(Clearwisdom.net)

On April 3, 2002 more than forty American Falun Gong practitioners decided to take an unprecedented action as they stepped forward to file a lawsuit in a Washington DC federal court against several Chinese government ministries. The lawsuit accused the Chinese government ministries of violating the practitioners' constitutionally protected rights. Citizens and residents of the United States enjoy the protection of the Constitution and are able to live in freedom and peace, without their lives being disrupted by the evil's interference. Falun Gong practitioners should also have the same right to enjoy a free, peaceful life on American soil.

Among the more than forty plaintiffs, some were beaten up, while others had their car's tires slashed, windows broken, and even the car itself set on fire. Some plaintiffs had their homes broken into multiple times, and others were subjected to outright intimidation by having their private conversations at home or in public taped and left as messages on their answering machines. Several practitioners were put on a "black list" and labeled as "terrorists." Some who had received proclamations from their local governments for Falun Gong activities had them rescinded. The list goes on and on. All of this took place simply because, after living in the United States, the practitioners grew used to an environment of freedom and decided to raise banners calling for the end of the persecution or speak out about their beliefs.

When Jiang first started suppressing Falun Gong practitioners in July, 1999 out of his personal jealousy and prejudice, no one could imagine that he would also begin to attack Falun Gong practitioners in America. As you can see from the legal brief of the plaintiffs, the Jiang regime has tried to spread its hatred in the United States without restraint. They have used all of their political, economic, and underworld tactics, attacking Falun Gong practitioners in the United States from various levels and angles. They have used television as a propaganda machine to wage a large-scale campaign to spread slanderous lies, hoping to brainwash the American people and American government officials. They have fabricated television news programs to deceive the people and rampantly smear Falun Gong practitioners. They will not be satisfied until they have persecuted every Falun Gong practitioner to the fullest extent possible.

The plaintiffs decided to take their case to the United States federal court because they recognized that the beatings, the vandalizing of cars, and the death threats are not coincidental, isolated events. In fact, all of these actions are a part of a nationwide criminal campaign. They were the acts of ignorant and easily influenced individuals who willingly served to extend the persecution in China to the US. These individuals did this because they were first brainwashed by the lies and propaganda perpetrated by the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC and the Chinese Consulates in New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

In accordance with US federal laws against criminal enterprises and conspiracy to violate and deprive individuals of their constitutional rights, the victims are asking the federal court to carry out the most basic form of justice: to stop the terrorist activities being perpetrated by a foreign country on American soil.

In addition, American Falun Gong practitioners are asking the courts to stop the Jiang regime from using political power, money and other economic tactics to violate the rights of Falun Gong practitioners to clarify the truth about the persecution to the American people.

Judging by past events in China, the plaintiffs asked the courts to recognize the importance of the possibility of their family members being persecuted in China. In reality, this type of inhumane persecution has already been carried out against some of their family members. As for the concrete actions and results of this lawsuit, Falun Gong practitioners sincerely hope that one day, they can help eliminate this persecution of American people on American soil by a foreign government, so that they can freely practice their beliefs in the United States as well as in China.

A press conference regarding this lawsuit was held at 12:30 p.m. on April 3 on the square in front of the federal courthouse in Washington DC.

Posting date: 4/5/2002
Original article date: 4/5/2002
Category: Falun Dafa Worldwide
Translated on 4/4/2002
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/4/3/27809.html

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