A Speech by a Falun Gong Practitioner

Speech #1

Over the past year and a half many have heard stories and reports about the practice of Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa) and the persecution of this practice faced in China.

I would like to share Falun Gong's Peaceful Journey. I will demonstrate how Falun Gong practitioners have, in each step of their journey, made strides towards creating lasting peace not through demanding peace or through fighting for peace but rather by cultivating and embodying peace within themselves.

Ms. Chen Zixiu, was a 58 year old retired factory worker. In 1997 she started to learn Falun Dafa. Ms Chen's family members noticed fantastic changes in her. She smiles more. Her short temper changed to a softer and more tolerant disposition. Ms Chen's Family knew something in the teachings of Falun Dafa had changed her and inspired her to become a kinder and more peaceful mom. The whole family lived in peace until the day the Chinese government banned Falun Dafa. Ms Chen was shocked. "It was the most bitter day of my mom's life." her daughter recalls. Ms Chen could not imagine that the government would slander and defame Falun Dafa. She travelled to Beijing to appeal to the government and to help clarify the truth of Falun Dafa. On December 4, 1999 Mr Cheng was arrested.

Ms Chen was tortured for the next two months. The police beat her on her calves, feet, and lower back with heavy plastic truncheons. They electrocuted her head and neck with a cattle prod. Officials told Ms Chen they had orders from the central government that "no measures are too excessive to wipe out Falun Gong". The police demanded she renounce her faith in Falun Dafa. The 58-year-old lady unyieldingly shook her head.

Witnesses say on February 21 2000 Ms Chen crawled outside, vomited, collapsed and died.

On February 22 Ms Chen's son and daughter went to identify the body. The daughter spotted her mom's torn and blood soaked clothes in the corner. Her mom's calves were black. Six-inch welts streaked along her back. Her teeth were broken. Her ears were swollen and blue. Ms Chen's family tried to sue but no lawyer would take the case.

On March 17^th Ms Chens body was cremated without consent. On April 23^rd Ms Chen's daughter was arrested for " leaking state secrets" for telling The Wall Street Journal about her story.

The Wall Street Journal reported s the fate Ms. Chen received for her dedication and for her unwillingness to compromise her beliefs.

Ms. Chen committed no crime against the government. Ms. Chen did not retaliate or return violence or anger in anyway, although she was brutally tortured. Instead she held firm to her faith in Falun Dafa and refused to agree to her torturers' demands, even unto her death.

Ms. Zhao Xin was a lecturer at Beijing Industry and Commerce University. Ms. Zhao started to practice Falun Dafa in June 1998. She was recognized as a diligent, hardworking, conscientious and responsible employee with a modest and friendly personality. Students and professors alike all remarked that she had a "crystal-pure heart".

On June 19, 2000, Zhao Xin was arrested by police for practicing Falun Gong exercises in a park. Several days later, Ms. Zhao's parents received a "critically ill notice" about their daughter. Her vertebra at the fourth, fifth and sixth joints of her neck had been broken by police. The doctors said, "She is still in critical condition and is fighting for survival.

Ms. Zhao received this brutal torture brought on by police and government officials because she was a Falun Dafa practitioner, because she refused to give up her rights as a human being. 

Mr Zhou Zhichang was the head officer for the Department of Armed Forces in Shuangcheng City. He was a well-known and widely respected officer and party member. Friends and family said he was always a kind and honest man and his life had become more peaceful and happy when he started to practice Falun Dafa.

On September 9, 1999, Mr Zhou travelled to Beijing to appeal for the truth of Falun Dafa. He was arrested. He was shackled and beaten for 8 months. Mr Zhou died on May 6, 2000 after he had been on a hunger strike for eight days.

There were many open wounds on his head and body. The skin on his head was seperated from his skull. The government told Mr Zhou's family to sign a statement that he died of a heart attack. His family refused.

These cases are few of thousands that are taking place in China even today. They are part of a brutal crackdown that started in China over 16 months ago.

Over 50, 000 practitioners were detained for practising Falun Gong. Over 10, 000 practitioners were sent to labour camps without trial.

