Gazette Times: Local Falun Gong devotees speak out

September 2, 2001

Mid-Valley Sunday

CORVALLIS - Joy Zhao will never forget the day she went to the Denver International Airport and picked up her friend, Jian Tang, who was returning from a trip to China.

"She smiled at me with one missing front tooth and short cut hair," she said. "She had long beautiful hair about 16 days before she left."

The two friends had practiced Falun Gong together for three years in Denver. The practice consists of a series of slow-moving exercises that incorporate meditation and spiritual principles.

While in Guang-Zhou, a city in southern China, Tang had met with some Falun Gong practitioners at a friend's apartment. Policemen burst into the home without a warrant, struck them in the head and body with their fists, then handcuffed the group and took them to Tian-He Detention Center.

At the prison, officials forced salt water down Tang's throat because she went on a hunger strike protesting the illegal detention. She was beaten, dragged in shackles and forced to endure long hours of labor. She was kept in a dirty cell for 15 days where she was served rotten rice and vegetables and surrounded by rats.

Her alleged crime was practicing Falun Gong.

Zhao read her friend's story to a crowd in front of Corvallis City Hall Saturday afternoon, encouraging people to write government officials to stop the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China. She was one of five speakers who attended the hour-long conference designed to alert people to the Chinese government's practices.

According to reports from other Falun Gong practitioners, some are jailed and beaten, many women are sexually assaulted and others are tortured to death.

"Our purpose in asking you to be here today is very simple. It is to tell you the truth," said Hong Liner. "Right now, men, women and children are being imprisoned and tortured simply because they want to follow spiritual principles and do some exercises. That is unthinkable in this country and most of the world. But it is practically a daily occurrence in China."

Li Hongzhi [introduced] Falun Gong [to the public] in 1992, and [...] million[s of] people around the world practice it today. Practitioners follow rhythmic motions and hold several minute-long positions to soothing Chinese music. Also known as Falun Dafa, the practice is a form of qigong, an ancient Chinese exercise done to enhance physical and mental health.

The three spiritual principles Falun Gong upholds are truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance.

People are dying for the practice because they believe in it, Liner said, and there is nothing political involved. Falun Gong members do not collect money, worship a teacher, follow rituals or list members. She said the practice has helped cleanse her body and mind and improve her relationship with her mother, who is also a practitioner.

"You practice the exercises and the principles and your life changes," she said. "You look at the world differently. You find that living your life guided by truthfulness, compassion and tolerance creates the best possible of all worlds."

According to Liner, the Chinese government conducted a study two years ago and found that the number of practitioners exceeded [party's name omitted] members by millions. In response, Chinese President Jiang Zemin issued a proclamation that launched an official crackdown on the practice. Since then, about 270 people have died from torture in Chinese jails, labor camps and prisons, said Liner, adding that many more deaths may have gone unreported.

Jason Liu, a practitioner from Seattle, Wash., said the government makes up reasons for punishing the practitioners with claims that the practice has created an [term omitted]. These messages breed misconceptions about the practice. But in reality, he said, the increasing number of practitioners poses a threat to the country's leaders.

"They are afraid because a lot of people are doing this," he said. "They fear losing control."

In October, President George Bush plans to go to China and meet with government officials, [...], speakers said Saturday. This month Congress is expected to vote on Resolution 188, which would urge the Chinese government to cease persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

In addition to Zhao and Liner, state Senate candidate Joe Novak, Corvallis City Councilman Charlie Tomlinson and local yoga instructor June Noyce spoke at the gathering, stressing the importance of community members taking action.

"Although we are separated from China by language, the ocean and the government, we're all humans. When there's a persecution of humans, everybody suffers," Noyce said.

"Sometimes simple things are all that's needed to make changes."

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