China Aid has learned that several orphan children and their caretakers were forced to spend the night in a hotel room after having been evicted from their orphanage by local police officials on Christmas day.
The orphanage's caretakers, Ming Xuan Zhang along with his two sons, had prepared to celebrate Christmas with the children, but were in no way prepared to deal with the situation that unfolded that morning. After presenting an eviction notice, officials then proceeded to beat the care-takers and the children until they were literally forced onto the street.
The Director of Security order of the Village of Sanhe, along with other government officials from the Religious Bureau and United Work Front Department, had threatened the landlord to stop renting land to Zhang and the children or face imprisonment. Left with little choice, the landlord was forced to evict Zhang after 5 years of faithful occupancy.
The children slept in a hotel room as Zhang frantically searched for space to rent for the orphanage. Unfortunately, Government officials had not limited the Christmas Day eviction to a single affair. On 3 separate occasions, landlords were threatened not to rent space to Zhang and the orphans, or face criminal charges and prison time.
Government officials continue to persecute Ming Xuan Zhang for his leadership role in the Chinese House Church. Affectionately known as "Bike", Ming Xuan Zhang has experienced severe persecution and has been imprisoned 12 times by Government officials, who are trying to isolate him from the Chinese house church alliance. In 2006, US President George W. Bush requested a meeting with Ming Zhang during his visit to China, but was denied by Communist Party officials. Zhang and his son were kidnapped at a train station after CPC officials discovered he had been invited to meet the President.
Zhang has written a second open letter to President Hu Jintao, in hopes of receiving relief from persecution. No response has been issued. Government officials continue to hinder Zhang from renting space for his orphanage by threatening landlords who offer to lease to him. Zhang and the children continue to remain homeless as they search for permanent living space.
We implore the international community and those involved to take action against the crimes committed against Ming Zhang and his orphanage. The eviction and closure of an orphanage on Christmas day, due to the religious persecution of its caretaker is behavior that can not be tolerated of any Government or nation.
Click Here to view full text of Ming Zhang's open letter to President Hu Jintao
If you would like to personally contact Ming Xuan Zhang, he can be reached at:
86-139-3067-8090
Please contact the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC for more information
Address: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. 20007
Tel: (202) 338-6688, (202)5889760 Fax: (202) 588- 9760
