"Rescue Our Family Members"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 2, 2002[ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ] Boston medical researcher Haiying He has not seen his mother, sister, or brother in over three years. Since the persecution campaign against Falun Gong began in China on July 20, 1999, all three have been detained and/or tortured for their practice of Falun Gong.
For Danielle and Haiying, it has been a very difficult three years, but they are determined to see their family members again, and they are not alone.
More than 22 practitioners of Falun Gong across the United States who have family members being illegally held in Chinese prisons, detention centers, and forced labor camps have joined forces with hundreds of supporters in an effort to rescue their loved ones.
Press conferences have been held in New York City and Dallas, with more press conferences and rallies planned over the next few weeks in San Francisco, Boston, Chicago and other major cities.
The Heart of the Matter
"According to the Chinese government's own estimate, in 1998 there were 70-100 million people practicing Falun Gong in China," notes Mr. He. "All those people have families, which means the persecution campaign against Falun Gong has devastated countless families like mine."
Mr. He continues, "In China, most people suffer in silence, unable to call attention to their loved ones' suffering for fear they too will be punished. Here in the United States, however, we can speak freely, and so for the sake of my own family and the countless families in China that have been torn apart by this persecution campaign, we have mobilized this nation-wide effort to rescue our loved ones."
As part of the nation-wide effort, the family members and supporters will appeal to President Bush to raise the Falun Gong issue when he meets with Jiang Zemin at the end of the month in Crawford, Texas. They are also asking the President to help secure the release of their family members in China.
In Canada, a similar nation-wide family rescue effort was launched in July, which lead to the early release of Ms. Yangying Wu from a forced labor camp. Ms. Wu's sister, Yanxia Wu, lives in Toronto and helped initiate the family rescue effort there. Others Canadians who have family being held in Chinese labor camps and detention centers have also reported improved conditions due to the pressure from the family rescue effort.
Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.
With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999, fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.
The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 487 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps without trial.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER-
Contacts: CGail Rachlin 917-501-4441, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, Levi Browde 914-720-0963, or Feng Yuan 917-941-1097. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
NEW YORK, October 2, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center) -- Danielle Wang, a civil engineering student at the University of Texas in Austin, has not seen or heard from her father in three years. The last time she saw him was on Chinese state-run television as he was being sentenced to 16 years in prison for his practice of Falun Gong.
Family members and supporters also plan on holding a rally in Houston during Chinese Communist Party head, Jiang Zemin's visit at the end of the month.
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