FDI: Chinese Gestapo-Like Agency Plays the Name Game
International Pressure, Lawsuits force CCP Officials' Hand
to "Disband" Agency, NGO's Report Reveals "6-10 Office" Inner workings
á The
bureaus are now called "Purge the Evil Cult Office."
Chinese
Government sources say such a name change along with the "disbanded" claim is a
tactic frequently used by the Communist Party. They change the fa ade of an
agency or policy that violates domestic and international laws, deflecting
investigations and muting criticism. The sources say, however, the agency
typically continues exactly as it always has with little or no change to its
purpose or methods of operation.
Chinese
Government officials have often denied the existence of the 6-10 Office. But
international media, human rights organizations and concerned governments
frequently finger the shady agency in their reports. In
Dec. 26, 2000, a Wall Street Journal report -- part of a Pulitzer-prize
winning series on Falun Gong -- described the 6-10 Office as a "bureau that was
coordinating the crackdown [against Falun Gong]." In an Aug. 5, 2001 Washington
Post article, the agency was described as: "Beijing's secret 610 office, an
interagency task force leading the charge against Falun Gong."
In
a resolution passed unanimously (420-0) by the United States Congress in July
2002, the 6-10 Office was described as an agency charged with "overseeing the
persecution of Falun Gong members through organized brainwashing, torture, and
murder." (news)
Former
Chinese leader Jiang Zemin established the 6-10 Office in June 1999 with the
specific mission of "eradicating" Falun Gong. Under Jiang's patronage, the 6-10
Office became an independent agency with little accountability, holding power
over all levels of the Communist Party and government.
Over
the past four years, the Falun Dafa Information Center has received daily
reports and testimonies from China that frequently describe the role of 6-10
Office officials in overseeing the persecution of Falun Gong via loss of
employment and housing, expulsion from university, arbitrary detainment,
brainwashing sessions, torture and deaths from torture.
In
a September 2003 special report, the World Organization to Investigate the
Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) -- a Boston-based non-profit organization (website)
-- detailed the inner workings of the 6-10 Office. It describes when and how
Jiang first established the agency, its reporting structure, methods of
operation, how it was funded and the degree to which it exercised power over
related agencies, such as Public Security, the Judiciary, and more. (report)
The WOIPFG's report concludes, "we consider [6-10 Office] to be a secret,
illegal organization."
During
the past year-plus, lawsuits in national courts charging the 6-10 Office and
various high CCP Officials with genocide, torture, and crimes against humanity
have put officials on the defensive.
In
October 2002, a class-action lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court charging
Jiang Zemin and the 6-10 Office with crimes of torture, genocide and crimes
against humanity. (news)
In
December 2002, a criminal lawsuit was filed in France charging the former
Vice-Prime Minister of China, Mr. Lanqing Li -- who also served as the head of
the 6-10 Office -- with crimes of torture. In July 2003, the French criminal
court began legal proceedings on the case. (news)
Between
August and October 2003, 5 criminal lawsuits were filed in as many European
countries charging the vice-director of the 6-10 Office, Luo Gan -- among
others -- with crimes of genocide and torture. (news)
###
NEWS
- Nov. 16, 2003 Falun
Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about),
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 Communist leader Jiang Zemin outlawed
the peaceful practice in July 1999 (report),
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.
To that end, Jiang established the "6-10
Office," a Gestapo-like agency spanning from the Central Government to the
local governments. The United States Congress has described the "6-10 Office" as
an agency charged with "overseeing the persecution of Falun Gong members through
organized brainwashing, torture, and murder." (news)
The
Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 819 deaths (reports
/ sources)
since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. In October 2001,
however, Government officials inside China reported that the actual death toll
was well over 1,600. Expert sources now estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds
of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000
being sentenced to forced labor camps, typically without trial. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA
INFORMATION CENTER
NEW
YORK (FDI) -- Provincial governments in China say the notorious "6-10 Office"
agency (about)
has been "disbanded," while actually only changing the names of the bureaus,
reliable sources in China report.
Provincial governments in
China have changed the name of the "6-10 Office" agency
to thwart criticism of its mission to "eradicate" Falun
Gong.
Falun Dafa Information Center, www.faluninfo.net
Background
Contacts: Gail Rachlin (+1 917-501-4441), Levi Browde (+1 914-720-0963), Erping
Zhang (+1 646-533-6147), or Feng Yuan (+1 917-941-1097).
Fax: 646-792-3916 Email: 
,
Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
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