Thousands of others have been fired from their jobs, expelled from their schools, fined large sums of money, incarcerated and drugged in mental hospitals.

Amongst all this vicious persecution there has not been a single case in which a practitioner has resorted to violence or retaliation. Tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have adopted the same peaceful approach to conflict and brutal persecution.

.Why is this peaceful approach exemplified by so many Falun Dafa practitioners - , from all different backgrounds and social classes, without exception? What has given these ordinary Chinese citizens the courage, the compassion and the strength to be so committed to peace that they maintain peace even when brutally tortured to death? This is no coincidence.

The answers to these questions are found in the teachings of Falun Dafa.

Falun Dafa is a self-cultivation practice for both mind and body. the basis of this teaching is to assimilate to the characteristic of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. Practitioners use this standard to refine and improve their hearts and their minds by continued study of the teachings of Falun Dafa to hold themselves to the standards of truth compassion forbearance in all circumstances throughout daily life.

Falun Dafa incorporates five sets of gentle, beautiful and powerful qigong exercises. They have helped many practitioners to improve health, relieve stress, gain energy and relax..

Falun Dafa was introduced into china in 1992. In 1992 and 1993 Falun Dafa was honoured as the Star Qigong School. In 1993, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa was awarded the Advancing Boundary Science Award. Millions across China began to learn and benefit from Falun Dafa. Positive news reports and recognition letters from Chinese government officials were received.

In February 1999, the U.S. News and World Report ran a story where an official from the high profile PRC sports commission said:

"Falun Gong and other types of Qigong can save each person 1,000 yuan in annual medical fees. If 100 million people are practising it, that's 100 billion-yuan saved per year in medical fees. Premier Zhu Rongji is very happy about that. The country could use the money right now."

However, as the popularity of Falun Dafa grew in China, some officials of the PRC did not welcome it. Members of the Party apparently conducted a survey in late 1998. The results showed that an estimated 70 million people practised Falun Dafa in China alone.

A number far exceeding the members of the Communist party itself. This was seen as a threat. The Public Security Bureau was instructed to monitor and limit Falun Dafa activities.

Publication of the books of Falun Dafa books was halted. Articles were written in newspapers and magazines that slandered and criticised Falun Dafa. The appeals of practitioners went unheard and articles that clarified these false accusations were refused publication. In April 1999, an article that viscously slandered Falun Dafa was published in Science Magazine. Some practitioners adopted the legal and government-approved approach of appealing to the related organisations to correct the false accusations. On April 18, they went to Tianjin Education College, where the magazine was printed. The Public Security Bureau arrived unexpectedly. They did not communicate with the practitioners or receive their appeals. Instead some of the practitioners were beaten.

Days later, the PSB rounded up and detained practitioners. Other practitioners gathered at the Office of Appeals in Tianjin City government to peacefully appeal and present the facts of these events. Forty Falun Gong practitioners were arrested.

All channels of appeal to local government had been blocked and the practitioners' peaceful attempts to clarify the truth and seek a just representation through media had been either ignored or stamped out. Practitioners had no choice but to appeal to a higher level of government - the central government in Beijing.

The next day, 10 000 practitioners gathered quietly in Zongnanhai to appeal to the Chinese government. They gathered to request the release of the practitioners who had been unlawfully detained, to establish a free and legitimate environment to practice Falun Dafa and for an end to the pressure against Falun Dafa practitioners. As the New York Times reported,

"Unlike student protesters who noisily thronged the streets of Beijing with colourful banners and offensive slogans 10 years ago, Sunday's demonstrators drew no attention to themselves and attracted no notice until there were suddenly many thousands of them sitting quietly in one of the most politically sensitive locations in the nation."

A small group of practitioners was able to meet with Premier Zhu Rongji to present the situation and make their appeal. After they were able to present their case, all practitioners peacefully and quietly went home. People around the world who were witness to this course of events were astounded. It was truly a landmark in the progress of peaceful negotiation.

However, to a few high ranked members in the communist government, these events justified further crackdown against the group.

On July 22 1999, Falun Dafa was officially outlawed in China. the crackdown initiated against Falun Dafa had turned the country upside-down by placing 70 million peaceful Falun Dafa practitioners in opposition to the government. Just as the Cultural Revolution had wrought havoc in China during the 1960's,suddenly, an entire nation was torn in two by its own leadership.

