Han Dongfang

Han Dongfang, a 29-year old railway worker, is the leading dissident labor activist in China. Sometimes called China's Lech Walesa, he was a founder of the suppressed Beijing Workers Autonomous Federation (BWAF), the first independent labor organization since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. In that capacity, he led the workers' organization in Tiananmen Square during the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations.

The BWAF was declared a "counter-revolutionary" organization by the authorities following the adoption on May 28, 1989, of its "Provisional Outline," a declaration stating its intention to operate openly and in full conformity with the laws and constitution of the PRC. In the early hours of June 4, 1989, the BWAF headquarters, in two small tents in the northwest corner of Tiananmen Square, was the first target of the People's Liberation Army.

One of China's "most wanted" activists, Han was jailed later that month, though his arrest was never made public because the government feared an outbreak of organized industrial unrest.

Unwilling to admit any "mistakes," Han was moved to "isolation" and later, as punishment, placed in a cell with prisoners who had infectious diseases. While there he contracted tuberculosis.

In March 1990, Han was formally charged with "counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement" and moved to the infamous Banbuqiao Prison K Block, which had earlier housed prominent political prisoners such as Wei Jingsheng. There he was tortured. He was subsequently moved to Qincheng Prison, China's top-secret facility for political prisoners, where his tuberculosis fully erupted. Denying him treatment for two months, the authorities, fearful that he might die in custody, eventually released him in April 1991. He had been held for 22 months without trial.

Though in poor health and subject to re-arrest at any time (the charges against him were not dropped after his release), Han continued his efforts to draw attention to the plight of Chinese workers. In April 1992 he formally applied to hold a demonstration, the first since the events at Tiananmen Square. His request was denied, and he was briefly detained on the eve of the third anniversary of the June 4 crackdown.

After intense efforts by the AFL-CIO and other labor and human rights organizations, as well as the U.S. Government and Congress, Han was allowed to leave China to receive medical treatment. In a Hong Kong press conference following his departure, he predicted that the PRC would eventually be forced to recognize free trade unions as a way of defusing mounting worker unrest and discontent fueled by the economic reforms. He and his wife, Chen Jingyu, pregnant with their first child, arrived in the United States on September 17.

(The Endowment wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the AFLCIO and Asia Watch in preparing this tribute.)