The Darmstadt Echo (Germany): Suppression of Virtues

November 19, 2001

BENSHEIM (dr). For many citizens in Germany, China is not merely geographically quite distant. They occasionally perceive through the media a sensation that China has much to catch up in the human rights area. During these times, however, when the outrage and news coverage centers on Afghanistan, the problems in China seem to be relegated to the periphery of consciousness. Ms. Jing Wang will intervene in this trend and send a signal.

Together with her fellow protesters named Ying Chu, Jingying Zhou and Haiping Li the Berlin woman student is therefore participating in the SOS-Rescue-March to support Falun gong practitioners in China. Sunday the group stopped in front of Bensheim's city hall. This relay-walk around the globe began in North America. The way to Germany led through Iceland, France, Luxemburg, Holland and Belgium. On November 15^th, Ms. Wang accepted the "relay-stave" in Germany. Their leg of the trip will be from Heidelberg to Frankfurt am Main. They walk 5 km per hour (about 4-1/4 miles), not minding wind and bad weather to draw attention to the problems in their home country.

Once in Heidelberg, they will pass on the symbolic "olive branch" to the next group of Falun Gong marchers who will then head toward Vienna.

Falun Gong, a meditation movement and practice for physical health has connections to [Buddha school and Tao school teachings]. The movement's philosophical background has rekindled life for ancient Chinese traditions. Mr. Li Hongzhi has spread the movement in China since 1992. For the past two years or so the Chinese government has outlawed this practice as an undesirable activity, fearing for infringement on China's power base. Ms. Wang disputes that reasoning energetically: "We have no political ambitions or interests. The only reason we went public was the persecution of our fellow practitioners [in China]. The only thing we want to accomplish is the freedom to perform our exercises twice a day, morning and night, and to be able to live by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance." Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance are the three words that govern the Falun Gong followers' daily life.

The situation in China has worsened recently. To date, 311 Falun Gong practitioners in China have been gruesomely tortured to death. That is merely an unofficial number, because due to government-controlled media, this information is censured in the PRC and subject to news blackouts. " The real number is perhaps much larger. The fact is that particularly women and children are brutally tortured and sometimes murdered," she

claimed. She carried a folder showing photographs of those who have perished for their faith in the year 2000.

She added that at least 1,000 mentally healthy practitioners are suffering forced stays in mental institutions. [There were about] 100 million people practice Falun Gong in China, a much more considerably larger number that there are members in the Ruling Party. That seems to be the reason for the SOS-marchers why the Chinese government has taken such a hard stance.

"We wish to bring governments and the world community this message -- we urgently need your help," emphasized this human rights advocate. They are living securely in Germany, but the lives of their friends, relatives and acquaintances in the PCR are in peril.

Many of those have already lost their employment and are forced into economic ruin, so related Ms. Wang. They are not only attempting to contact the "man in the street," but also politicians who they hope will become sensitive to their plight. Dialogues with several city and town mayors have already taken place. The response is thoroughly positive. Passing cars honk their horns in solidarity with the SOS-march group.