Miss world CANADA

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/popup/audio/player.html?autoPlay=true&clipIds=2668002139

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-tuesday-edition-1.3088215/miss-world-canada-anastasia-lin-says-despite-threats-she-ll-keep-pushing-for-human-rights-in-china-1.3088469

Carol: Ms. Lin, what did it mean for you to have won this competition?

Anastasia Lin: For me, this crown was really heavy, coz I campaign for this for the past 3 years. Um, I wanted to speak up for people who are being abused in my home country and the human rights issue in general.

Carol: So you (were) pretty happy that night?

Lin: Yes, I was very happy. There were prizes as well.

Carol: And what did your father back in China, when he heard that you had won, what was his reaction?

Lin: He was really happy. He was thrilled because Miss World Canada, that’s such a huge title, and also I
am an immigrant myself. So for him, this is the absolute honor.

Carol: And when did things change? When did your father send you different kinds of messages?

Lin: So, 3, 4 days after the competition, my father just sent me this message, saying that please stop all the political and human rights work right away, or I won’t send you any assistance any more.

Carol: What does that mean? What did he stop, what was he asking you to stop?

Lin: Human rights work, so basically, speaking out in public, perhaps participating in TV and some projects that has to do with human rights.

Carol: Did he tell you what consequences there will be if you didn’t stop?

Lin: Um, he said that “do you know that the security force has reached me. So if you continue to do this,
our family will be turned on, like in the cultural revolution.”

Carol: What does he, what do you think he means by that? Turn, that become like the cultural revolution?

Lin: Cultural revolution is a trauma that Chinese people still haven’t, I think, healed from today. In that
period of time, the people, family members denounced each other. It was encouraged by the communist party to expose whoever is not aligned with the party discipline. So even till today, our family value in China has not been completely recovered form that, I believe, of course.

Carol: And your father, do you think that the message your father was sending you, in kind of almost coded way, was that I may have to denounce you, I may have to separate myself from you?

Lin: I think so, I think that’s what it implies. And also he said that we might have to walk our separate
ways, if, if, you continue to do this. Which was very unfortunate. My father never talks to me that way.
So that’s why I realized probably something serious happened to him.

Carol: Had your father ever spoken to you about politics before?

Lin: Well, he was worried because in China, that kind of political climate. People don’t speak out, and
when they have relatives outside of China, that speaks. Um, Communists sometimes use an tactic - it’s called, I think, a relational demobilization, so they try to investigate dissidents’ family ties, and threaten those people to persuade the dissidents you not speak up.

Carol: What are you going to do?

Lin: I think the best way to protect my father at this point is to continue speaking out about it. Raise awareness about the issue. And hopefully they will back away. But I have to really see how this develops. My father, it’s very unclear what really happened to him. There’s no way for me to know, and at this point, he doesn’t really want to speak to me on the phone. He said that, “let’s keep our conversation short, my phone might be tapped”. And now when I call him, he just replies with that I’m in a meeting. And when I actually confronted him with the issue, “what really happened, please tell me that.” He says, “let it pass. I do not ever want to mention about this again.”

Carol: And this is not the kind of conversation you’ve had with him before.

Lin: No, he was never like this.

Carol: What did your mother say?

Lin: My mother’s also very scared because my father is a businessman in China. A lot of people are relying on him. So my mother, she’s extremely concerned. She believes everything my father say, when my father say, “don’t ever mention about it again.” She’d become extremely scared and think that the best way is just to keep quiet.

Carol: And your mother’s here in Canada?

Lin: Yes. Most of my family are still in China. My mom’s the only relative I have outside of China. So she’s extremely concerned and she’s worried about my father’s business.

Carol: Is she worried about your father as well?

Lin: Yes. But at this point, um, she doesn’t dare to really comment on the issue. She’s just telling me to be quiet. Just don’t say anything.

Carol: How does that make you feel?

Lin: At the beginning, I was really scared because it’s my father that’s in China. I was educated in Canada. I believe that I should speak out. And I shouldn’t, shouldn’t be afraid to stand for what I think right.

Carol: So you’re torn between your family’s safety and principle.

Lin: I think someone’s got to speak. And no one will ever speak the truth, and…I just hope they would understand why I’m doing this.

Carol: Who’s they?

Lin: My family.

Carol: And you don’t think they do.

Lin: They are just so frightened at this point. They think that perhaps what I’m doing is threatening their normal life.

Carol: You, how much of your stand, your politics was contributed to your victory, or to winning this title of Miss World Canada?

Lin: I think everything. Because a big portion of this score in Miss World Canada goes to the on stage question and answer. Each of us has to pick a question and give our best answer, and the judges, the first time in 2013 when I participated and got 2nd runner-up without participating the swim-suit portion, the judge asked me “what do you think about the relations in your freedom issue?”, and I said that I am Canadian, “free to speak without fear, free to worship it in my own way”. Our Diefent-, Prime Minister Diefentbaker’s quote. That’s the value I’m gonna uphold for myself and all mankind. And I think because of that, the judges really resonated with me. Although I didn’t participate in the swim-suit portion, they still gave me the 2nd runner-up. And this time, I told them that I am determined to continue to be the voice for the voiceless. So they gave me the crown this time. I think it has everything to do with it.

Carol: The Miss World competition itself is to be held in China.

Lin: It is.

Carol: What’s gonna happen there? You need a visa, don’t you?

Lin: I do need a visa. Yea.

Carol: Do you think you’ll get one?

Lin: At this point, I really don’t know. I hope I’ll get a visa. If I don’t, I’ll continue to advocate for that. I will, I will try to speak up because I think I deserve to represent Canada in this world competition. This sends the message that freedom is our nationality. And I think this is the perfect way to uphold my value, the Canadian value.

Carol: Is there anything that would persuade you to change your mind?

Lin: At this point, no.

Carol: You’re a strong woman.

Lin: Thank you, um, it’s not easy. I think its every step of the way has encouraged me to be more true to myself and to what I really wanna do.

Carol: Ms. Lin, thank you.

Lin: Thank you.