[Apple Daily--Hong Kong] A resident reporter in Beijing for an American newspaper sent out a special electronic message saying that in the Central Committee working meeting held between the 12^th and the 14^th of this month, the Political Bureau sent down many important work agendas, including new economic construction, political structure and other proposals. They plan to submit them to be discussed and passed in the National People's Congress meeting next month. According to the message, a Communist official who attended the meeting revealed that one of the decisions from the Political Bureau is to use the full power of the party, government, and army to suppress Falun Gong in China. The Political Bureau's decision pointed out that the struggle with Falun Gong is a "political struggle that affects the destiny of the party and the country." They are actively preparing for a long-term battle. If they don't completely win, they will not stop! A Life and Death Struggle Based on the recent propaganda entitled "Crimes committed by the XX" passed down from the Central Government to the local parties, governments, and army officials, and based on the police arrests and courts judgments, the information revealed by the above mentioned official is aligned with the facts- it is credible and believable. However, I can't avoid worrying for the future of China's reform and economic development. Furthermore, I can't help worrying what Jiang Zemin pointed out to be "affecting the destiny of the party and the country". Here are my concerns. First of all, I believe high-level Chinese Communist Party officials just opened their mouths and decreed Falun Gong a XX. This is the most scary and worst omen ever in Chinese history. In April 1999 close to 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners suddenly appeared in Tianenmen Square and Zhongnanhai compound to meditate and exercise and to appeal to the Central Committee concerning the decision of Tianjin city government forbidding them to publicly practice. The next day, one Beijing official estimated that there were close to 100 million Falun Gong practitioners in China. Actually they intentionally exaggerated the situation; they really wanted to use it as an excuse to use their political tools to suppress Falun Gong. Later on they realized that this number greatly exceeded the number of Communist Party members, which was around 63 million. Wouldn't Falun Gong then be the largest public organization? Therefore, they immediately changed the number to be 70 million; later on it was reduced to 50 million, making Falun Gong the second largest organization in China. The phrase "political struggle that affects the destiny of the party and the country" connotes a perceived life and death struggle by the Chinese Communist Party. Isn't this a very bad omen to all Chinese?! Does it have to be this way? Jiang Zemin, as the President of China, declared, in reference to Taiwan, that "Chinese will not fight Chinese" and said that by "following the principle of one-China, they can immediately start political negotiations, [and] stop the hostile situation between the two sides". Very good, very good! Now, 50 million Falun Gong practitioners, including their founder Li Hongzhi, have never said they were not Chinese, nor have they said they "refuse to accept the principal of one-China". In addition, they have not formed any government organization; they don't have any modern Navy, Army, or Air Force (they don't even have a single gun). In that case, why not talk to them? Why not let them meditate, position their hands, close their eyes, and practice Falun Gong in the grass of the parks and cultivate "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance"? Even on the government's television broadcast, people can see the calm and peaceful scenes. The practitioners consist of men, women, elderly people and children who are polite, warm and simple. Release Falun Gong practitioners How can citizens like these, who practice their exercises and cultivate their minds, be the supposed strong enemies who conspire to disturb the Central Government and overthrow the Party? Their fear is so strong! What hope is left for the party and for the government? I sincerely urge President Jiang Zemin to release the humble members of Falun Gong, even if you consider them foolish men and women. On the one hand you can let them calmly cultivate, on the other hand the Central Committee government can concentrate on reform, economic construction, improving citizens' quality of life, making the country stronger. At the same time, opportunities can be created to gain peaceful negotiation with Taiwan and open a path to the unification of China. February 22, 2001