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Reducing Footprints: An Open Letter to the President on Abortion and Climate Change 12/17/2009
December 15, 2009
The Honorable Barack H. Obama
Dear President Obama,
As you engage this week in international discussions at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, we strongly urge you to publicly denounce the “solution” proposed by a delegate that parents should be forcibly limited in the number of children they may have.
The most controversial aspect of the subject of climate change is the policies that are promoted by global warming activists and politicians. No proposal is more despicable and, if followed, would constitute a violation of basic human rights than the suggestion that governments should emulate China’s coercive family planning program.
Over our thirty years, Concerned Women for America (CWA) has drawn attention to the numerous human rights violations China has committed through its one-child policy, including the forced abortion and sterilization of Chinese women and men.
In a move that should cause climate change advocates to blush, China characterized its oppressive, inhumane “one-child” policy as a legitimate, successful way to combat global warming.
The state-run China Daily reported on December 10, 2009 that Zhao Baige, Vice-Minister of China’s National Population and Family Planning Commission, stated that as a result of the family planning policy, China has seen 400 million fewer births, which has resulted in 18 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions a year. Zhao made the comments in Copenhagen as one of Beijing’s delegates to the United Nations climate conference.
It is instructive that she chose to say “fewer births”. As documented by the U.S. Congress and State Department, China relies on forcibly aborting women and employs gruesome methods to reduce the number of babies who survive birth.
The United States cannot remain silent at a conference while another country advocates forced abortions as a legitimate means of caring for the environment. The Chinese representative not only bragged about their inhumane “family planning” practice, but also suggested other countries should follow in their footsteps, claiming that studies have shown that family planning programs are more efficient in helping cut emissions than other measures like alternative fuels.
On November 10, 2009, the United States Congress held a hearing on 30 years of China’s one-child policy. The witnesses consisted of Chinese citizens and human rights activists who gave first-hand accounts of the human rights abuses committed by the Chinese government.
One story was particularly heart breaking, although not uncommon. In 2004, Wujian was delighted to discover that she was pregnant with her first baby. However, she did not have a permit from the Chinese government to have a child. Wujian tried to hide from government officials who enforce China’s strict one-child policy, but eventually officials were informed of her pregnancy. Because they were not able to locate Wujian, they arrested and tortured her father. She testified, “My heart was broken into pieces as I faced this terrifying dilemma: either my father or my baby, one of them had to die, and I had to make the decision.”
Wujian was discovered and dragged away, along with other “illegally pregnant” women, and their babies were forcibly aborted.
President Obama, in your memorable speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize Award you highlighted the importance of protecting human rights around the world. “[I]f human rights are not protected, peace is a hollow promise.”
We respectfully ask that you not ignore the cry of the many women who have suffered numerous human rights abuses at the hands of the Chinese government as a result of their oppressive “family planning” policy.
We ask that you clearly denounce this audacious attempt by a Chinese official to justify their inhumane practices in the guise of reducing global warming. The purposeful violation of human rights is never justified even in the pursuit of protecting the environment.
Sincerely,
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Concerned Women for America 1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: (202) 488-7000 Fax: (202) 488-0806 |
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