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Press Release – July 4, 2005 Contact: Joseph Kung Tel: 203-329-9712 Fax: 203-329-8415 E-Mail: jmkung@aol.com |
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T h e C a r d i n a l K u n g F o u n d a t i o n |
Underground
Roman Catholic |
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Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A.
— Bishop Jia ZhiGuo 賈治國,
the underground Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Zheng Ding 正定in
Hebei Province, was arrested again by two government officials at his
house at approximately 3:30 pm Beijing time today July 4, 2005 and was
driven away to an unknown location. The government officials
telephoned Bishop Jia in advance, notifying him that he was being picked
up and ordering the Bishop that he was to tell the people that he was
being taken away by the government officials to visit a physician.
Bishop Jia is not sick at present and there is no need for him to visit a
physician. We have no idea how long Bishop Jia will be taken away.
Bishop
Jia is 70 years old and was ordained a bishop in 1980. He was
previously in jail for approximately 20 years and has been under strict
surveillance for many years. He takes care of approximately 100
handicapped orphans in his house. This is the sixth time that Bishop
Jia was arrested since January 2004. The first arrest was April 5,
2004. A car with four government security policemen suddenly
appeared at the bishop’s residence and took him away without
explanation. The second arrest was September 9, 2004 when Bishop Jia
was forced by two security personnel to take a tour for three days to
Wentang 文溏 Township in Pingshan 平山 County.
Adding insult to injury, they forced the bishop to pay for the hotel and
meal expenses, including for those government officials who watched over
him. The third arrest was September 30, 2004 when Bishop Jia was
forcibly taken away by security personnel of Shijiazhung
石家莊district. The arrests on December 14, 2004
and January 5, 2005 were Bishop Jia’s fourth and fifth arrests. Joseph
Kung, the President of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, said: “I said it
before and I am saying it again. The spirit of the Olympic Games is
being so downgraded by their coexistence with the evil spirit of religious
persecutions in China. The noble name of “Olympic” is being
severely tarnished by its association with religious persecutions and
human rights violations in China who is hosting the 2008 Olympic Games.
This is about the time for the Olympic Committee to consider canceling the
Games in China in order to preserve their good name and spirit.” *Bishop Jia ZhiGuo was released from detention on July 7, 2005 |