In the middle of the night, authorities across China arrested hundreds of volunteer Falun Dafa contact people and ransacked their homes. Millions of legally published Falun Dafa books and tapes were confiscated, shredded and burned. Tens of thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners were arrested and beaten. A massive smear campaign was launched to demonise Falun Dafa using made-up stories and fabricated lies. The government blocked all communications with the outside world, and all Falun Dafa Web sites. Telephones were tapped. E-mail was monitored and foreign reporters were not allowed to contact Falun Dafa practitioners.

An article in the New York Times described, "the authorities have detained tens of thousands of people and are spewing a deafening barrage of anti-Falun Gong publicity each day."

In the words of Danny Schechter, Emmy Award winner and author of Falun Gong's Challenge to China, the Chinese government "launched a media war, deploying its state-owned newspapers, radio, and TV stations...National newscasts were lengthened by a half-hour to disseminate daily diatribes... In all of these accounts, Falun Gong's point of view was never published. The views of its supporters, defenders, and practitioners were, quite simply, missing from these government-sponsored accounts."

Before the crackdown in China, Falun Dafa had shown itself to be a peaceful and benign practice. under these brutal vicious attacks Falun Dafa stood out as being something truly powerful and unique. As Li Hongzhi wrote in one of his articles, "In the face of trials, one's true nature is revealed." The truly kind, compassionate, and courageous nature of Falun Dafa practitioners began to shine forth Across China and throughout the world.

Thousands upon thousands of practitioners descended upon Tiananmen Square in the nation's capital to bring their peaceful message of appeal. Many practised the exercises or courageously unfurled banners which read simply, "FALUN DAFA IS GOOD." these practitioners knew full well that they faced arrests, beatings, detentions - and even death.

On Oct. 28 1999, practitioners organised a press conference in Beijing to reveal the truth of the persecution by the Chinese government. Reporters from AP, AFP, Reuters and The New York Times were present. Practitioners gave first hand accounts of the treatments they had received in police custody. They exposed graphic evidence of the torture. Their bravery and strength to face these brutal persecutions and even dare to organise such a conference greatly moved the media in attendance and others around the world. Soon after, the practitioners who organised this press conference were arrested and sentenced to prison. The reporters who attended the press conference were interrogated and had their press passes confiscated by Chinese police.

Gu Linna, a former television program anchor, was arrested while sharing experiences with other practitioners at a private home. She shared her story of how she had lived the principles of Falun Dafa in jail.

"Whenever a kind-hearted policeman was on duty, I would be able to walk out of my cell. I would clean the yard, water the trees and wash the cars. Sometimes, I helped the elder chef in the kitchen. I helped the prisoner on duty to clean the floor and toilets. I helped sick prisoners with their night duties. During the leisure time, I would tell my cultivation experience and the principle of being a good person. The environment in the detention centre changed. Five practitioners arrived after me. They were not bullied. Now several people would help when only one person was on duty. The prisoners stopped swearing at people and stopped using dirty words. When I was leaving, a prisoner told others, 'She does not swear at people. I do not dare to swear at people in front of her. I will blush with shame upon thinking of swearing at people.' In the cell, a girl sat beside me. She had a chat with me everyday, "People say, good people will become bad after they go to jail. However, I have learned from you how to be a good person in jail."

Fellow practitioners around the world have echoed the peaceful actions of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Falun Dafa practitioners from nearly forty countries have used peaceful means to appeal to the world for support and to reveal the truth of the brutal vicious persecution in China. Practitioners appeal to their own governments to speak out against the crackdown in China and urge the Chinese government to stop the persecution.

In March, practitioners from around the globe gathered in Geneva Switzerland to present their case and make an appeal to the UN, in hopes that more countries learn of this persecution against fundamental human rights and show their support. Although the proposed censure against China's human rights situation did not receive enough votes from other countries, practitioners gained a moral victory as the case of Falun Dafa practitioners was heard on an international stage.

