News and Events from Around the World
- Washington DC: Practitioners Rally in Front of the Chinese Embassy on Christmas Eve
- Seoul, Korean: Court Accepts Lawsuit Charging Jiang Zemin for Genocide
- Falun Gong Practitioners in Denmark Prepare to Launch a Lawsuit Against Jiang and His Accomplices
- Melbourne City Council Found Guilty of Breaching Equal Opportunity Act in Australia
- Canadian MP Svend Robinson Urges Minister of Foreign Affairs to Mention the Concern of Canadians Regarding the Persecution of Falun Gong to Wen Jiabao
- The Letter from the Chairperson of the Association for Threatened People Expressing Support For Bringing Jiang to Justice
- Speech by Member of European Parliament Roger Helmer at Press Conference in the European Court of Human Rights
- Liu Chengjun, One of the First to Broadcast the Facts of the Persecution Over Chinese State-Run TV, Dies as a Result of Torture
- UN Employee and Her Husband Reveal the Harassment and Brainwashing They Were Subjected to on a Visit to China
- China: Sixty-three Year's Old Woman Dies as a Result of Torture in Masanjia Forced Labor Camp
- China: Internal Organs Missing from the Body of Falun Gong Practitioner Killed in Police Custody
- China: Atrocities in Force Labor Camps in Shanxi Province: the Police Forces Falun Gong Practitioners to Swallow Excrement and Urine and Humiliates Females
- China: Mr. Song Youchun Tortured to Death and His Family Members under Arrest for Appeal
- Washington Times Reveals How Chinese Authorities Persecutes Falun Gong Practitioners by Depriving Them of Employment
- Canada: National Post Suggests Athletes Practice Falun Gong Exercises During the 2008 Beijing Olympics
- With Saddam's Arrest, Jiang Zemin's Doom Is Drawing Near
The People Awaken to the Truth
- China: School Authorities Change Their Attitude After Learning the Truth About the Persecution
- The Compassion of a Falun Gong Practitioner Moves a Chinese Policeman's Heart
- China: An Elderly Police Officer Returns to Practice Falun Gong
Falun Gong Practitioners' Personal Experiences
- An Elderly Man's Story: Falun Dafa Gave Me A New Life
- A Woman in Her 70's Experiences Miracles After Practicing Falun Dafa
News and Events from Around the World
Washington DC: Practitioners Rally in Front of the Chinese Embassy on Christmas Eve
While most Americans are celebrating this holiday season, Falun Gong practitioners Charles Lee and Meiyu Zhao have to suffer in prisons in China. On December 24, Washington DC Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference in front of the Chinese embassy to U.S to rescue them.
At 2pm, Washington DC Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference in the park in front of Chinese Embassy to call for the immediate release of Falun Gong practitioners Charles Lee and Meiyu Zhao, who have been illegally detained by the Jiang's regime.
Charles Lee is a citizen of the U.S. and a resident of California. He was arrested when he arrived at Guangzhou airport on January 22, 2003. The Jiang's regime charged him with "intending" to use TV to broadcast Falun Gong truth-clarifying video and sentenced him to 3 years in prison on March 21. He was then detained in Nanjing prison, where he has been frequently beaten. In the last two months, he was forced to attend brainwashing sessions.
Charles Lee's fianc¨¦e Ms. Yeong-ching Foo said: "Though we haven't talk with each other for 11 months and we have to spend this bitter Christmas separately, I am proud of him because he did this for others."
Ms. Zhao, 27, is the sister of Montgomery (MD) county resident Lanxiang Zhao. Because of practicing Falun Gong, Ms. Zhao was sentenced to one and a half years of forced labor January, 2000 and suffered all kinds of tortures in the forced labor camp. This May, Ms. Meiyu Zhao was arrested again because she expressed a willingness to sue Jiang Zemin. She was recently sentenced 7 years in prison.
In an open letter to her sister, Ms. Lanxiang Zhao wrote: "I want to send my sister a Christmas card. Sadly, I don't know where to send it. The police even refused to tell my family where my sister is being detained. Where others are celebrating Christmas, I can't even hear any news about my sister."
An American lady passing by raised up her arm with fingers forming a "V" to encourage practitioners; another passerby said that she had practiced yoga for many years and she could feel the righteous energy around Falun Gong practitioners. She said that she would pray for Chinese Falun Gong practitioners. She also took the initiative to sign the Christmas cards for Charles Lee and Meiyu Zhao.
Seoul, Korean: Court Accepts Lawsuit Charging Jiang Zemin for Genocide
With the Seoul Local Court formally accepted the Genocide Lawsuit against Jiang Zemin and Luo Gan, the Korean Falun Dafa Association held a press conference in the Plaza Hotel of Seoul on the morning of December 26, 2003.
