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"Clarify the truth thoroughly, eliminate the evil with righteous thoughts, save all beings, and safeguard the Fa with determination" (Dafa is Indestructible) China Crisis News Bulletin #92 - 08/02/2001 Monitoring News of the Persecution of Falun Gong BBC, July 20: Chinese police have
prevented followers of the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement staging
protests in Beijing. The protests were staged in Tiananmen square on the
second anniversary of the ban imposed by the Chinese authorities.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing police arrest up to eight people in the
square as they unfurled protest banners. They were bundled into police
vans and taken away from the square... Earlier in the week, police set
up roadblocks on roads into Beijing to deter Falun Gong supporters from
congregating in the capital.
CNN, July 20: Thousands of Falun
Gong adherents gathered in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia and the U.S. to
mark the anniversary. Around two thousand followers gathered in
Washington, including 500 from Taiwan. "We came here to try to send
out an urgent call to rescue Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in
China," said organizer Lisa Nappi. About a dozen members of the U.S.
Congress -- whose voices have been raised in protest against China's human
rights record -- also attended the rally. Among them was Republican Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, who introduced a resolution in the House of
Representatives on Wednesday condemning China's treatment of Falun Gong
followers.
CTVNEWS.com, Nielsen report, July
21, 2001: The third week of July marks a somber anniversary for Falun Gong
practitioners around the world. Two years ago, China began its persecution
of the movement's adherents. Ever since, it's been a brutal and relentless
campaign against what Beijing's authoritarian regime sees as a threat to
its power. It's ironic timing. The grim anniversary happened just one week
after the International Olympic Committee awarded China the right to host
the 2008 Olympics. Many interpreted the decision as a message that the
IOC, at least, is willing to gloss over China's human rights abuses... Just
days after the Olympic announcement, China's vice-premier re-iterated his
government's determination to stamp out Falun Gong.
AP, July 19, NEW YORK -- A senior
Chinese law enforcement official has been sued in U.S. federal court for
allegedly directing the torture and deaths of practitioners of Falun Gong...
Zhao Zhifei, head of the public security bureau for the Hubei province in
China, was served the civil complaint on Tuesday at a New York hotel, said
Carey R. D'Avino, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. The lawsuit, which seeks $50
million in damages, accuses Mr. Zhao of crimes against humanity, including
murder, torture and falsely imprisoning members of the spiritual movement. It
was filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan on behalf of Peng Liang,
whose brother and mother were allegedly killed by Mr. Zhao's officers. "Today
in New York, we remind Chinese officials that United States can and will hold
them responsible for violating international law," Mr. D'Avino told
about 80 members of Falun Gong protesting outside the hotel where Mr. Zhao is
reportedly staying... Under U.S. law, foreigners accused of crimes against
humanity or violations of international law can be sued in federal court, Mr.
D'Avino said. The accused individual, however, must be served a civil
complaint in the U.S... Mr. Zhao is second-in-command of a special task force
set up by the Chinese government to crack down on Falun Gong in Hubei.
Officers under his command are accused of burning, torturing and killing
practitioners.
CHINA RENEGES ON AGREEMENT DURING
POWELL VISIT
Reuters, July 31, 2001: WASHINGTON:
Chinese television reneged on an agreement to air an interview with United
States Secretary of State Colin Powell in full last week, cutting out comments
on human rights and Taiwan, the State Department said. The US embassy in
Beijing made a strong protest against the editing decision by the state
television station CCTV, US State Department spokesman Charles Hunter said
yesterday. "We had a clear and explicit agreement with CCTV that the
interview would be carried in its entirety ... They chose to renege on that
agreement," he said. "The decision not to broadcast the full message
was counterproductive. We consider the decision unwise." In the deleted
section, about a fifth of the total interview, General Powell defended US
criticism of China's human rights record. "You should continue to move
forward ... with respect to the treatment of people with different religious
beliefs or different ways of practising their faith," he said,
according to a State Department transcript. "We think it's important for
us to point out where improvements are appropriate - rule of law, having
standards with respect to international law and trying to meet those standards
that are expected ... with respect to freedom of ... religion and various
human rights." MP IRWIN COTLER & SCOTT REID
JOIN VIGIL OUTSIDE THE CHINESE EMBASSY
OTTAWA, MONTREAL - August 1, 2001, under
the burning sun, Professor, MP and human rights lawyer Irwin Cotler and MP
Scott Reid and their assistants joined Ms. Jinyu Li and her vigil outside the
Chinese Embassy from 12:30pm to 1:30pm to demand the unconditional release of
Jingyu's husband Shenli Lin, a prisoner of conscience. Sixty people from
Montreal and Ottawa joined the vigil as well.
For 18 months Jinyu Li, a Canadian
citizen from Montreal, has petitioned for her husband's release. Her
husband Mr. Shenli Lin has been suffering in a Chinese labor camp for the past
18 months for being a Falun Gong practitioner. He was due to be released on
July 23rd. However, his sentence was arbitrarily extended on that day with no
reason given. Jinyu's dream to reunite with her husband in Canada was
shattered. Since July 25, Jingyu has been holding a round-the-clock vigil in
front of the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa to appeal for her husband's release.
Four others of her family members have been arrested a total of 14 times in
the past year in China for being Falun Gong practitioners. Shenli's brother
was recently sent to the same labor camp, with two years term.
"There are three reasons we are
here today," said Mr. Cotler. "First, to express our solidarity
with Jinyu Li and support for Shenli Lin's case and cause. Second, to appeal
to Chinese authorities to release Shenli Lin and permit him to be reunited
with his wife here in Canada; and third, to call upon the Chinese government
to honour their international undertakings, and to cease and desist from the
prosecution and persecution of those Falun Gong practitioners like Shenli Lin
who seek to do nothing else but give expression to the ancient Chinese values
of Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance." "I am proud and honoured to be
able to support Jinyu Li in her brave struggle for her husband's
freedom," said Reid, "It is through such personal sacrifices that
awareness is raised, and public pressure is built to call upon Chinese
authorities to stop their persecution of Falun Gong practitioners."
"I demand that the Chinese government immediately release my husband and
his brother, and stop the mass killing of Falun Gong practitioners. I call on
all Canadians to help me end the atrocity that is taking place in China",
said Jinyu.
Amnesty International of Canada
re-launched the letter-writing campaign to appeal for Shenli and protest his
extended term in labor camp.
http://www.amnesty.ca/stoptorture/China_shenli.htm Posting date: 8/3/2001 |