogai survivors who live in  New York City drove to Washington, DC to visit the Laogai Museum and participate in exhibitions and the awards ceremonies for human rights organized by the Wei Jingsheng Foundation at the U.S. Congress.

The Laogai Museum, located at 1901 18th street, NW, Washington DC, was created by the late Mr. Harry Wu (Hongda Wu) and many Laogai survivors after 25 years of hard work.  This Laogai Museum is the first and the only to memorialize and to preserve the most complete collection of Laogai documents and Laogai items in the world right now.  The word “Laogai”, like the Nazi “Concentration Camp” and the Soviet “Gulag,” entered the Oxford English Dictionary and then entered other dictionaries throughout the world, so that people globally can understand the true meaning of “Laogai.”  In its unique way, the Laogai Museum has also profoundly exposed the truth about the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) killing, torturing and maiming the people.  After many years of hard work by Mr. Wu, the Laogai Museum has become a landmark in the Capitol of the United States of America, Washington DC.  The Laogai Museum has a special feeling and great significance for thousands of Chinese Laogai survivors.

After the sudden death of Mr. Harry Wu, the Laogai Museum was abruptly closed at the end of 2016.  After a group of Laogai survivors jointly wrote the first open letter to the Laogai Research Foundation in September 2018, the Laogai Museum, which was closed for nearly two years, then intermittently re-opened.  (It was open on weekends before 2016).  Over the past two years and since Mr. Wu’s death, Laogai survivors and the donors of Laogai items have been worried about the preservation of the two Chinese and English websites that have disappeared from the Laogai Research Foundation, along with the historical value of some donated items collected in the Laogai museum.  However, we did not pursue responsibility, nor did we question the whereabouts of the remaining Yahoo Fund after Mr. Wu died.

However, on International Human Rights Day in 2018 after visiting the Laogai Museum, these Laogai survivors discovered a large number of valuable Laogai books and research materials, as well as the experience and historical testimony written by the Laogai survivors, had been discarded in the large trash cans outside the Laogai Museum gate, waiting for a garbage truck to pick them up for disposal.  Those books included Chinese, English, hardback and paperback, as well as unopened new boxes of books, magazines, research literature and promotional materials, including books by Liu Xiaobo, signers here like Liao Yiwu, etc.  The small group of Laogai survivors picked many of the unopened books from the trashcan.  They also learned from the lady on duty at the museum: “I heard that the building of this museum is going to be sold.”  This deeply stabbed the hearts of and angered the Laogai survivors.  A few days later, another human rights activist visited the Laogai Museum and found that a full box of Laogai books and documents were abandoned in the same trash can, including the “Observe China” magazines which was supported  by “National Endowment for Democracy” and new books in the Black Book Series, such as “In Memory of Lin Zhao”, and even the late Mr. Wu’s own autobiography “Last Night Rain Madness.”

In fact, the reopened Laogai Museum is completely different from the past one.  On the first floor of the wall, a publicity post revealing the Communist Party’s torture was torn off and thrown into the corner.  Some wooden blocks and pictures on the large exhibition boards had fallen to the ground and were not cleaned up.  All the showcases on the second floor did not turn on the lights, and all the audio and video facilities did not work.  In addition, the two boxes of tea from Yang’ai Tea Farm, which Zhang Jing had donated during the years she was in a Laogai camp and her original photo from a tea farm were no longer on display in the Laogai Museum.  A carrying pole and a straw hat used by the Chongqing Rightist Jiang Wenyang when he was in Laogai camp that were donated by Ms. Qi Jiazhen in Australia, were also missing.  One original of a Laogai judgment document donated by Sun Liyong, a victim of the Laogai, was no longer in the exhibition hall.  The above items were still in the Laogai Museum when people participated in the tribute memorial of Mr. Wu on May 25, 2016.  These evidences, which were preserved at great risk and crossed the ocean to be shared at the Laogai Museum, represent the sufferings of thousands of pioneers and souls in the era of the Chinese Communist Party.  The evidence of these blood stained artifacts are the most powerful disclosure and exposure against the Communist dictatorship system, but they are now being purged, discarded and destroyed at random, and we can no longer tolerate this in silence!  When the New York visitors contacted former employees of the Laogai Research Foundation, they were told that in 2016 someone took in charge of the Laogai Research Foundation replaced the front door locks of the office and the Laogai Museum without ever telling the employees, and without notifying any employees to hand over the works.  Since then, none of the employees have ever returned, and know nothing about the situation in the Laogai Museum or the Laogai office.