At 11am, the media and others audience watched "False Fire," a documentary film produced by New Tang Dynasty TV. This film analyzed the "Falun Gong Tiananmen Square Self-immolation" incident and highlighted its questionable points. From this analysis, this "Self-immolation" evidently was a staged event, fabricated by the Jiang regime to frame Falun Gong. On November 18, this film won a Certificate of Honorable Mention at the 51st Columbus International Film & Video Festival in USA.
Mr. Wu gave an introduction of Falun Gong's spread since 1992 and the Jiang regime's persecution of Falun Gong since 1999. He also talked about the worldwide joint effort "Global Committee to Bring Jiang Zemin to Justice." To date, Jiang and his accomplices have been sued in many countries of North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
This lawsuit is based on the UN "Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide" which the Korean government approved on December 22 1951. Although the lawsuit against Jiang and Luo was just launched recently, it has won broad support in legal circles, with over187 lawyers signing to support it in less than 3 days. Mr. Wu said: "No matter how difficult it is, Falun Gong practitioners will work with all kind-hearted people to bring Jiang Zemin and his accomplices to justice."
Many media such as the Korean Herald, Seoul Economics, World Daily, Korean Daily News, Religious News and Net News, as well as personnel from the legal field, plaintiffs and witnesses, attended the press conference. Two officials from the Chinese Embassy also attended.
Falun Gong Practitioners in Denmark Prepare to Launch a Lawsuit Against Jiang and His Accomplices
The Danish Falun Dafa Association has declared to the public that it will sue the persecutor of Falun Gong practitioners, Jiang Zemin, and his accomplices.
After sending letters requesting advice to Danish legal experts, the Danish Falun Dafa Association has received more than one hundred letters from lawyers. Almost all of the lawyers read through the materials and expressed sympathy for Falun Gong practitioners.
With the recommendation of the lawyers, Danish Falun Gong practitioners obtained help and support from a renowned human rights lawyer in preparing the lawsuit against Jiang. According to Danish law, the lawsuit will be filed as a criminal lawsuit; Jiang and his followers will be prosecuted for crimes of genocide and torture. Danish Falun Gong practitioners will offer detailed evidence to the court, exposing the facts of the brutal persecution in China. With this lawsuit, some practitioners who had been subjected to brutal torture in China will serve as plaintiffs.
Apart from the inhumane persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China, the Jiang regime has also extended its persecution to Denmark, committing a variety of human rights violations via its Embassy. Falun Gong practitioners and their family members both inside and outside China have even been threatened and persecuted.
As plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Danish practitioners will state their experience of being victims of the persecution. During activities to collect petition signatures, practitioners received generous support from the public for the lawsuit against Jiang. Many kind-hearted Danish people and tourists signed their names to voice their support.
Melbourne City Council Found Guilty of Breaching Equal Opportunity Act in Australia
On December 23, Judge John Bowman of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal announced that the Melbourne City Council had breached the Equal Opportunity Act of 1995 when it refused the Falun Dafa Association of Victoria participation in the March Moomba Parade. The court verdiction attracted wide attention. Major media including Channel 9, ABC, NTDTV, The Age, Herald Sun all reported the news when it broke.
Earlier this year, Falun Gong practitioners had applied to participate in the annual Moomba Parade. Their request was initially approved and the parade host expressed "excitement" in a letter to the practitioners upon hearing that Falun Gong would participate in the parade. However, three weeks later, on February 11, the Melbourne City Council, led by Chinese-descent Mayor John So suddenly overturned their original decision, on the basis of Falun Gong's apparent "strong political associations."
The ban caused vehement discussion among council members. Some of them strongly opposed the decision to exclude Falun Gong from the parade. Councilor David Risstrom put an article on web, saying, "I strongly oppose the decision by the Melbourne City Council to ban the involvement of Falun Dafa in Moomba as discriminatory and wrong on political, ethical and legal grounds."
Why did the Melbourne City Council gave a green light to Falun Gong's request to join the parade all the way until making an unexpected change by shutting out the group? The reason is obvious. Under Jiang's instructions, the Chinese embassy and consulates have been trying to suffocate the voice of overseas Falun Gong practitioners by hook or by crook. The typical means include influencing politicians in foreign countries or threatening overseas Chinese etc.
Judge John Bowman said in the verdict, "In my opinion, not only did the MCC discriminate against Falun Dafa, it treated it harshly," "Falun Dafa was, effectively, led along the garden path to participate in the parade, and then abruptly rejected." "Whilst obviously I make no ruling in relation to it, some might draw the inference that it was the MCC, and not Falun Dafa, that was motivated by politics."
Falun Gong practitioners are satisfied with the court's decision and responded, "Our only request is for the Chinese government to stop persecuting Falun Gong. We hope the Australian government will do all it can to help end the persecution. We have no other request."
