Tom Lantos 1928-2008

China Aid Association
Tom Lantos 1928-2008
Published  Yesterday | Headlines
February 11, 2008
The Uyghur American Association (UAA) was deeply saddened this morning to learn of the death of Representative Tom Lantos.
As the founding co-chairman of the 24-year-old Congressional Human Rights Caucus and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Lantos was an ardent advocate for global human rights causes, including the plight of the Uyghur and Tibetan people, and for freedom of expression in China.  
As a young man in Hungary, Representative Lantos survived the Holocaust.  He arrived in the United States in 1947 on a scholarship to study at the University of Washington. In 1980, he was elected to the House of Representatives, becoming the only Holocaust survivor to win a seat in Congress
UAA President and Uyghur democracy leader Rebiya Kadeer sends her condolences to the family of Representative Lantos.
“Chairman Lantos was a great champion of human rights and defender of freedom for the oppressed and defenseless people of the world.  As a survivor of the Holocaust, he understood the suffering of those who live in the shadows of repressive governments and served as a powerful symbol of courage and hope,” stated Ms. Kadeer.  “He dedicated his life to giving a voice to the voiceless and was instrumental in gaining my release from the darkness of a Chinese prison in March 2005.  I cannot fully express my heartfelt gratitude to him for the work that he has done for me, my family, and the Uyghur people.  May he rest peacefully with God in Heaven for all that he accomplished on behalf of the oppressed people of the world. We shall all remember him.”