August 2000

Leaders of City Council,

Greetings! We are some villagers of XX town and we are also Falun Dafa practitioners. We would like to report to you what we have experienced recently.

On July 24 of this year, without contacting each other, several practitioners went to help an elderly woman in the our village to harvest corn. She was in her 70s and the two acres field was too much for her. Soon after we started, there were about ten people from the town and local police driving to the field. They surrounded us and yielded: "Stand up! Freeze!" Then they took photos of us and brought us to the local police station.

In the station, they made us stand on bare feet and lean our body against a wall under the scorching sun; it was more than 40 degrees Celsius. We were not allowed to move. After that, they started to give us a "special education." The police's batons, palms, fists and steel toed shoes poured down onto our heads, faces and bodies. Among us, three female practitioners in their 70s were also treated this way. One elderly gentleman of more than 70 years old had a hunchback and could not lean his back close to the wall. One of the "people's police" fiercely pushed his head onto the wall with one hand and stroke his chest with the other fist, saying, "let me straighten you hunchback!"

There was one old lady of 87 years old, who had just started practicing 5 day ago. She wanted to use the restroom. The same police officer ran over and grabbed her, shouting, "How dare you try and escape?" Then he cuffed her hands behind her back, with one hand reaching down over the shoulder and the other hand reaching up from the lower back. He then pulled her up from the ground and rushed her to the street. People on street were all crying: "You are going to kill her, you are going to kill her!" How heart breaking this scene was! Just because she practiced Falun Gong, the "people's police" could treat an 87-year-old lady this way! People on the street shook their heads.

After sunset, they locked us into a small, dark, filthy, and stench-ridden cell and did not allow us to use the restroom. They simply labeled one practitioner as the "head of the main assistant center" and then took her to the city police station with the accusation of "disturbing social order." The village leaders released the old lady after collecting a fine from her, because they were afraid of taking responsibility if the old lady died from the abuses.

We have been conducting ourselves according to "Zhen-Shan-Ren" (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance). Each year, we pay tax earlier than non-practitioners. We did not fight for good farm fields when the farm fields were distributed to villagers. We took the poor fields that the non-practitioners did not want. When our crops were stepped on by others, we did not quarrel or fight with them. The atmosphere in our neighborhood was very harmonious and friendly. Our Teacher taught us that we should be good people and we have been following his teachings. Though we were very busy, we still found time to practice exercises and study Falun Dafa. What law have we broken? Why should we be regarded as a threat to social security?

Since last July, the government has implemented a brutal crackdown against Falun Dafa. Numerous practitioners went to appeal to the government. They took all kinds of risks and difficulties, even the danger of losing their lives. They went through countless ordeals yet they still kindly treated everyone with great Benevolence and great Forbearance, without any hatred. However, as of today, the government is still playing deaf and persecuting practitioners with even harsher means. But we still want to practice and study even under these severe circumstances. Why? To revolt against the government? No. This is because Falun Dafa is really reighteous.

We sincerely hope that the leaders in our city council will take the initiative to get to know Falun Dafa and put an end to the brutal activities of the police towards the Falun Dafa practitioners. Please do not let your own kindness be buried simply due to the fear of the loss of a tiny bit of your personal interest.

Signed