Canadian MP Svend Robinson Urges Minister of Foreign Affairs to Mention the Concern of Canadians Regarding the Persecution of Falun Gong to Wen Jiabao
On December 10, 2003, International Human Rights Day, Canadian Member of Parliament Svend J Robinson wrote to Bill Graham, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, urging the Minister to mention the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
Svend said in the letter: "Given that tomorrow Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will be in Ottawa, I trust that you will use this opportunity to further your bilateral dialogue, and I would urge you to mention specifically the concern of Canadians regarding the on-going persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China."
"As you rightly stated, 'International Human Rights Day is a reminder of all the work that remains to be done to ensure that the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people are respected.' "
"I hope that you will bear this in mind during your meetings with Mr. Wen."
The Letter from the Chairperson of the Association for Threatened People Expressing Support For Bringing Jiang to Justice
It is an urgent task for Germany and all other EU countries to bring human rights abusers to justice. Therefore, these countries and numerous international human rights organizations have made efforts to set up the International Court in 2002. It is a pity that the International Court can only investigate criminal behavior committed after July 2002, that is, after the establishment of the court. The International Court is unable to conduct investigations into many of the serious human rights violations in China during the last ten years because they are not within the jurisdiction of the International Court.
The Association for Threatened People has been paying close attention to the long-term persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, Tibetan Buddhists, Uigur Muslims, Catholics, Christians, and pro-democracy activists. The reason they have been persecuted is because they have publicly exercised their basic rights, which are enshrined in China's constitution. These persecution cases have been manipulated by the state, under the direct order of the party and the state. That is, cases of persecution due to an individual's religion, belief, view on worldwide events, and political tendency should not be attributed to individual officials, who abuse power, but to the party and to the state.
At the moment, it is still not optimistic to expect China to become a country ruled by law. When security members and state agents violate human rights, citizens are not likely to be protected by the law. As a result, people are calling on the international community to bring China's human rights abusers to justice by taking legal action. The Association for Threatened People, in particular, expresses our support for any legal action to bring the evildoers, including China's former leader, to court. To file a lawsuit against China's former leader, Jiang Zemin, is a crucial step in bringing human rights abusers to justice. In April, 2002, during Jiang's last visit as China's leader to Germany, we submitted a lawsuit against Jiang to the federal court, but in vain. At that time, the case did not get very far because Jiang was privileged with immunity as Head of State. Today however, China's new leaders are still carrying on with Jiang's persecution. Therefore, we feel gratified by the lawsuit against Jiang since it can help to bring human rights abusers to justice.
Sincerely Yours,
Ulrich Delius
Chairperson of the Association for Threatened People, Asian Section
Speech by Member of European Parliament Roger Helmer at Press Conference in the European Court of Human Rights
On 17 December 2003, European Dafa practitioners held a press conference outside the European Parliament Building in Strasbourg, France. Whilst a meeting took place inside the Parliament building, practitioners submitted a lawsuit against the chief criminals in the persecution of Falun Gong to the European Court of Human Rights. Here is a speech from Member of European Parliament Roger Helmer.
[...]
I have followed developments in China and in Hong Kong very closely indeed. I have been speaking to representatives of Falun Gong over the last three or four years. I have been briefed on the sort of persecution that the Chinese practitioners of Falun Gong have faced on the Chinese mainland and I think nobody can hear those stories without being very distressed and saddened, both for the individual suffering of those people and also for the fact that in China there appears to be no freedom to practise religion and no freedom to take an alternative view.
I also followed events very closely in Hong Kong. Only yesterday I had a member of the Hong Kong legislative council Mr James Ho came to see me, and brief me on recent developments. I must say I was amazed to hear the enormous number of Hong Kong people who came out to protest against the proposed change to the Basic Law Article 23 recently. As far as I can see it, it must have been practically 20% of those people within the age group to protest. So, in pro rata terms, it must surely be one of the largest public demonstrations that has ever taken place. And Mr Ho also briefed me on the recent elections, the local elections in Hong Kong, where the Democratic candidate was overwhelmingly successful.
Now it is not my place to take a particular view on particular religious or philosophical points of view. What I am concerned about is the freedom of people throughout the world to practise their religion and indeed to hold their distinctive political view. I am concerned about, for example, the persecution of the Christians in the Malaccans just as I am concerned about the persecution of the Falun Gong practitioners in China. But what would I say now to the Chinese government? I would call upon them first of all in Hong Kong to respect their commitment to the one country two systems way of managing Hong Kong and I would call upon them to respect the democratic views and wishes of the people of Hong Kong. But even more so I would urge them change their attitude in Mainland China and recognise that you cannot run a successful country and a successful economy while not allow people to have their own opinions and their own views, especially when those people present no threat to the established order in any case.
It is not my place to comment on the particular legal case which I know is a great concern today, first because I am not a lawyer and secondly because it is not my business to interfere in the legal system of France or Belgium. But I do have great sympathy for the case that Falun Gong is bringing and I do think that all those who value peace, and freedom democracy should speak up when they see this sort of persecution taking place and cry out for freedom and for respect for human rights.
Thank you!