We only stumbled upon these discarded Laogai materials.  None of us know when the current Laogai Research Foundation members in charge began these horrific discarding actions.  We don’t know how many precious pieces of historical materials have been ruined so far.  Have these orders been issued by the current person in charge of the Laogai Research Foundation, Ms. Yang Fengshi, or are they the idea of the new so-called members of the Board of Directors?  Do these people and their attorneys have the right to arbitrarily ruin the historical evidence of suffering and tyranny while receiving the salary and prestige or getting expense paid, or projects funded from the hardship fund of the Chinese Laogai?  While enjoying the tax-free benefits granted by the US government, they are blindly wasting the money of American taxpayers!  We feel heartbroken and angry!

Mr. Wei Jingsheng, a former Director and a founder of the Laogai Research Foundation stated: The Laogai Research Foundation is a foundation for Laogai survivors.  It is not the private property of anyone, not the private property of several Directors or their attorneys.  We are victims and historical witnesses of communist tyranny. Closing the Laogai Museum or ruining those exhibitions and artifacts and books is irresponsible for history.  It is an affront to our Laogai survivors.  We will not sit idly by, we can no longer tolerate and silence!

For the above reasons, we insist the following:

First:  The current Board of the Laogai Research Foundation must explain the whereabouts of all of the Laogai documents, articles, and other types of donations we have donated, list all of these donations, and give the latest videos of these materials and objects.

Second: Investigate the responsible persons in the board of directors for misconduct, inaction, and any other violations of laws and regulations.  Strict penalties and financial compensation must be made for the loss of our donated documents, articles and any other exhibits, intentional damage and waste of the resources and property of the Laogai Research Foundation.  All legal fees must be paid by the parties and cannot be paid by the Laogai Human Rights Organization or the Laogai Research Foundation.

Third: The current Chairman of the Laogai Research Foundation, Yang Fengshi, and the other directors should explain to the public, especially to all the victims of Laogai, why the Laogai Museum has remained closed for nearly two years?

Fourth: Publish the settlement agreement between Laogai Research Foundation and Yahoo in 2007 and publish the remaining funds of Laogai Human Rights Organization and Laogai Research Foundation, as well as the details of the whereabouts of the funds after the death of Mr. Harry Wu.

Fifth: At present, none of the “Laogai Human Rights Organization” currently in charge of the Yahoo Fund and the “Laogai Research Foundation” which is specifically implementing the operation is a survivor of Laogai.  In order to develop a normal and healthy future for the above two organizations, we demand a highly respected survivor of Laogai reorganize those two Organization, revise the relevant bylaw and regulations, improve management and supervision, and regularly announce financial and humanitarian assistance to the public.

Sixth, In view of the fact that the US Congress came forward to coordinate the settlement between the Laogai Foundation and Yahoo!, we hope that Congress and Yahoo! will be responsible for supervising the implementation of the above requirements, or by court decrees.

Laogai survivors and initiators:

United States:

Wei Jingsheng,  Ilshat Hassan Kokbore,  Zhang Lin,  Zhang Jing,  Xue Wei,  Chen Pokong, Tang Yuanjun, Sun Yan, Yu Luowen, Ning Xianhua, Wang Bin, Wang Qingying,  Jiang Jie, Peng Jipan, Li Guotao, Wei Quanbao, Yao Cheng

Europe:

Liao Yiwu

Australia:

Qi Jiazhen, Sun Baoqiang

China:

Tan Zuoren, Yan Zhengxue, Tang Longbing, Wang Sen, Jiang Lijun, Guo Chengming, Xin Ying.