An Open Letter from Ciro D. Rodriguex, Member of Congress

Congress of the United States

House of Representatives

Ciro D. Rodriguez, Member of Congress

323 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515-4328

ááááááá December 27, 1999

To Whom It May Concern:

áI write to express my concern over the continuing crackdown against practitioners of the spiritual exercises Falun Gong.á Also know as Falun Dafa, it represents an apolitical and non-violent form of meditation exercise based upon traditional Chinese culture.á By engaging in these exercises and following principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance, the millions of practitioners around the world have gained tremendous health benefits and spiritual upliftment.

á In July 1999, the practice of Falun Gong in China was outlawed by the government.á Thousand of practitioners have been jailed and tortured for not giving up their participation.á This action followed similar action by the government to restrict other traditional spiritual practices.á I am concerned by this apparent violation of international accords and laws, including Chinas own constitution.

ááá I encourage Americans to discover for themselves the truth about Falun Gong.á While many rumors and propaganda have been spread, I believe we should express our support for practitioners here and abroad as human rights violations continue against Falun Gong followers in China.

áááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá Sincerely,

áááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá Ciro D. Rodriguez

áááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá Member of Congress