Liu Chengjun, One of the First to Broadcast the Facts of the Persecution Over Chinese State-Run TV, Dies as a Result of Torture
Falun Gong practitioner Liu Chengjun from the city of Changchun is one of the practitioners responsible for tapping into the local television network to broadcast the truth of the persecution against Falun Gong on March 5th, 2002, an event that shocked the world. After enduring cruel torture in prison for one year and nine months, Liu Chengjun died at 4 a.m. on December 26, 2003. On the same day, the cremation was done without an autopsy and against the family's wishes. Eyewitnesses stated that Liu Chengjun's body had bloodstains near the nostrils, ears, thighs, and other areas.
Around 8 p.m. on March 5, 2002, eight channels on the Changchun cable TV network aired "Falun Dafa Around the World," "Self-immolation or Staged Event," and relevant programs, which lasted 40-50 minutes without interruption. The broadcast gave many people an opportunity to find out the truth about Falun Gong being slandered and persecuted. Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin, who single-handedly started the persecution against Falun Gong, became furious and extremely scared. He gave the order to "kill [those responsible] without pardon."
On March 24, 2002, when Liu Chengjun was arrested, the police fired two shots into Liu Chengjun's leg, even though he was already in handcuffs. On the same day, Liu Chengjun was sent to Jilin Province's Police Hospital. His hands were stretched out and cuffed to both sides of the bed.
In May 2003, Liu Chengjun was transferred to the Tiebei Detention Center. The police there wanted to extract a confession from him, so he was tortured for 52 days. He had to be carried into the court for trail. Liu Chengjun was illegally sentenced to 19 years in prison and jailed in the Jilin City Prison, Jilin Province.
Because tortures deformed Liu Chengjun's body and he could hardly speak, Liu was sent to the Jilin City Central Hospital for emergency rescue. The hospital declared him to be in mortal danger, but the 610 Office still forcibly transferred Liu Chengjun to the Province Police Hospital and then to the Jilin Central Hospital of the Prison Management Department (also called Jilin Police Hospital, or Jilin Labor Camp Hospital). Doctors at the police hospital diagnosed Liu Chengjun as suffering from uremia and declared him to be in grave danger. However, the Nongan County 610 Office refused to release Liu Chengjun for medical parole.
International human rights organizations lent their support. Among them, the Swiss Christian Anti-Torture Organization wrote to Chinese President Hu Jintao, Police Chief of Jilin Province Zhao Yongji, and the Chinese Ambassador in Berne, "...urgently calling for the Provincial Police Chief to investigate the situation in the Jilin Provincial Prison and the Police Hospital in Changchun, to implement necessary measures to protect people from being illegally tortured by prison police."
Liu Chengjun died as a result of the persecution at 4 a.m. on December 26, 2003, and police illegally and forcibly cremated his body at 11 a.m.
In western countries, people's freedoms of belief and speech are respected and safeguarded, so nobody has the need or would take the route of tapping into TV signals to send their message. But in China, the people's basic human rights have been stripped away. The Falun Gong practitioners who exercise their freedoms of speech and belief have been subjected to a bloody persecution, and Jiang regime's state-run media have done their utmost to mislead Chinese people and to cover up their atrocities in the persecution against Falun Gong. Under these circumstances, Mr. Liu Chengjun and others had to broadcast programs on their own to tell the people in China the truth about Falun Gong so as to stop this persecution peacefully.
UN Employee and Her Husband Reveal the Harassment and Brainwashing They Were Subjected to on a Visit to China
Mr. Wang Xingguo and his wife Wu Fengjiao currently live in Geneva, Switzerland. One of them is a retired government official. The other is still serving as a foreign employee with UN. The couple sent a letter to Clearwisdom Net on December 10, exposing the harassment and forced brainwashing they experienced at the hands of people the Chinese KGB while visiting their elderly mothers in China.
Here is their story:
With deep feelings for our hometown, the two of us went back to China in mid-September and October, respectively, this year to visit our mothers. Both our mothers are in their 80's. Who would have thought that people from the National Security Bureau would tail, monitor and harass us, simply because we practice Falun Gong overseas, a practice that is extremely beneficial for the well-being of our mind and body? We were forced to "chat" with them three times -- the longest one was seven hours.
One morning in late October when we went to shop at the local market, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared and showed Mr. Wang his National Security identification badge. Before Wang had a chance to take a closer look at the ID, he took us to a remote hotel and forcibly separated us for "chats."
We told them that what they were doing was against international law, yet one of them named Li said rudely, "No need to talk to us about international law... What is so special about being an employee in a foreign country? We dare to charge even American citizens. You will not be allowed to leave here unless you tell us everything!"
They used "April 25th" and the "Tiananmen Self-immolation" case to defame Falun Gong, But Mr. Wang told them the so called "Self-immolation" was a staged event. They could not say a word in reply. Just then, someone, who seemed to be a person in charge, shouted at Wang, "Don't talk about it at such a high level!" They all claimed that Falun Gong was illegal, yet when asked which law specified that Falun Gong was illegal, they could not produce any evidence, claiming that the law could not be that specific. They then said that the central government had already decided to ban Falun Gong and Wang should follow what had been decided.