The week of September 4, 2000 during the UN Millennium Summit, estimates two thousand five hundred practitioners from around the globe gathered peacefully in New York City to appeal to the world on behalf of the persecuted practitioners in China. They came from Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, Australia, Canada and elsewhere for the common purpose of telling the world that "Falun Dafa is Good" and to ask, "China: Stop Persecuting Falun Gong!" Practitioners organised many events through the week and worked tirelessly to let the truth be known and to ask for a peaceful end to the oppression.

Many made sacrifices to attend. Some even took out loans to pay for flights. The police officers that patrolled the demonstration areas were amazed and grateful to witness such a peaceful, kind and co-operative group. By the end of the week, a high-ranking officer who over saw the demonstrations began to greet some practitioners with handshakes. He expressed the positive impact that their presence at the demonstration had made on his stress relief.

The contrast between the calm, peaceful Falun Dafa practitioners and the tense and sometimes hostile atmosphere of other demonstrators didn't go unnoticed by police and media. Some police officers even requested that practitioners offer a meditation workshop to the entire New York Police Department. Through this event, many thousands of New Yorkers came to know and appreciate the purity of Falun Dafa. They gained an understanding and truth of the resilience of the practitioners in China.

The actions of Falun Dafa practitioners have moved the hearts of people across the globe and have helped to gain the support of many country's governments around the world.

In Canada, over seventy government officials from various levels, including the Deputy Prime Minister sent proclamations and letters of congratulation for the benefits Falun Dafa has brought to Canadian people. The Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada declared in her letter to Falun Dafa practitioners,

"The men and women who follow the precepts of the Falun Dafa ... wish to live in symbiosis with the universe and experience inner peace. They cultivate the will to live in peace with themselves and in harmony with the universe, thus learning compassion for others and helping to create a more open and tolerant society..."

In November 1999, both the US House and the Senate passed Concurrent Resolutions condemning the Chinese government's treatment of Falun Gong practitioners in the strongest of language and urged China to stop the persecution.

President Clinton raised the issue himself. He called China's actions against Falun Gong a "troubling example" of the government's actions against those "who test the limits of freedom." Members of other governments around the world, including Australia and those in Europe have also voiced their concerns and have spoken out against China's actions.

Many Human Rights groups express their support to Falun Dafa in ending the current persecution. They recognise and acknowledge the admirable manner in which the practitioners of Falun Gong have worked for peace.

This past March at the 56th UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, a speaker from the Association of World Citizens stated in his speech: "Falun Gong... is a deeply-spiritual self-cultivation practice that deeply transforms its practitioners in terms of both mind and body. For its adherents to conduct themselves by anything but the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, would be unthinkable -- and this even includes under the circumstances of torture."

Mark Palmer, Vice-Chairman of Freedom House voiced his admiration the conduct of the practitioners under persecution in China. He stated: ...Falun Gong, is the movement which will define our time...it is in my judgement the greatest single movement in Asia today. There is nothing that begins to compare with it in terms of courage and importance. So Freedom House feels very strongly that Falun Gong deserves the world's support..."

A very old man sits alone and exhausted. He has travelled thousands of miles to sit in front of a Beijing prison where thousands of practitioners continue to suffer. The old man is very poor. He has nothing but a small bag over his shoulder. The police approach the old man. Quietly and slowly the old man unties the bag. He pulls out several pairs of worn out handmade walking slippers and looks at the guard. "Iv come a long way to be here. All I want to tell you is Falun Dafa is good and the government is wrong."

This old man's Journey symbolises what tens of thousands of his fellow practitioners have done in an effort to fulfil their commitment to the principles of truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

As we watch what has unfolded in China over the past 16 months we cannot help but be moved by the actions of selflessness, compassion and forbearance displayed by the Falun Dafa practitioners.

We as united human beings have all journeyed a long way for peace.

We have a responsibility to when it is attacked by vicious tyranny.

We as united human beings have a responsibility to support peace, to protect peace and to speak out and stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves. People like the practitioners of Falun Dafa who give their lives to keep the dream of peace alive, not for themselves but for their fellow practitioners and for all human kind.

I feel proud that a commitment to preserve peace around the world is the common thread that all of us here share today.