When they pressured us to tell them what activities overseas Falun Gong practitioners engaged in and who were those that participated, we told them in no uncertain terms that the two of us had been practicing Falun Gong overseas all along and we would join a group practice exercise on weekends and would attend experience sharing conferences. All these activities were protected by local law and all Falun Gong activities were legal. We told them that Falun Gong had been spread to over 60 countries.
During our third "chat" they tried to force us to write so-called "guarantee statement" to state that we would not engage in any Falun Gong activities in China and would not support any Falun Gong activities overseas either, and we would support the government's policies on mistreating Falun Gong, and so on and so forth. We rejected their demand resolutely.
After the first "chat" in order to clarify the truth to those people, Wang signed a record of the "chat."
Hereby, Mr. Wang solemnly declares that his signature null and void, because we would not acknowledge their conduct in violation of basic human rights, and the "chats" they subjected us to were illegal.
China: Sixty-three Year's Old Woman Dies as a Result of Torture in Masanjia Forced Labor Camp
Ms. Lu Guifang was a former chief accountant at Yingkou Cigarette Factory in Liaoning Province. On January 25, 2002, the police in Dalian City arrested her, her husband, her son and her sister in law, because they practiced Falun Gong. She was illegally sentenced to two years of forced labor.
On March 8, 2003 she was transferred to Masanjia Labor Camp. In the camp she was brainwashed and tortured to near death. Being afraid of being held responsible for her critical condition, the authorities ordered her relatives to take her home. The doctor destroyed all paperwork for Lu's physical exams, and forced Lu's relatives to pay 2,000 Yuan for "deposit."
After Lu was taken back to hometown, she was bedridden and suffered unimaginable pain, yet the local police still kept harassing her. She died on November 26, 2003 at the age of 63.
China: Internal Organs Missing from the Body of Falun Gong Practitioner Killed in Police Custody
The second of two autopsies performed on the body of a Falun Gong practitioner who was beaten to death in police custody revealed that several internal organs had been removed, presumably shortly after her death.
On April 23, 2003, 56-year-old Ms. Zhao Chunying was detained by Chinese police for posting a story on the Internet about torture she had previously suffered in police custody. Less than a month later, she was dead and photographs taken by her family indicate her death was horrifyingly brutal.
The autopsy revealed a large knife wound to the head, four broken ribs and numerous black and purple bruises indicating a violent beating. The autopsy also discovered considerable internal bleeding.
In the second autopsy, apart from a fractured skull, it also revealed that the heart, spleen, pancreas and other internal organs were missing. It is not known when the internal organs were removed or for what purpose, although illegal human organ trafficking in China has been identified as a serious concern by international human rights groups.
In June 2001, Chinese Dr. Wang Guoqi testified before U.S. Congress about the nearly 100 operations he reportedly performed on executed prisoners in China to extract their organs for sale.
China: Atrocities in Force Labor Camps in Shanxi Province: the Police Forces Falun Gong Practitioners to Swallow Excrement and Urine and Humiliates Females
The Falun Gong practitioners detained in forced labor camps in Shanxi Province, China are suffering inhuman mental and physical tortures. Bellow are potions of their narrations regarding to what happened to them in labor camps.
In the forced labor camps of Shanxi Province, the police shocked our mouths with electric batons and stripped off our clothes and exposed us to the burning sun to humiliate us. They also ordered inmates to curse, kick, punch and beat us with iron hooks. They also threw us against walls by dragging our hair, beat female practitioners in their stomachs, poked female practitioners' private parts, and forcibly stuffed excrement into practitioners' mouths. The police prohibited us from using the restroom and forced us to swallow excrement and urine. They confined us in cells and deprived us of sleep for days on end. As soon as we closed our eyes, they beat us. They also prohibited us from talking to each other. Some of us had bruises and wounds all over our bodies from the beatings, and were too battered to be recognized. Some of us lost teeth as a result of the torture, and some of us had edema throughout our bodies and could not even stand up or walk.
In the Female Forced Labor Camp of Shanxi Province, one practitioner was shocked by the police with a 220 volt electric current. As a result, a once healthy woman suffered a mental collapse. However, the police claimed that this practitioner, who was tortured to this state, was insane as a result of practicing Falun Gong. In the men's forced labor camp, one practitioner was tortured to death but the labor camp still tried to hide the truth. They told the people in the camp that this practitioner was out on medical bail, while they told people outside the camp that this practitioner had died from an illness. The actual murderer was not punished and instead received a reward and was released ahead of his term. The policemen who instigated this atrocity received monetary rewards and promotions. The Women's Forced Labor Camp of Shanxi Province receives a large amount of funds and the honorary title from their superior , "The Civilized Forced Labor Camp," for brutally persecuting Falun Gong practitioners.
China: Mr. Song Youchun Tortured to Death and His Family Members under Arrest for Appeal
Mr. Song Youchun was 54 years old, and lived in Tumenzi Township, Qihuangdao City, China. On December 15, 2003, Mr. Song died in the Qinglong County Detention Center after fourteen days' abusive treatment.
Because Song Youchun persisted in practicing Falun Gong, he was cruelly tortured in the detention center and later in two different forced labor camps. The authorities did not release him until he was on the brink of death.
Before he was fully recovered, the police broke into arrested him again and also abducted his wife and sister on the morning of December 2, 2003. In addition, the police confiscated his valuable properties.
After Song Youchun was tortured to death, the County Police Department completely blocked the information. Mr. Song's son-in-law and another relative went to the city hall for appeal, but they were arrested and jailed in the county detention center.
Washington Times Reveals How Chinese Authorities Persecutes Falun Gong Practitioners by Depriving Them of Employment
The Washington Times posted a guest editorial on this subject on December 3, 2003. Below are portions of this article.
In August, Mary Kay Inc., the American cosmetic giant headquartered in Dallas, required each of its sales associates in the People Republic of China to sign a standard statement. In the statement, the signer promised never to practice or to advocate for Falun Gong.
Although Mary Kay reportedly is in the process of revising the statement, and denied an earlier report that several employees were fired for refusing to sign, the damage was done. By simply linking the term Falun Gong and the threat of employment termination together, the company delivered a strong message to the Chinese people: Corporate America was ready to give in to the demand of the Chinese authorities, and, thus, to participate directly in the persecution of dissident groups.
It is understandable that American corporations are eager to enter a market of 1.3 billion consumers or a nation with hundreds of millions of cheap laborers. However, with their investment, American corporations also create their own legacy in China. They can either gain notoriety by collaborating in political persecution or gain respect by being independent and humane. This should not be a difficult choice, even for corporate America.
Canada: National Post Suggests Athletes Practice Falun Gong Exercises During the 2008 Beijing Olympics
On December 13, the National Post (Canada) published an article that suggested athletes practice Falun Gong exercises during the 2008 Beijing Olympics to show support for Falun Gong.
The National Post said, the government in Beijing wants the 2008 Olympics to do for China what the 1964 Olympics did for Japan: Display the country's best qualities and prove that it deserves a place in the family of nations. This means that the Olympics offer a once-in-a-century opportunity to anyone hoping to nudge China toward freedom. Assuming that Chinese human rights remain at their present level, international activists could make the Olympics an occasion to reveal all the grim details. [...]
The Post said, members of Falun Gong are the most famous among the several classes of officially persecuted Chinese. Falun Gong members have been beaten, tortured, sent to work camps, and imprisoned in mental hospitals. All over the world they stand silently outside Chinese consulates and embassies, living symbols of opposition to a regime that smugly believes it can get away forever with arbitrary cruelty. In their vigils the Falun Gong appeal, peacefully, for help from the part of humanity that's free.
The Post said, Falun Gong practitioners deserve support. Why shouldn't the athletes of the world, who will probably contribute to China's prestige in 2008, adopt the Falun Gong as their personal cause? They could begin by indicating sympathy through frequent visits to Falun Gong vigils. They could write letters of support to members imprisoned in China, request talks on the Falun Gong with every Chinese diplomat in the world, and raise the subject whenever meeting Chinese officials for any reason.
The Post proposed, athletes could announce that if China doesn't change its ways, they'll march into the Beijing Olympic Stadium on opening day in 2008, congregate on the field, and perform slow-movement meditation in the style of Falun Gong while several billion TV viewers look on. They could start practicing it at athletic meets right now, as a sign of solidarity. [...]
With Saddam's Arrest, Jiang Zemin's Doom Is Drawing Near
Upon the news of Saddam's capture, Iraqis celebrated it like a festival. Top leaders from many countries in the world also congratulated the US on the victory. However, China's state-run media CCTV showed solemn expressions on Iraqi faces and spoke in a pitying tone while reporting Saddam's arrest, reflecting the feelings of Jiang Zemin. Saddam is facing a trial and might be sentenced to death. Jiang Zemin is presently being sued in many countries all over the world. Is he worried that he may end up the same as Saddam?
On June 10, 1999, under Jiang Zemin's personal will and power, the "610 Office", a nationwide terror organization with the power of the state Constitution and laws behind it, was established in China. Beginning on July 20, 1999, Jiang Zemin ordered the "610 Office" to persecute, systematically and brutally, millions of people who practiced Falun Gong.
In the past fours years, at least 834 Falun Gong practitioners have been verified dead as the result of torture according to news from nongovernmental channels. The actual number of death by torture cases should be much more. During the process of Jiang Zemin's national terrorism, many Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death or disabled. Many practitioners also lost their homes and become destitute as a result of this persecution. Millions of Falun Gong practitioners' family members, relatives, friends and colleagues have been persecuted or brainwashed.
Recently, former dictators and their cronies in several countries are being brought to justice one after another. Jiang Zemin, who persecutes, tortures, and kills innocent people will be brought to justice soon.
The People Awaken to the Truth
China: School Authorities Change Their Attitude After Learning the Truth About the Persecution
After learning that the authorities of Puxin Railway Elementary School sent a few teachers who praticed Falun Gong to a Brainwashing Center, many fellow practitioners in went to clarify the truth to these chief officials. As a result, the school's leadership members guaranteed that that they would not send their staffs to brainwashing centers anymore.
After Ms. Qin Chuinian, a teacher in the school, was forcibly taken to a brainwashing center, she refused to cooperate with officers by going on a hunger strike. She kept telling the facts about Falun Gong to those officials. She told them that good would be rewarded with good and evil would meet with evil, asking them not to be deceived by those lies fabricated by Jiang's regime. Twelve days later, Ms. Qin was released from this brainwashing center without compromising any of her beliefs. The officials from the school drove her back from the brainwashing center. They also promised that they would not do such bad things again.
Many Falun Gong practitioners kept calling and sending letters to teachers and leaders at the school so that many of them became aware of the persecution against Falun Gong. Currently all practitioners in this school already returned to work.
The Compassion of a Falun Gong Practitioner Moves a Chinese Policeman's Heart
Ms. Xiao Ling is a Falun Gong practitioner in Mainland China. One night she went out to post signs that clarify the truth of the persecution against Falun Gong. After she was done, she took a taxi home.
On the way she explained the facts to the taxi driver and gave him some truth-clarification materials. In the end the driver said, "You know who I am?" He then suddenly pulled out a set of handcuffs. Pointing at the handcuffs, he said, "Don't you see?" Xiao Ling was very calm. The driver continued, "I work for a certain police department. While I'm off police duty, I work as a taxi driver to earn extra money. After listening to what you said, I benefited a lot. I know you Falun Gong practitioners are not against the country and the people. A couple of days ago we had a meeting. The police are planning on launching another round of arrests. You should be more careful."
After arriving at her destination, they talked for another 20 minutes. When they parted, Ms. Xiao told the policeman, "You should treat Falun Gong practitioners kindly when running into them in the future." He answered that he would, and promised to find a Falun Gong book to read when he went back home.
China: An Elderly Police Officer Returns to Practice Falun Gong
I am an elderly police officer. I had also joined other practitioners in group study and exercises. In July 1999, dictator Jiang started the persecution of Dafa practitioners, and at the time I became the one in charge of the Falun Gong issues. Facing a situation as such, I was confused about what to do, which resulted in me stopping my practice.
During the high point of the persecution of Dafa, many practitioners let go of their thoughts of life and death in resisting the persecution. Again, this awakened me from the pursuit of fame, profit and giving in to emotion. Falun Gong practitioners' strong righteous belief impressed me very much, and also made me ashamed of myself.
I finally came to my senses. I would never assist in crimes again! Furthermore, I would expose the vicious persecution of Falun Gong, and I would again enter cultivation in an honorable and upright manner. I talked with the people around me openly about how profound Falun Dafa is. Because of that my job was changed, and I was more clear about Jiang's regime using the cruelest means to persecute Falun Gong practitioners.
I told everyone that I am a Falun Gong practitioner. My boss, colleagues and people around me all tried to avoid me, not wanting to get in trouble, so I took the initiative and reached out to them and even some higher officials. Face to face I told them that Falun Gong is good, and about the suspicions surrounding the findings in the "Self-immolation" incident. This impressed many people. They all said, "Falun Gong is good; if you want to practice it at home then just go ahead, we don't care." "Falun Gong practitioners are all good people, we don't want to detain good people." Through clarifying the truth, people around me all came to me of their own initiative and asked to learn about Falun Gong, and wanted to read Falun Gong books. I showed them Zhuan Falun and some of the Teacher's recent articles. One elderly police officer said after he read the book, "This is really the Truth!"
Once, the police department planed to hunt down practitioners. I immediately notified fellow practitioners to resist the persecution. As it turned out, that hunt was cancelled. During the times considered to be "sensitive dates," the authorities tried to capture practitioners at the same time. My son, also a police officer, had to carry out the higher authorities' orders to capture a practitioner. I calmly explained the idea of treating Falun Gong practitioners kindly. Afterwards, my son understood all of what I had said. Now he has also become a Falun Gong supporter.
Other than that, I also told my relative who worked at an important post, "Do not listen to the wicked lies! Do not cooperate and persecute Dafa practitioners." In order to bring a just environment back to Falun Gong and to advocate justice for practitioners who are being persecuted, frequently I write my experiences and other materials to the regional, provincial and even central government. I use my position to visit the illegally detained and jailed practitioners.
I returned to my cultivation of Falun Gong.
Falun Gong Practitioners' Personal Experience
An Elderly Man's Story: Falun Dafa Gave Me A New Life
I am an old man. Due to fatigue and damage to my body, I suffered kidney disease before the age of thirty and heart disease when I was near forty years of age. I felt that I would rather die than live with the torture of chronic illness. My medical expenses became a heavy burden to my family. I wanted to get an artificial heart in early 1990, but couldn't afford the cost, so I had to continue to suffer in pain day by day. My body began to show toxic reactions and became bruised all over due to the large amount of medicine I had consumed over such a long time.
In the spring of 1997 I started to practice Falun Gong. After practicing for just twenty days, I felt that my health had significantly improved and decided to stop taking medicine. A day later, I was too happy to even sleep, realizing I hadn't taken any medicine for the past twenty-four hours. For 20 years, you see, I had taken medicine daily, closely following a medication schedule. Since then I have not needed any medicine or injections, yet have enjoyed excellent health. Doesn't my experience confirm that Falun Gong is beyond science?
When Jiang's regime started to persecute Falun Gong in July of 1999, several of my co-workers and some policemen came to my house to tell me to stop practicing Falun Gong. I replied solemnly, "I began to practice Falun Gong to get rid of my illnesses. I gained my health back in just one month. Prior to that, I visited all of the major hospitals in the province and all of the famous doctors in the area to treat my illnesses, but none of them was able to cure me. Falun Gong is such a good way of cultivation practice. Who could be so bad that they want me to stop practicing and die? Furthermore, Teacher's books tell us to become better people. If you are not a good person, your illnesses will not be cured. Is it a crime to be a good person? Nowadays, how can people distinguish right from wrong and good from bad? Ask my neighbors and co-workers and they will tell you that I had required various types of medication for many years. I couldn't even breathe normally before." I became excited as I continued to say, "Teacher saved me. Falun Dafa gave me a new life. No matter what you want to do to me, I have made up my mind to steadfastly study Falun Dafa and to follow Teacher closely." Seeing my determination, they left without a word.
Since I started to practice Falun Gong, many people witnessed the changes in me. As a result, after I clarified the truth of Falun Dafa to people in my surrounding environment, my supervisors were soon after able to understand Falun Dafa further. When the police forced practitioners to attend brainwashing classes, my supervisors withstood the pressure from authorities, resisting the persecution by saying, "These practitioners are good people. Why do you want to transform them? Go do what you should do."
Falun Dafa gave me a new life. The great compassionate Teacher saved me from suffering and created a miracle for me. This is a truth that Jiang Zemin's evil political organization cannot deny.
No words can describe a Falun Dafa practitioner's wonderful inner-self. I wrote down these personal experiences, hoping to share the joy and happiness of practicing Falun Dafa and to benefit others who read this article.
A Woman in Her 70's Experiences Miracles After Practicing Falun Dafa
I started practicing Falun Gong in August 1995. At the time, I was 74 years old and was suffering many illnesses. Being extremely weak, the first time I went to the practice site carrying my pad to sit on, I sat down to take a rest every several steps. Due to serious diabetes, I had to urinate many times. I seldom drank water but still could not control having to urinate often. I often suffered incontinence. My monthly medical expenses were over 600 yuan. Many years of diabetes had led to glaucoma, which distorted my eyesight. Seen through my eyes, the moon was not round, but a two-inch long rectangle.
Later on, someone introduced Falun Gong to me, saying that the practice teaches people to be good, does not accept money and has miraculous effects. After hearing this I became very interested and decided to go to the practice site to give it a try.
Then miracles began to occur. I felt stronger after just ten days of practicing. It was really surprising that on my way to the practice site, I had to rest several times, but on my way back I felt very light and went home without a break. I used to go to the hospital in Shijiazhuang city, but my illnesses were not alleviated even after I spent a lot of money. But only several days after learning Falun Gong, I have felt effects. This gave me determination and confidence in cultivation.
Speaking of health, I used to suffer from many illnesses. My feet were so swollen that I could not put my shoes on. My eyes hurt so much that I could not open them. I had nephritis, cirrhosis, heart disease, and diabetes. I went to four hospitals, but there was no improvement. After learning Falun Gong, I have recovered from glaucoma and diabetes. I eat more than before, yet I lost weight. I used to weigh 180 pounds, but now I weigh 148 pounds. I have a good appetite and I sleep well.
My feet were bound when I was 7 years old, and were unbound when I was 14 years old. Although my feet were released, the toes were all curved and deformed. At the beginning of practicing Falun Gong I could not even hold the Falun Standing Stance for three minutes. But now I can maintain the positions for more than an hour, as all of my toes have become straight. My whole body has become more youthful.
Although I am over 70 years old, I feel strong after practice and can keep up with young people when working. I feel that the longer I practice, the stronger I am.
All this is from my own experiences. I hope everyone comes to know more about Falun Gong.
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